Animal rights activists have broken into a Foxton battery hen farm taking twenty hens early on Sunday morning. The activists say they openly broke the law because they are fed up with the government’s lack of action on animal rights. Activists from all over the country took part in the raid which they say is the first of many “open rescues” in which activists will admit responsibility for illegally entering farms to rescue animals. Spokesperson for the group, Mark Eden, said the government has left no other option but to break the law.

“Battery cages were recently found to be in breach of the Animal Welfare Act by a parliamentary committee, but Jim Anderton the Minister of Agriculture has chosen to ignore this decision for fear of upsetting the factory farming industry. This has meant that activists have been left with no choice but to take the law into their own hands”

“Everyone agrees that battery cages are cruel and should be banned. Jim Anderton has chosen to side with the egg industry instead of doing the right thing. If the Government is prepared to ignore public opinion and the democratic process then we are prepared to break the law to get the hens out of the cages.”

Another activist, Deirdre Sims, agreed “The government has proven time and time again that they will do nothing to help battery hens so it’s up to ordinary people like us to draw attention to the suffering of these animals. How can we respect the law if the law doesn’t respect animals” she said.

The activists said more raids were being planned and arrests would not deter them. “I hope they do arrest me because I would love to get the farmer into a courtroom to explain why he thinks factory farmers should be exempt from the animal welfare act.” said Mr Eden.

(Turks Poultry farm in Foxton is owned by Ron Turk, a committee member of the NZ Egg Producers Federation. Turks was recently fined $34, 000 for dumping feathers and 16 tonnes of chicken guts onto a nearby farm).

ends

© Scoop Media