United Poultry Concerns
 		April 12, 2000

EVIDENCE GOES TO PROSECUTOR
Amberson Egg Farm Hen Rescue Update
YOUR CALLS/LETTERS/E-MAILS NEEDED


Pasado's Safe Haven has compiled extensive, legally obtained, videos, photographs, necropsy reports and affidavits of the deplorable conditions in which chickens had to live and die at Amberson Egg Farm in Lake Stevens, Washington. We are presenting the evidence to the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney's Office this week. Your letters, phone calls, and e-mails are desperately needed NOW to assure he knows how the community feels about this case. Specific "talking" points follow to make this quicker and easier for you to do.

We rescued every last living chicken from the egg farm - 1000 in all, many of whom still died once they were brought to Pasado's Safe Haven because they were so emaciated...it is estimated 25,000 or more chickens had already starved to death! Your correspondence is vital to assure this never happens again in Washington State!

"TALKING POINTS" to the prosecutor:

  • This is the second time Keith Amberson, owner of Amberson Egg Farm, has been accused of starving his chickens to death.

  • Over a year ago, Pasado's Safe Haven asked for charges to be brought against this farmer. You refused to do so because you determined what he did was considered "accepted animal husbandry" practices. This time, according to the press, you have a poultry farmer who worked with Pasado's Safe Haven, who stated that what he witnessed at

    Amberson's was NOT "acceptable animal husbandry" practices. This time there is no excuse. You must prosecute Keith Amberson.

  • Last year, you made your determination that allowing tens of thousands of chickens to die was "acceptable" because you talked to the State Dept., of Agriculture and to a veterinarian who works for the poultry farmers. You sought out NO independent opinions outside the poultry and agriculture communities! I INSIST you do so this time! (FYI, this past week, Pasado's Safe Haven acquired necropsy and tissue examinations from four different veterinarians and pathologists who all determined the birds died from emaciation, organ breakdown, and other evidence of severe starvation and water deprivation.)
For the newspaper editors
  • Let them know that this story is critical to continue to investigate. That the community is outraged at what they saw in photos and on television newscasts. That people care what happens!

  • Note that necropsy results have shown extensive evidence that these hens were starved to death. Pasado's Safe Haven asked for all Grown in Washington Egg Farmers to open their doors, over a year ago, to prove that Amberson's was a "unique" case. None did. Ask the newspapers to practice good journalism and investigate if this is "acceptable animal husbandry" at all of our Grown in Washington Egg Farms. Egg farms need to be investigated not only for animal cruelty, but for health and environmental issues, as well.
WRITE TO the Prosecutor:

LET THE NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL DEPARTMENTS KNOW HOW
IMPORTANT THIS STORY IS TO CONTINUE TO COVER!

From Pasado's Safe Haven SusMichael@aol.com. April 12, 2000

United Poultry Concerns, Inc.
PO Box 150
Machipongo, VA 23405-0150
757-678-7875
FAX: 757-678-5070
www.upc-online.org

(Amberson Egg Farm Hen Rescue Update)