For the animals

Lisa

Lisa is a curious little lady. She is interested in everything that happens around her. Watches everyone who comes and goes and spots every tiny movement in the fields and trees. She loves to be tickled and caressed. She likes to snuggle on the lap of her two-legged friends, blissfully enjoying some tender loving care.

Lisa was lucky to escape the cruel egg industry. She was rescued by Animal Equality activists from a free-range farm. If she had not been rescued, she would have had to lay eggs until the time she is completely exhausted.

She would have been imprisoned for the rest of her short, painful life, crammed into a filthy, overcrowded cage which is the size of two A4 sheets. Unable to move around or practice natural behaviours, like spreading wings, pecking for food and taking dust baths.

Lisa´s brothers’ suffered a similar fate. Since male chicks cannot be used for egg production, 180 million chicks are suffocated, grinded, gassed or buried alive every year.

Lisa is free now and recovering slowly but surely from the strains. She will probably never forget what she experienced. But her new home and her new friends give her confidence.

Fish and other marine animals

Despite the differences in appearance that exist between fish and other animals, numerous scientific studies have proven that fish can feel pain, stress and happiness in the same way that birds, reptiles and other mammals do.

Fish are fascinating animals. They have an incredible memory and can remember a learned escape route for years. They build complex relationships with other fish and have preferred partners with whom they swim within the shore.

Some species of fish are able to build small sand castles to protect themselves from enemies. Others have been observed using tools such as stones to find food while others build small gardens, which they regularly take care of. They support the growth of their favorite kinds of algae, remove less tasty plants and chase other fish away from their garden.

Every year, billions of fish are the victims of the commercial fishing industry. And not only fish but also whales, dolphins, turtles and other marine animals get caught in the huge fishing nets and are thrown back, dead or seriously injured, into the sea as unnecessary as “bycatch”.

Basilico

Basilico is a bright little lamb, always full of mischief. He was rescued by Animal Equality activists from a lamb breeding facility in Italy thereby escaping a horrible fate.

Investigations by Animal Equality inside the Italian lamb meat industry revealed the horrible suffering of these animals. The image and video footage from our investigation shows how lambs, like Basilico are subjected to stress and suffering as they are transported to slaughter, sometimes for days.

Once there, the terrified animals are herded into the slaughterhouse., many of them suffering from fractured bones and other injuries. End can be brutal and vicious- slaughter without prior stunning.

Basilico was spared all that. He can now live a life of freedom, surrounded by people who love and respect him, people who are against animal cruelty. He can explore the exciting world around him, make friends and enjoy the cuddles of his two-legged friends.

Elsa

Elsa is a young and smart cow. One morning, she was found standing in the courtyard of an animal sanctuary in Germany. She had escaped from a nearby dairy farm, and it looked as if she knew that she would find safety at the sanctuary. She had made the right decision, at exactly the right time.

If she had not fled, she would very soon- at the age of around 18 months- been artificially inseminated. From this point on she would have been forced to give birth to one calf a year (to ensure she was producing large quantities of milk), who would have been separated from her shortly after birth.

Such separation is very painful for the mother and her baby. Cows on dairy farm cry for their lost calves for days, sometimes weeks – in vain. Elsa’s milk, which was meant for her little one, would have been taken away from her and sold for human consumption.

Unlike the millions of cows, Elsa was fortunate that she could take charge of her fate. She wanted to live without pain, suffering and sadness. She is now able to do so surrounded by humans who respect and protect her.

Julia

Julia’s story is heart wrenching and shattering. The suffering this lovely pig had to go through is beyond imagination, especially for those of us who want to stop cruelty towards animals.

Julia was impregnated over and over again. A few days before each birth, she was forced into a narrow metal farrowing crate which was so small she could not even turn around. There, on the cold concrete floor, her piglets were born. She was allowed to be with them only for a few weeks before they were taken away from her, and she was made pregnant again.

Her little ones had to endure painful procedures, such as having their curly tails cut off, their teeth clipped and castration – everything without anaesthesia. The suffering these intelligent and sensitive creatures had to endure is hard to imagine.

But Julia was lucky. After it was exposed that this heavily pregnant sow had been beaten and kicked by a farm worker, committed animal lovers rescued Julia.

And now she lives with her 16 beautiful piglets at Farm Sanctuary in the USA. Julia and her little ones can now enjoy family life in safety, far away from exploitation and suffering. And, like all pigs, Julia is really a wonderful mother!

Lili

Little Lili’s story is very touching. This tiny duckling caught the attention of Animal Equality activists while they were conducting an undercover investigation inside a German duck fattening farm. All alone and frightened she huddled in a corner.

During her short, miserable life, Lili was never able to feel the warmth of the sunlight on her back. She never experienced the security of a family and she was never able to swim in water, which is an integral part of her life.

Lili’s fate is that of millions of ducks and geese; cooped up by the thousands inside factory farms shed without any chance to rest, they never see the daylight and have no opportunity to engage in their natural behavior.

Nowadays, ducks and geese are being specifically bred in order to grow as much meat as possible in a short period of time. Due to this rapid weight gain, the little ducks become unbalanced. Some of them can hardly stand upright on their legs. Many fall on their backs. Unable to stand up on their own, they die of thirst.

Sir Paul

Sir Paul is one of eleven turkey chick who one morning appeared at the door of Farm Sanctuary in the USA. Unknown rescuers had saved them from a life filled with animal cruelty and brought them to safety.

In conventional breeding and fattening facilities, turkeys are being specifically bred to gain as much as weight as possible in a short period of time. This abnormal and rapid weight gain causes the animals great pain. Broken bones and heart failure are all too common.

Sir Paul is having the time of his life now, free from exploitation and suffering, he spends his days exploring and dust bathing. He will grow up in peace and safety to become a big, proud turkey.