A Humane Society investigation at a Wheatland pork farm has resulted in one conviction of animal cruelty and one acquittal this week.
An undercover investigator videotaped Wyoming Premium Farms employees hitting, kicking, and punching piglets and sows. Tape was presented in court. Tyson, one of the farm’s largest customers, dropped the supplier shortly after the footage was released.
Mary Beth Sweetland is the director of research and investigations at the Humane Society. She says she hopes this case demonstrates to other farms and suppliers both the legal and economic ramifications of animal cruelty.
“So, Wyoming Premium Farms has many customers it has to answer to, not just Tyson, it just so happens that Tyson is itself a huge company. And having Tyson pull out from buying pork products from Wyoming Premium Farms is probably a big deal for them,” said Sweetland.
Six other employees pleaded guilty to charges last December, and one plea is still outstanding. The Humane Society video can be seen on their website: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2013/07/worker-at-wyoming-pork-producer-convicted-animal-cruelty-072513.html
