On Sunday 2nd May, Whanganui and Wellington Animal Save chapters will be bearing witness to pigs, sheep and cows on their way to slaughter.

Location: Land Meats slaughterhouse, 42 Bryce St, Castlecliff, Whanganui.

Time: 15:00
 

‘We are a non-violent, peaceful, grassroots animal rights organisation’, says NZ Animal Save volunteer Sandra Kyle, ‘and our message to the public is to rethink their choices when it comes to eating animals. Connecting with these living beings, documenting their last moments, and sharing these with the public, allows us to give a voice to the voiceless. These individuals that we painfully say goodbye to as they enter the gates of the slaughterhouse have families, and they feel pain and experience emotions (just like our pet dog or cat, or even like us!) They need to be seen for who they truly are; warm, breathing sentient beings."
 

Kyle said, "For me, personally, one of the hardest animals to bear witness to is the pigs. Pigs have the intelligence and awareness of a three year old child. They are very vocal, and express their fear and anxiety in loud screams when they are being unloaded from the trucks."
 

We are here to tell you the truth about animal agriculture. We call on individuals, governments, corporations and other institutions to begin to transition to a vegan food system. We ask the public to think; what would you do if you saw a truck loaded with cats and dogs about to enter a slaughterhouse? Wouldn’t there be an uproar? So, what's the difference between that or a truck full of pigs or cows?

Some facts:
 

There are 14,000 mother pigs in Aotearoa NZ living in small cages (farrowing crates) where they cannot turn around, or care for their babies properly.
 

After a dairy cow has been impregnated 3 or 4 times over her lifetime and has had her babies taken away from her at birth, she will mourn and bellow over the suffering of her loved one. When she is ‘spent’, she will be sent to a bloody death – all because humans want to drink her calf’s milk.
 

‘Free range’ is a myth. Chickens are still dying from heart problems and other conditions, and living a miserable life – whether organic or free range. A shocking 1 million hours-old male chicks are mascerated or suffocated every year, simply because they cannot lay eggs.
 

A gunshot to the head doesn't always kill instantly, resulting in a slow and painful death for the animal being slaughtered.
 

A large number of slaughterhouse workers suffer from alcoholism, PTSD and depression due to the nature of their work.
 

Humane death is a lie, animals do not want to die.
 

"Studies and science have shown time and time again that we do not need to eat animals to live healthy lives. Why then do we continue to cause pain and suffering to these innocent creatures? There is no way to humanely kill an animal who doesn’t want to die. This is a justice movement, just like other social justice movements. It is time for us to change. We need to evolve and come together to create a better world – a kinder, gentler, more progressive world - not only for animals but for us. I really wish that our government would apply its signature slogan of 'Be Kind' to all animals, not just humans. I don't see any reason why New Zealand can't be the first country in the world to seriously begin to transition to a plant-based economy. This is the international trend anyway, we can lead the world in this as we have in so many other things."

© Scoop Media