LUVERNE - Seven employees of Christensen Farms have been suspended by the company after allegations of improper animal care at a hog farm near Luverne in far southwestern Minnesota, and an animal welfare group is calling for criminal charges against the workers and managers.
According to a report, the suspensions are a result of hidden camera footage taken over four months this past spring and summer that appears to show sick sows and piglets being abused and neglected at the farm operated by one of the nation’s largest pork proudcers.
The video was released Tuesday by Last Chance for Animals, a Los Angeles-based animal welfare watchdog group.
Last Chance detailed what it said were 18 incidents of animal cruelty and 17 cases of neglect - all misdemeanors under Minnesota law, according to the report. The group is calling on the Rock County sheriff and prosecutors to file charges against Christensen Farms.
Footage depicted in the video include pigs being dragged by the ears and snouts, as well as pigs being slapped and stabbed with ink pens in order to make them walk. The video can be viewed on www.dglobe.com .
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Christensen Farms announced the suspension of its employees last week. The company posted a response Tuesday to the release of the hidden camera footage.
“There is absolutely no place at Christensen Farms or in this industry for violations of animal welfare,” Christensen Farms CEO Glenn Stolt said. “As a family farm, the care and treatment of our animals is our highest priority. It is unacceptable that this behavior was allowed to continue, and was not brought to our attention immediately.
“We are taking steps to reaffirm our commitment to animal welfare and husbandry and send a statement that any behavior inconsistent with our industry-leading policies and practices will absolutely not be tolerated.
“The portions of the video we have seen are both disturbing and will be part of our ongoing internal investigation,” Stolt continued. “The company will not tolerate violations of farm policies and procedures. All employees shown in the video have already been suspended, effective last week, and we will be taking appropriate actions as we conclude our investigation. We are also working closely with local law enforcement.”
Christensen Farms also indicated that it has contacted Last Chance for Animals for a complete copy of the unedited footage to ensure appropriate action is taken based on all available evidence.
According to its website, Christensen Farms, with headquarters in Sleepy Eye, :Minn., has operations throughout the upper Midwest.
