The Scenario
Mercy For Animals is working to construct a food system that doesn’t depend on animal exploitation and is safer for people and better for the planet.
FACTORY FARMS
Chickens, cows, fish, and other animals raised at factory farms experience unimaginable cruelty. We are on the front lines fighting to protect them—by constructing a food system that is kind to animals, safer for people, and sustainable for our planet.
Hens used for eggs are crammed by the thousands into windowless sheds. Their sensitive beaks are seared off, and many develop painful bleeding prolapses that go untreated. Birds die from the horrifying conditions, and their bodies rot next to hens laying eggs for human consumption.
Chickens raised for meat are bred to grow so fast they frequently cannot even walk without pain. Air acrid with ammonia causes severe skin and throat irritation, blindness, and fatal respiratory problems. Abuse from factory farm workers is also rampant.
Cows exploited for dairy are treated like mere milk-producing machines—constantly cycling through pregnancy, birth, and milking until their bodies give out or their milk production is no longer profitable. Calves used for veal are ripped away from their mothers and locked in crates. They are fed a low-iron milk substitute that makes them anaemic. By the time of slaughter, many calves are too weak to walk.
From the water to the cutting table, fish are tormented. They are suffocated, skinned, and dismembered, often while still conscious and able to feel pain. Crowded by the tens of thousands in tanks at factory farms, fish suffer severely from intensive confinement. The conditions spur injuries and illness. Fish often lose their eyesight or become infected with parasites.