Smile, You’re On Camera: Mercy For Animals Exposes Egg Farm Cruelties

I’ve always considered myself to be fairly knowledgable about animal rights issues such as battery cages for egg-laying hens, but while sitting in on a press conference for Mercy For Animals’ (MFA) new undercover investigation I learned some new things about this cruel method of confinement:

1. Each battery cage is about the size of a small filing cabinet drawer and contains 4 to 6 hens.

2.Veterinarian care is not provided.

3. Hens are faced with second-hand smoke. In the undercover footage  a worker blows smoke directly into hens’ faces.

4. Dead hens aren’t always removed from the cages and live, egg-laying hens often live with rotting corpses.

5. Employees do not receive training or a manual related to animal handling.

6. Most importantly, I learned that I should not smile at a public speaker when he makes eye contact with me. I accidentally made Freeman Wicklund, director of campaigns for MFA, smile while talking about animal abuse. Sorry, Freeman!

To learn more about all the cool things Mercy For Animals does, scoot on over to their website!

Warning: This footage contains graphic images. Go grab a box of kleenex.