lifelines We challenge Trading Standards’ betrayal

On page 14 we report on the abject failings of Trading Standards (TS) in prosecuting Flat House Farm owners for what were some of the most abject cases of animal cruelty we have ever recorded. TS dropped all but one of the 68 charges and so we have challenged their decision through the solicitors Advocates for Animals in a detailed letter, they remind TS that even the judge was unimpressed with their decision and quote him as saying that the charges were wide-ranging and related to long-standing failings and that the sentence would have been much more serious if evidence had been presented

Advocates for Animals list those failings in detail l Body parts and dead piglets were found in the sheds l Cats picking off newborn piglets and eating them alive l Sick piglets left to die slow deaths l A lack of food and water l Distressingly large hernias that dragged along the floor l Tail and ear biting l Acute malnutrition, enteritis, rectal strictures and pot bellies

This is what TS thought was not worth prosecuting! Read the full story on page 14

Shameful!

Our old friend dr Chris Bryant (Bryant Research) has come up with some shameful new research He interviewed 1,000 people to see how many had experienced ‘meat shame’

Over 40 per cent of Brits had experienced it and as a result, most did something to reduce their meat consumption. The shame came from acquiring knowledge about the meat industry and having more exposure to vegetarianism and veganism. it was animal welfare concerns that prompted most shame – more than environmental or social pressure.