Urge Congress to Include Poultry Under the Federal Humane Slaughter Act

Revelations of extreme cruelty to chickens at a West Virginia chicken slaughterhouse demonstrate the urgent need to amend the federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act to include poultry without further delay. An investigation by PETA from October 2003 to May 2004 at a Pilgrim's Pride plant shows vicious employee abuse of live chickens including ripping their beaks and heads off, throwing them against the wall, and more (kentuckyfriedcruelty.com).

Last year, Virgil Butler, who worked at a Tyson chicken slaughterhouse in Grannis, Arkansas, described similar cruelties to chickens as "just part of a regular night's work." Amending the federal Humane Slaughter Act will not solve all of the problems in poultry slaughter plants, but it will help curb some of the worst abuses of billions of chickens, turkeys, and ducks each year. Together these birds represent over 95 percent of animals slaughtered for food in the U.S. Please help them.

What Can I Do? 4 Things

1. Urge your Members of Congress (your two Senators and your House Representative) to sponsor and support an amendment of the federal Humane Slaughter Act to include poultry. The most effective letter is personal, concise, informed, and polite. Contact:
   
   The Honorable__________
   United States Senate
   Washington, DC 20510
   
   The Honorable _____________
   United States House of Representatives
   Washington, DC 20515
   
   To learn your Members of Congress call the 24-hour Capital Switchboard: 202-224-3121. Or visit www.senate.gov or www.house.gov .
   
   
2. Urge Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia to sponsor legislation that will amend the federal Humane Slaughter Act to include poultry. Senator Bryd is an outspoken advocate for humane slaughter protective legislation as well as being a Senator from the state where the PETA investigation took place. Contact: The Honorable Robert C. Byrd, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510. Ph: 202-224-3954 Fax: 202-228-0002. Email from site: Byrd.Senate.gov.
   
   
3. Urge Senator Thad Cochran, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, to hold immediate oversight hearings to review allegations by an undercover investigator from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that employees at the Pilgrim's Pride chicken slaughter plant in Moorefield, W.Va. performed frequent and deliberate acts of animal cruelty, including kicking, stomping and throwing live birds against the wall. Contact: the Honorable Thad Cochran, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510. Phone: 202-224-5054. Fax: 202-224-9450. Email: senator@cochran.senate.gov
   
   
4. Urge Congressman Bob Goodlatte, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, to hold immediate oversight hearings to review allegations by an undercover investigator from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that employees at the Pilgrim's Pride chicken slaughter plant in Moorefield, W.Va, performed frequent and deliberate acts of animal cruelty, including kicking, stomping and throwing live birds against the wall. Contact: The Honorable Bob Goodlatte, United States House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515. Ph: 202-225-5431. Fax: 202-225-9681. Email: talk2bob@mail.house.gov

For information on poultry slaughter: www.upc-online.org/slaughter/

For a free copy of Poultry Slaughter: The Need for Legislation , write to UPC, PO Box 150, Machipongo, VA 23405.

Or download at: www.upc-online.org/sl a ughter/slaughter3web.pdf