Perdue Farms Slaughter Plant Animal Cruelty Investigation
Perdue Farms Animal Cruelty Investigation
From September 16, 2004 through October 1, 2004, a Compassion Over Killing investigator worked undercover in the hanging room of the Perdue Farms slaughter plant in Showell, Maryland. Using a hidden camera, he documented horrible—yet routine—cruelty to animals on a daily basis, including:
- Workers violently throwing birds around the slaughter plant’s hanging room;
- Birds—many who were dying—left unattended on the conveyor belt during workers’ lunch breaks;
- Dead and dying birds on the grounds outside of the plant; and
- Birds flapping violently after having their throats slit.
Despite Perdue’s claim on its website that “individuals handling poultry must be trained in animal husbandry,” Compassion Over Killing’s investigator did not receive one moment of animal care training before working with live animals.
On his first day of employment at Perdue Farms, he watched videos pertaining to food safety and worker safety, but not a single minute was devoted to animal care or proper handling. The investigator asked other workers in the hanging room if they had received any training or guidance in animal welfare and learned that none did.