North Carolina poultry farm worker arrested, charged with animal abuse
An employee at a North Carolina poultry farm has been arrested after the release of an undercover video showed the man stomping on chickens and throwing them against a wall. USA Today reports that the man was arrested on animal abuse charges after animal activist group Mercy for Animals uploaded the video to YouTube earlier this week.
Mercy for Animals said that the video was shot at Deese Farm, which has a capacity of about 160,000 chickens. The farm, located in Rockingham, N.C., supplies poultry to Perdue Farms Inc. The worker claimed to have witnessed animal abuse on a daily basis during the time he worked there, From October 30 through December 4.
A Perdue spokeswoman said Wednesday that the company was investigating.
"We do take these things seriously and we have very strict policies in terms of our farmers complying to our policies," said Perdue spokeswoman Julie DeYoung.
In a statement, Dr. Bruce Stewart-Brown, a veterinarian who oversees live production for Perdue, said: "We are appalled by the mistreatment and abuse by a contract catching crew and farm worker shown in the video. We are deeply disturbed that birds with obvious leg or health issues were left to suffer."
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