Uploaded November 2010 | Updated September 2026, 32 minutes ago
In early June 2010, I travelled to Ohio to help Farm Sanctuary gather signatures for a ballot initiative in order to change existing regulations regarding factory farmed animals. "Factory" and "animal" should not be interconnected words, but they are. Did you know that over 10 billion farm animals are slaughtered in the U.S. every year? The goal was to change laws in order to stop some of the cruelest factory farming practices in Ohio, a state known to have some of the weakest animal protection laws in the nation. We hit the ground with tireless volunteers gathering signatures in the midst of factory farm country. We were not liked by some ( factory farmers and their supporters) but overall , I found that the people of Ohio want what is best for the animals, and that was proven by the ~500, 000 signatures gathered throughout Ohio! We were in the hot sun collecting signatures 12+ hours a day! Then, on June 30, 2010, Ohioans for Humane Farms reached an agreement with agriculture interests brokered by the Governor's office to adopt several measures to protect farm animals. The agreement included reforms that outlawed and phased out cruel practices in Ohio. The agreement includes the following measures for farm animals: A ban on veal crates, to be phased out within six years. A ban on new gestation crates in the state after December 31, 2010. Existing facilities are grandfathered, but must cease use of these crates within 15 years. (FIFTTEN MORE YEARS OF SUFFERING!!!) A permanent moratorium on permits for new battery cage facilities in place immediately. A ban on the transport of downed cows and calves for slaughter. (Yes, people, you commonly eat animals too sick and weak to stand!) A ban on strangulation and other forms of on farm killing that are not included in euthanasia standards as outlined by the American Veterinary Medical Association. (You didn't know it was OK to strangulate cows? Well apparently it is! ) Enactment of legislation establishing felony-level penalties for cock fighters. This is a victory for factory farmed animals in Ohio, but there is so much more to do.... If cats or dogs or horses were treated like factory farmed animals are, would something different be happening? Would the public feel differently? People!! Rise up and object to the current practices on factory farms in America ( and across the planet) !! This type of treatment should not happen toward ANY animal. The fact that billions of animals are suffering every day in America is extremely disturbing and just wrong on too many levels!! Where is humankinds moral stand on this issue? What concern do we have as a nation regarding ethical treatment of sentient creatures? Please ponder what Ghandi said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated". Let us not be looked back on by the future, or be seen by the present as a nation with complete moral failure by its people and leaders. Peace.
In early June 2010, I travelled to Ohio to help Farm Sanctuary gather signatures for a ballot initiative in order to change existing regulations regarding factory farmed animals. "Factory" and "animal" should not be interconnected words, but they are. Did you know that over 10 billion farm animals are slaughtered in the U.S. every year? The goal was to change laws in order to stop some of the cruelest factory farming practices in Ohio, a state known to have some of the weakest animal protection laws in the nation. We hit the ground with tireless volunteers gathering signatures in the midst of factory farm country. We were not liked by some ( factory farmers and their supporters) but overall , I found that the people of Ohio want what is best for the animals, and that was proven by the ~500, 000 signatures gathered throughout Ohio! We were in the hot sun collecting signatures 12+ hours a day! Then, on June 30, 2010, Ohioans for Humane Farms reached an agreement with agriculture interests brokered by the Governor's office to adopt several measures to protect farm animals. The agreement included reforms that outlawed and phased out cruel practices in Ohio. The agreement includes the following measures for farm animals: A ban on veal crates, to be phased out within six years. A ban on new gestation crates in the state after December 31, 2010. Existing facilities are grandfathered, but must cease use of these crates within 15 years. (FIFTTEN MORE YEARS OF SUFFERING!!!) A permanent moratorium on permits for new battery cage facilities in place immediately. A ban on the transport of downed cows and calves for slaughter. (Yes, people, you commonly eat animals too sick and weak to stand!) A ban on strangulation and other forms of on farm killing that are not included in euthanasia standards as outlined by the American Veterinary Medical Association. (You didn't know it was OK to strangulate cows? Well apparently it is! ) Enactment of legislation establishing felony-level penalties for cock fighters. This is a victory for factory farmed animals in Ohio, but there is so much more to do.... If cats or dogs or horses were treated like factory farmed animals are, would something different be happening? Would the public feel differently? People!! Rise up and object to the current practices on factory farms in America ( and across the planet) !! This type of treatment should not happen toward ANY animal. The fact that billions of animals are suffering every day in America is extremely disturbing and just wrong on too many levels!! Where is humankinds moral stand on this issue? What concern do we have as a nation regarding ethical treatment of sentient creatures? Please ponder what Ghandi said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated". Let us not be looked back on by the future, or be seen by the present as a nation with complete moral failure by its people and leaders. Peace.
