Hoke County sheriff's detectives and animal welfare investigators have spent the day looking for evidence that turkeys were tortured and mistreated at a Butterball facility in Shannon, about 90 miles south of Raleigh.
The investigators arrived at the plant at 8 a.m. this morning in response to allegations by an animal rights group that Butterball employees beat, kicked, threw and stomped the birds.
Garner-based Butterball, the nation's largest producer of turkey products, said it does not tolerate cruelty to animals and is cooperating with the investigation.
Hoke County law enforcement officials got a search warrant last night to investigate Butterball after Mercy For Animals, a Chicago group, supplied the county's District Attorney with three weeks of undercover film footage allegedly showing maimed and bloodied turkeys suffering at the facility.
The court order gives the sheriff's office the right to euthanize mistreated turkeys if necessary. As of this afternoon, no birds had been euthanized.
The Butterball facility has two turkey houses, each containing about 1,000 birds. Investigators expect to remain on site "well into the night," said Capt. John Kivett of the Hoke County Sheriff's Office.
"We're looking for any animal that has been maltreated or injured that would substantiate any abuse or neglect," Kivett said.
He said a subsequent investigation would determine if any criminal charges are warranted against Butterball employees or managers.
Mercy For Animals obtained the film footage from an investigator who worked at the plant for three weeks. The group turned the information over to the county DA's office and the prosecutors decided there was sufficient concern to investigate further, Kivett said.
In addition to the six detectives, the investigation includes two veterinarians and two animal welfare experts.
The website ButterballAbuse.com posted the undercover video below to their site, along with the organization's plea for assistance. WARNING: Some viewers may find the content graphic or unsuitable for children.
John Murawski has been a full-time newspaper reporter since 1991, with stints at Legal Times and The Chronicle of Philanthropy (both in Washington, DC), The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Palm Beach Post (in South Florida) before arriving at the N&O in December 2004. At the N&O he covers energy (nuclear, coal, renewable, efficiency), hydralic fracturing (or "fracking"), public utilities (both electric and natural gas) and health care. His beat includes Progress Energy, PSNC Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, PowerSecure International, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Biogen Idec and others. You can reach him at 919-829-8932 or
Comments
Turkeys
Fri, 12/30/2011 - 07:53 — Prn13NormAnother government attack on business ignited by liberal environmnetal terrorists. These terrorists are just as responsible as the Liberal Democrats for the lack of growth in our economy!
Investigator was paid by both Mercy for Animals and Butterball
Sat, 12/31/2011 - 23:44 — Wild_BillThe Investigator was paid by both Mercy for Animals and ButterBall. What did Butterball get for their money? This brings to question the crediablity of the photos. True mercy for the turkeys would have been to intervene and stop the abuse. Butterball requires an employee to immediately report any abuse. Why was this not done.
This was a ButterBall grower farm and not, as implied, the processing plant in Mt. Olive. I understand this was a "tom turkey" farm where milch is collected to AI fertilize laying hens. This means these tom turkeys has some age on them and are prone to fight.
ButterBall has several full time Vets on staff to look after these farms. If the D.A. and Sheriff do not find any abuse, then M. for A. should be held accountable for the expense of the investigation and damage done to the good name of ButterBall. It's obvious that Mercy for Animals' primary objective was to harm and damage ButterBall's name, sales--and not animal welfare. M. for A. is trying to take those juicy ButterBall turkeys off the American table. May God forbid.
abuse is abuse
Fri, 12/30/2011 - 02:38 — outhousecatSo many of the commenters are lamenting that turkeys are being given more press than abused women, autistic kids, etc. Well, the truth is that abuse is abuse. It's wrong, be it against people, animals, birds or what have you. None of it is more wrong than the others. Abusers should be stopped, punished, and in my mind taken off this earth.
Don't take sides. Stop all abuse. It's all wrong, and people that abuse animals will also abuse their wives and kids. Don't think otherwise.
Disgustingly Horrific Abuse!
Fri, 12/30/2011 - 00:14 — PrimateBethThis is horrible abuse documented clear as day! This is undercover video, which means that a person worked there with a hidden camera in their shirt! That is why the person who stated above thinks it appears that the camera is on a tripod....no, it's on a person! I hope that Butterball is not only fined, but is forced to change it's policies to give the birds humane conditions outside, on the grass, and in the sunlight! This video has nothing to do with children. Abuse of animals and abuse of children are not mutually exclusive. Neither one should be tolerated by officials. Any abuse by those who cannot speak for themselves is, in Jane Goodall's words, "a black mark on society."
Turkey abuse, REALLY?
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 21:40 — ReallyReallyIs it just me!!!??? Are we talking about turkeys that are going to be killed and put in the refrigerated or freezer section of the grocery store? Really? Really? Did the sheriff really take taxpayer time and money looking for "abused" turkeys?
Videographer
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 21:39 — SeminarianThe video was very stable, suggesting the use of a tripod or monopod. The injured turkeys appeared to have been injured in fights with other turkeys.
I believe that the video was staged and what was done to the turkeys was an attempt to show that the injuries were caused by humans rather than turkeys.
During the video, I did not hear any turkey squawk when they were supposedly mistreated, indicating that they were not actually being hurt.
It seems really hateful that someone would stage a video like this in an effort to defame a good company.
Abuse is Abuse
Fri, 12/30/2011 - 02:33 — StateStudentDid we watch the same video? I clearly saw turkeys being hit with rods held by Butterball employees. But regardless of whether the majority of injuries are caused directly by humans or by other turkeys as a result of intensive confinement, the animals should be looked after and treated by veterinarians or euthanized as appropriate.
Gee ......
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 21:17 — InspectorPittI bet more money will be spent on this "raid" on abused turkeys than is spent on abused women.
Animal Abuse is Linked to Violence Against People
Fri, 12/30/2011 - 02:31 — StateStudentA June 11, 2010, New York Times article titled "The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome" explores the link between animal abuse and domestic violence. For instance, a survey of shelters found that 85% of abused women and 63% of abused children reported animal abuse. Pet abuse has been listed as among the best predictors of battery. A study by University of Windsor criminology professor Amy Fitzgerald demonstrates a "link between slaughterhouses and violent crime" (search this). However, whether or not such connections are real, I feel that violence against sentient (conscious, aware, feeling) beings in general should not be tolerated.
abused women.
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 21:40 — FirehairInspector Pitt-you hit that nail on the head. Abuse comes in several forms---It's been my experience (matched by dozens of others in boats similar to mine) lawyers slough us off, say we have a case, they'll handle it, then tell you how much their retainer is. KNOWING full well there ARE no funds. Fill out paperwork to qualify for pro bono---get handed a short list---none call back. After 15 years, I've given up even trying. Hm, maybe if we went "gobble, gobble".
Turkeys have it better than school kids with autism
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 19:59 — bensmysonThis is horrendous. Not that someone is kicking, stomping, hurting turkeys before they cut their heads off and gut them but that there are actually people out there who care about turkeys more than they do kids.
In every county in this state children as young as 5 are being forced into seclusion rooms, into solitary confinement and not just any kids, just the ones with a disability like autism. They are grabbed, arms twisted, legs bend, heads pressed down on the floor, and carried to a soundproof room to be secluded away from others.
These rooms are legal and in use daily, some parents even encourage it, however there is no science behind it's use. No one has ever done a study that shows that forcing children into seclusion rooms and locking the door to be healthy much less effective.
The Butterball facility has two turkey houses, each containing about 1,000 birds. Investigators expect to remain on site "well into the night," said Capt. John Kivett of the Hoke County Sheriff's Office.
"We're looking for any animal that has been maltreated or injured that would substantiate any abuse or neglect," Kivett said.
A March, 2010 article in The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law explains that “solitary confinement is recognized as difficult to withstand; indeed, psychological stressors such as isolation can be as clinically distressing as physical torture.”
Turkey Abuse
Thu, 12/29/2011 - 21:31 — FirehairUnfortunately, the mind set of people who abuse animals is the same as those who abuse children, the elderly, those weaker than themselves, or different. We know what turkeys are raised for, where they are headed. Which does NOT mean they aren't entitled to a decent life while they are alive and here. And it is wrong, frustrating, discouraging---- across the board incidents such as this receive more attention/ action than what is done to children, women, elders, the ill and impaired. One only has to read/listen/watch the news ---services and education for special needs is being hacked, cut, removed , refused. I hope anyone who was cruel to the turkeys gets fired, fined, given community service. I would wish the same for the teachers who are just as bad, barely get a slap on their hands.
Turkey Abuses
Fri, 12/30/2011 - 09:02 — crisleyCruelty is cruelty, to people or animals. The pain and fear these defenseless birds went through is beyond description, as is the "mindset" of those commiting these violent acts.
Call me naive, but I truly don't understand how anyone could be so lacking in compassion.
The perpetrators of this terror should be jailed and undergo psychiatric testing and rehabilitation, if rehabilitation is possible for such inhumane violence.