Whistleblower Video: Cows Stabbed, Shot, and Urinated on at Slaughterhouse
As reported in the Daily Mail and the Leader-Tribune, a whistleblower provided PETA with video footage recorded by young slaughterhouse workers as they shot, beat, stabbed, and urinated on animals.
As if slaughterhouses aren’t disturbing and violent enough already!
Some of the images the whistleblower sent to PETA were even edited to mock the animals’ suffering, and the videos were allegedly shared among the slaughterhouse workers for their amusement.
One of the videos, which appears to show a high school student shooting a cow and stabbing her in the neck, is set to music and features hearts and other graphics.
Other disturbing acts seen in the videos include a young worker urinating on a cow’s face, a worker striking a cow in the head with a pipe, and a cow kicking her legs and struggling to stand, apparently after being shot.
Cow Abuse and Humiliation Footage Is a Blood-Red Flag
The footage was reportedly recorded at Georgia’s Best Processing outside Fort Valley, Georgia, and an apparent Peach County School District student was among the abusers. That’s why PETA is rushing kindness-to-animals educational materials, courtesy of TeachKind, to schools in the district. Compassion can be cultivated, and PETA stands ready to help Peach County Schools teach their students that every sentient being, whether a cow or a classmate, deserves empathy and respect.
Cows’ personalities are as diverse as cats, dogs, and humans: Some are bold and adventurous, while others are shy and timid. These gentle giants mourn the deaths of and separation from loved ones, sometimes shedding tears over their loss.
Imagine how terrifying it was for these sensitive individuals as they were tormented and maimed during their last moments on earth.
PETA has urged the superintendent of Peach County Schools to take swift action to address the disturbing conduct. There is clearly a huge need for humane education that fosters empathy and respect for all living, feeling beings in Peach County. PETA also contacted the Peach County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Department of Agriculture to request that they investigate and bring appropriate charges.
Violence Towards Animals Is Often a Warning Sign
There’s a reason the FBI keeps track of cases of cruelty to animals, and the organization Sandy Hook Promise included cruelty to animals on its list of the “10 Critical Warning Signs of Violence.” It’s often a precursor to further violence.
TeachKind notes that research shows that 43% of school shooters first committed acts of cruelty against animals, and other studies have found that animal abuse is a better predictor of sexual assault than previous convictions for homicide, arson, or weapons offenses.
The footage of workers—allegedly including a student—stabbing, shooting, and urinating on animals is another sign that schools must foster empathy in classrooms and address the epidemic of youth violence against animals of all species.
TeachKind keeps an updated list of reported incidents in which young people have committed acts of cruelty to animals. It’s meant to illustrate the prevalence of the problem and provide educators with tools to teach students what it means to have compassion for all living, feeling beings.
Early intervention is key to saving lives, and simply reporting an incident can make a difference.
