Behind Closed Doors

The safety of our nation’s livestock has recently been brought into the public’s eye. Many of the methods of killing these animals are questionable and may need to be reevaluated. Many animal activist groups such as PETA feel that something needs to be done in order to save these animals from dying, while factory farmers feel that the killing of livestock is perfectly suitable for our dominantly carnivorous society. The government has been pressured to choose one side but continues to reflect moderate views. This ongoing struggle for animal rights continues to linger in today’s society as patrons debate weather to fight for the safety of animals or to presently accept the disputed process of the slaughter house.
On the left wing of this debate is PETA (people for the ethical treatment of animals), an organization devoted to protecting animal rights. PETA has over 1.8 million members and supporters and is still continuing on the rise. In PETA’s own investigations, they have found many factory farms that have exemplified acts of cruelty: In an earlier investigation, for example, PETA documented farm workers killing pigs by dropping cement blocks on their heads. A later incident was additionally noted where farm workers first beat a pig with a wrench, thinking that they had killed her, and then proceeded to slice off her skin and hack off her leg with a saw as she cried out in pain (Humane Slaughter Act). PETA has documented numerous acts of cruelty directed toward livestock just as gruesome as or worse than the one previously stated above. Upon further research I have found many graphically worded documentations of animal cruelty reported by PETA including instances where hooks were attached to the ears of pigs before they were dragged to different holding facilities (Humane Slaughter Act). Since 1980 PETA has fought for animal rights, petitioning for their safety, relieving them from suffering and ensuring their humane treatment (“Cruelty to Animals: Mechanized Madness”).
The government has shown favoritism to both sides of this debate. The government has recently passed one law concerning the rights of animals in slaughterhouses, the Humane Slaughter Act (HMSLA), which focuses solely on the remaining minutes of an animal’s life rather than how they are treated throughout. Surprisingly, “Animals on today's factory farms have no legal protection from cruelty that would be illegal if it were inflicted on dogs or cats” (“Cruelty to Animals: Mechanized Madness”). In December of 2001, PETA sent a petition to the United States Department of Agriculture in response to this dilemma, asking them to comply with the mandates of the Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter Act, “The Humane Methods of Slaughter Act makes no provision for such limited application and so must be applied to the slaughter of livestock at, including those diseased, injured, underweight, or otherwise unhealthy or "unprofitable" animals killed on "farms" and at other livestock facilities “ (wikipedia p2). PETA asked the government to apply humane methods of slaughtering animals at all slaughterhouse locations from the time they arrive until their death.
Dwight D. Eisenhower passed the first version of this bill in 1958. It was updated in 1978 where factory farm inspectors were allowed to stop the slaughtering line if they noticed that cruelty was taking place. However, this method eventually ended when the United States Department of Agriculture stopped authorizing inspectors to stop the line because it was “wasting” too much time. Fortunately, in 2002 President George W. Bush passed the Farm Bill, which fully enforced the HMSLA. Peter Fitzgerald noted that this action must be taken because of other incidents that have flown under the government’s radar, “"the government took no action against a Texas beef company that was cited 22 times in 1998 for violations that include chopping hooves off live cattle" (Washington Post). The majority of factory farms take nothing into consideration when killing their livestock, it “has led to institutionalized animal cruelty, massive environmental destruction and resource depletion, and animal and human health risks” (factory farming p1).
On the other hand, the FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service), “is conducting a correlation review process of humane slaughter activities at federally inspected meat and poultry plants” (Key Facts: Humane Slaughter). FSIS inspection personnel are taking appropriate measures by enforcing responsibilities and reviewing regulations at these factory farms. Additionally, slaughter line inspectors and veterinarians are now being employed to factory farms in order to ensure that every federally inspected slaughter establishment complies with the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. Although improvements have been made by reinforcing these laws there is much more to be done, including having set requirements for the workers in these factories.
Most of the men and women hired to work in the slaughterhouses often are uneducated, with little knowledge of the English language and how to humanely kill an animal. They are usually overworked and underpaid, and sometimes they are even abused. They are expected to slaughter animals at a rapid pace and are threatened with the loss of their job if they fail to meet the set number of animals killed for that day. The stress of their job, along with the fact that they are being paid little to nothing for their work, sometimes causes the workers to take out their frustration on the livestock. Although many other guidelines for factory farms have been set, guidelines have not been set for what “acceptable” farming practices entail. HMSLA states that, “Farmers are generally free to handle these animals in whatever manner they choose, regardless of the degree of suffering that results, so long as it is claimed to be an acceptable or customary practice” (Humane Slaughter Act). Laws should be passed and instituted so that factory farm workers must agree to a cruel free contract, pass an adequacy test and receive proper training on how to handle and butcher livestock in an appropriate manner.
“Last year alone, the suffering…was endured by, and ended with the deaths of, more than 100 million pigs, 40 million cows and calves, 3.5 million sheep and lambs, and tens of thousands of other species of "livestock" animals” (Humane Slaughter Act). By becoming vegetarian or cutting down on one’s consumption of meat products, the lives of many animals could be saved. “If slaughter houses had glass walls the whole world would be vegetarian” (Linda McCartney). Unfortunately, in a society concerned with quantity rather than quality, most Americans sweep their emotions under the table and reach for their hamburger and fries.