Historic Victory! Pig Hauler Found Guilty After Animals Freeze to Death
A Wisconsin court just delivered a historic ruling: For the first time in U.S. history, a driver has been found guilty under state law for transporting farmed animals in conditions that caused their deaths.
In Clark County Circuit Court, Jerith Dville Kane Ellis was found guilty after hauling pigs through extreme cold, where many froze and suffered frostbite before reaching a slaughterhouse. The case began with a tip from PETA—and it pulled back the curtain on some of the most painful, egregious parts of the meat industry most people get a glimpse of on our nation’s highways.
The Night a PETA Tip Sparked a Historic Cruelty Case
The charge stemmed from a PETA tip that alerted authorities to an incident in which 15 pigs died during and after transport from Lynch Livestock in South Dakota to a slaughterhouse in Wisconsin. During the roughly 432-mile haul, wind chills plunged to –27°F. When the truck arrived, the temperature was still –4°F.
A USDA inspector documented the outcome:
- 7 pigs died during transport
- 5 pigs were in such poor condition that they had to be put down
- 3 more pigs died shortly after being unloaded
- Several surviving pigs suffered extensive frostbite
Why This Case Matters
Every day, workers cram pigs, chickens, turkeys, cows and others into trucks without food or water. They’re jolted through weather extremes, traffic, and frightening noises. They endure blistering heat, subzero cold, dehydration, and more.
Trucks have crashed en route, violently killing animals or leaving them injured and suffering for hours before responders arrive.
Industry reports show that more than 1 million pigs die in transport each year, and at least tens of thousands arrive at the slaughterhouse injured.
And that’s not even the end of the misery. For the animals who do reach the slaughterhouse alive, the violence continues. Workers shoot pigs in the head and cut their throats. When stunning fails—as it often does—pigs can still feel it as their throats are slashed and, sometimes, even when they are dumped into tanks of scalding-hot water.
Every Pig Is Someone
Pigs are curious, thoughtful individuals. They dream when they sleep. They recognize their own names. They show empathy for other pigs who are distressed or joyful. They enjoy basking in the sun, rolling in the mud to cool off, exploring their surroundings, and raising their families.
The system that treats them as cargo denies everything that makes them who they are.
This case marked a historic win, but it also exposed cruelty that rarely makes headlines. If you want to take a stand against this system, the most powerful step you can take is to go vegan.
Every person who goes vegan spares nearly 200 animals each year, slashes their carbon footprint, and supports their own health. If you haven’t made the switch yet, don’t wait another day.
Order a FREE vegan starter guide today:
