PURE HELL AT PURE FOODS Press Conference Battery cages were cut open with boltcutters and birds were taken from Pure Foods Longford Egg Factory at 2:30 am Wednesday morning. Animal Liberation Victoria (ALV) broke into the complex through the pits which were waist high with wet droppings, and ammonia levels high enough to cause blisters on the birds eyes. Activists, wearing protective clothing and breathing masks, used a ladder and bolt cutters to reach up and snap open the floor of the cages above. Boltcutters were used on this occasion as Pure Foods installed an alarm system on all access doors to the hens following national exposure of cruelty in July 2000. COURT INJUNCTION LIFTED After this exposure, Pure Foods ran to the Supreme Court and succeeded in gaining an injunction to prevent the media from showing the undercover video footage taken by the activists. After litigation in the High Court, this footage can now be shown (copy available). A company search revealed that 80% of Tasmania’s egg industry (including Pure Foods) is owned by a Western Australian family. ALV and Pam Clarke (Tasmania’s veteran battery hen campaigner) do not expect to be charged for entering Pure Foods, using boltcutters and removing birds. Tasmanian police requested a copy of the July 2000 break-in video and indicated burglary charges may be laid. To date this has not occurred. Pam was later told by police they had more important things to do. RSPCA CRUELTY CONNECTION Patty Mark, President of ALV said today, "The largest battery egg producer in Australia, PACE FARMS, is currently constructing a 780,000 hen egg factory in surreal isolation in the middle of Australia, sanctioned by politicians and with RSPCA support. Australian Agriculture Ministers have totally wiped battery hens off the Agenda, and the RSPCA profits from their endorsement of PURE FOODS and PACE FARMS eggs." Further information: Pam Clarke and Patty Mark (contact information) WEDNESDAY MORNING’S BOLTCUTTER FOOTAGE AND HIGH RESOLUTION DIGITAL PHOTOS AVAILABLE To receive future rescue notifications enter your e-mail address below.
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