Animal welfare advocates have numerous concerns in regard to the farm animals owned by the Glenview Park District's Wagner Farm and their 4H group, the Glenview Clovers.
Concerns include the welfare of animals not wanted for Wagner Farm programs, the breeding and milking of cattle, and the purchase of lambs and piglets by the 4H group for the sole purpose of using these animals for "educational" programs and then selling them for slaughter at the Lake County (IL) Fair in July.
A non-profit animal welfare organization, Wagner Farm Rescue Fund, was founded in the year 2002 by animal rights activist and Glenview resident, Debby Rubenstein. It was specifically created to address animal welfare issues at Wagner Farm. Rubenstein's attempts to work cooperatively with Wagner Farm management over the past eight years, however, has resulted in only a minimal and sporadic relationship that is declining as the usage of animals increases.
Past concerns about animal welfare are being ignored, and programs that involve animal exploitation and slaughter are escalating, thereby ignoring and inflaming previously noted animal welfare concerns.
It has been the intent of Wagner Farm Rescue Fund to promote humane treatment for the animals as well as good living conditions, the finest available medical care, safe transportation, sanctuary establishment and maintenance, and lifetime care for Wagner Farm animals after their "useful" years are over and the Farm no longer wants the animals. While the Rescue Fund has achieved these goals to some extent, the current and continuing escalating usage of animals by Wagner Farm and the Glenview Clovers 4H group is leading to an increase of animal welfare infringements and concerns.
Wagner Farm/4H hold numerous programs open to the public and school groups, and most of these participants are unaware of the animal welfare concerns that exist. By participating in programs that involve animals designated for slaughter, both the general public and school groups are unwittingly participating in the abuses associated with the slaughterhouse and factory farm industries. Wagner Farm's educational can also serve as a national model. That is why it is so crucial for positive changes to be made as soon as possible.
We, the undersigned, request that the Glenview Park District, Wagner Farm, and the Glenview Clovers 4H group:
* Make animal welfare a priority at all Wagner Farm related programs by working with Wagner Farm Rescue Fund on a regular and cohesive basis to ensure that programs do not exploit or infringe on the rights and welfare of animals.
* Discontinue any programs that result in the breeding/milking of animals and instead work with Wagner Farm Rescue Fund in the formation of suitable education programs that do not exploit or infringe on the rights and welfare of animals.
* Disassociate themselves from any educational programs that result in animals being purchased for the purpose of subsequent sale and/or slaughter.
* Release any currently owned 4H animals, i.e., the (10) pigs and (17) lambs currently kept at Wagner Farm that have been designated for usage at the Lake County (IL) Fair, to Wagner Farm Rescue Fund for the purpose of placement at an animal rescue farm/sanctuary.
