Turkeys and Chickens Get Their Day in Court

	©Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary
	Turkeys have no protection under the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.

Some 45 million turkeys will be killed for Thanksgiving tables this week—and the U.S. Department of Agriculture offers no legal protections from an inhumane slaughter to any of them.

The USDA, oddly, interprets the federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act not to require that birds killed for human consumption be rendered insensible to pain before slaughter.

Yesterday, federal district court judge Marilyn Hall Patel heard arguments in a landmark case seeking legal protection for the approximately 10 billion turkeys, chickens and other birds slaughtered for commercial food production each year in the United States.

Billions Vulnerable to Slaughter Abuses

A broad coalition of humane organizations, slaughterhouse workers' advocacy groups and individual consumers led by The Humane Society of the United States filed the case in 2005. It argues that the USDA's policy of excluding chickens, turkeys and other birds killed for human consumption from the federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act is irrational and contrary to the agency's duty to protect farm animals from egregious abuse in commercial slaughter facilities.

"Turkeys and chickens raised for food at least deserve as humane a death as possible," said Jonathan R. Lovvorn, vice president for Animal Protection Litigation for The HSUS. "By narrowly construing the federal humane slaughter law to exclude poultry, the USDA has abandoned billions of animals each year to face some of the worst slaughter abuses imaginable."

According to the suit, current commercial slaughter methods allow approximately ten billion birds to be slaughtered each year without any federal protection from cruelty. The plaintiffs allege that the absence of federal oversight is not only inhumane, but also presents increased risk of injury to slaughterhouse workers and increased risk to consumers of contracting food-borne illness.

What You Can Do

Check out The HSUS's humane holiday suggestions and recipe collection. Also, ask for legal protection for birds during slaughter: sign the Petition for Poultry.

See the Video

USDA Poultry Slaughter Policy

Related Links

Help Secure Basic Protection for Billions of Birds: Sign the Petition for Poultry

Dr. Ellen Levine, The HSUS, et al. v. Johanns (Poultry slaughter)

Suit Seeking Humane Slaughter for Billions of Animals Allowed to Proceed

The HSUS Files Lawsuit Challenging USDA's Exclusion of Birds from the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act

Still a Jungle Out There: The HSUS Takes USDA to Court to Ensure a Humane End for Birds

An HSUS Report: Welfare Issues with Electrical Stunning of Poultry

An HSUS Report: The Welfare of Animals in the Broiler Chicken Industry

An HSUS Report: The Welfare of Animals in the Turkey Industry

Human Health Implications of Live Hang of Chickens and Turkeys on Slaughterhouse Workers