Ban The Torture of Farm Animals

**Please note: In this petition, the term "farm animals" and "animals" includes birds and fishes**

In the US, 10 billion animals are killed every year for meat, eggs and milk.

How much of this is done humanely? Turns out, not too many.

The USDA is charged with inspecting the authenticity of food labels. But in an investigation by Animal Welfare Institute, the USDA failed to supply documentation supporting labels such as "Humanely Raised and Handled" and "Sustainably Farmed" for 20 of the 25 products.

There is no clear definition of the term "humane" and how farm animals must be treated during the tenure of their lives. As a result, the term "humane" has been used loosely by many companies to trick consumers.

The vast majority of farm animals live under immense suffering and anguish. This has major implications on human health in the form of blue baby syndrome, avian and swine flu among others. At best, we can avoid animal products altogether or significantly reduce our consumption of it. But, the least we can do is to ban the torture of farm animals and advocate for humane living conditions and slaughter methods. 

We, as consumers of the United States of America demand that farm animals be treated humanely in accordance with the following:

1. Dismantling confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and prohibiting the use of tightly crowded barns, fish farms and cages, including colony cages.

2. Prohibiting the use of cruel procedures like forced-molting starvation, suffocation, freezing, drowning, beak cutting, rBGH injections, salmon starvation etc.

3. Prohibiting the use of feed that makes farm animals sick or causes them structural abnormalities (eg. enlarged breasts, prion formation, swelling) and/or functional difficulties (limping, sores). 

4. Animals must be pasture raised and grass fed which includes access to fresh air, sunlight and freedom to run around.

5. Animal spaces, feed and water should be free of excrement.

6. Animals must have enrichments such as perches, hay nests, wallowing pits, etc.

7. There must be non-antibiotic treated animals or decreased use of antibiotics. The inappropriate use of human antibiotics has created drug resistant bacteria that has caused 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths.

8. The USDA should enforce the Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter Act effectively, with the inclusion of birds and fish. 

9. All animal products must be certified with either of the following labels: Global Animal Partnership, Certified Humane and/ or Animal Welfare Approved.

Your voice matters today. 

Sign the petition now to tell USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and the President of the United States to ban the torture of farm animals.