Animal Activists Expose a Fifth Australian Piggery

Continuing their campaign to bring to light the cruelty inherent in the Australian pig farming industry, Animal Liberation ACT has released photos and footage from yet another Australian piggery.

Strathvean Piggery, near Tarcutta NSW, is the latest intensive pig farm to be exposed by Animal Liberation ACT, with last night's release of covertly-obtained photos and footage depicting the same conditions seen earlier at Wally's Piggery, Allain's Piggery, Tennessee Piggery and, most recently, Lansdowne Piggery.

These conditions include female pigs ('sows') confined to tiny metal and concrete cages known as sow stalls and farrowing crates, unable to turn around or take more than one step forward or backwards; dying and dead piglets; overcrowding of 'grower' pigs; general uncleanliness; and hard concrete floors for all the animals.

The new footage follows comments made by CEO of Australian Pork Limited, Andrew Spencer, claiming that animal activists had "no justification" to expose his industry, and comments by Minister for Primary Industries and Member for Burrinjuck Katrina Hodgkinson, who has likened animal activists to terrorists.

Clare Atkinson, spokesperson for Animal Liberation ACT, said: "The justification is self-evident. Mr Spencer and the piggery operators he represents want to keep this sort of thing from ever reaching the Australian public, while we believe such widespread, industry-standard cruelty should be made known to anyone who is unknowingly funding it. Consumers have a right to know."

"As for allegations of terrorism - when you compare Animal Liberation's non-violent method of raising awareness, to violent procedures such as mutilations performed on piglets without anaesthetic, the physical violence such as kicking and striking pigs that occurs regularly behind closed doors, the psychological torment of prolonged confinement, and of course the slaughter of thousands of pigs per day across the country, who are the real terrorists? If they're feeling threatened, it's because we're exposing the hidden nature of their business."