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For immediate release:
April 14, 2021
Contact:
David Pearl 202-483-7382
Oneida County, New York – PETA received a USDA report revealing a recent violation of the law at Gold Medal Packing, Inc. outside of Rome. In response, the group sent a letter to Oneida County District Attorney Scott D. McNamara this morning urging them to address the issue and, if necessary, bring charges of animal cruelty against the institution and workers responsible for repeatedly shooting a pig in the head. After being fired three times, the pig was still on full alert and apparently walked over 30 feet, and a minute passed before two additional shots finally rendered the animal unconscious.
“This alarming report shows that this pig has gone through a long agonizing death at Gold Medal Packing,” says PETA Senior Vice President Daphne Nachminovich. “PETA is calling for a criminal investigation on behalf of the pig injured at this site and urging all compassionate members of the public concerned about this cruelty to go vegan and help prevent more animals from suffering in slaughterhouses.”
PETA, whose motto is in part that “the animals are not ours to eat” – opposes arrogance, a worldview focused on human superiority. The group notes that pigs, sheep, cows, chickens and other animals feel pain and fear and value their lives just like humans, and that the best way to prevent them from suffering in slaughterhouses is not to eat them.
For more information visit PETA.org or subscribe to the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram…
PETA’s letter to McNamara follows.
April 14, 2021
The Honorable Scott D. McNamara
Oneida County District Attorney
Dear Mr. McNamara,
I hope this letter will correct you. I would like to ask your office (and the relevant local law enforcement agency, if you deem appropriate) to investigate and bring appropriate criminal charges against Gold Medal Packing, Inc. and workers responsible for the repeated shooting of pigs indoors. On March 31st, for more than a minute, you will be taken to the massacre located at 8269 Old River Rd. outside of Rome. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) documented the incident in an attached report, which states the following:
“Employees of the institution tried to stun a large pig with a firearm. The animal stood freely in the area of the blood trough. A factory employee fired two quick shots to the animal’s head with a 38 caliber pistol. After a short pause (about five seconds), the third shot was taken. When [FSIS Inspection Program Personnel] watched the pig in another minute, [the pig] was on full alert about 12 yards from its original location on the floor. The staff of the institution fired two more shots from a 9 mm pistol. [the pig] insensitive.one
This behavior appears to be in violation of Section 353 of the New York State Agriculture and Markets Act. It is important to note that FSIS action does not invalidate state criminal liability for slaughterhouse workers who commit acts of cruelty to animals.2
Please let us know what we can do to help you. Thank you for your attention and for the hard work you are doing.
Sincerely,
Colin Henstock
Assistant Investigation Manager
oneDistrict 60 FSIS Manager Dr. Linda E. Liljestrom, Suspension Notice, Gold Medal Packing, Inc. (March 31, 2021) https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2021-04/m17965-nos-03312021.pdf.
2See Nat’l. Meat Assoc. v. Harris, 132 C. Ct. 965, 974 n.10 (2012) (“… states may impose civil or criminal sanctions for cruelty to animals or other conduct that also violates [Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA)]… See [21 U.S.C.] §678; Wed Bates vs. Dow Agrosciences, Ltd, 544 US 431, 447 … (2005) (ruling that a pre-emptive clause prohibiting state laws “in addition to or different from” federal law does not conflict with a “equivalent” state provision). While FMIA is ahead of many state slaughterhouse laws, it leaves some room for regulation to states. “
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