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From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

The tiny cages and crates that confine about 90 percent of laying hens and more than 80 percent of gestating sows are both physically and mentally tormenting for the animals involved. Physically, the muscles and the bones of the animals atrophy from lack of use. FRIEDRICH Washington, Jan.

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From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

To the Editor: Re “ Don’t Presume to Know a Pig’s Mind ” (Op-Ed, Feb. 20): Blake Hurst, a former hog farmer and president of the Missouri Farm Bureau, cautions that “we can’t ask the pigs what they think.” People who study pigs say they are as intelligent as a 3-year-old child, smarter even than the dogs we share our homes with.

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From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

It accepts completely the hype concerning a California ballot initiative that among other things bans gestation stalls for pregnant sows. And you do not acknowledge the individual care that pigs get in such systems and the protection from predators, diseases and the aggression that pigs often exhibit toward each other in group housing.

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From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

Thus far, the state ballot initiatives and agreements that will expand space for chickens (as well as for gestating pigs and veal calves) are really very minor. To the Editor: Re “ A Hen’s Space to Roost ” (Week in Review, Aug. At most, chickens will be guaranteed room to spread their wings.

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Animal Advocates' Successes Have Factory Farmers Running Scared

Animal Ethics

Consider some of the victories: On November 5th, 2002, more than two and a half million Floridians voted "Yes" on Amendment 10 to amend the state constitution and prohibit the use of gestation crates , narrow metal cages where breeding pigs are kept for most of their lives. The full text of the amendment is available here.

Factory 40
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McDonalds Makes Positive Move to Help Sows

Critter News

The McDonald’s Corporation said on Monday that it would begin working with its pork suppliers to phase out the use of so-called gestational crates, the tiny stalls in which sows are housed while pregnant.

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