German animal protection office registered association: Abuses in the mass animal husbandry

Projektbericht Deutsches Tierschutzbüro e.V. – Unterstützung bei Dokumentation „Tierquälerei für Bio-Eier“

The demand for organic eggs has increased massively in recent years. Especially after the many egg scandals and the associated animal cruelty, consumers like to reach for the so-called “good” organic eggs in the supermarket more and more often, hoping to support animal welfare. In 2018, for example, more than one billion organic eggs were purchased in Germany, and the trend is rising. The idyll on the packaging is deceptive, however, because organic has long since turned into factory farming, and so there is animal cruelty behind every egg. This is also shown by one of our documentaries from the German Animal Welfare Office (Deutsches Tierschutzbüro e.V.) at an organic farm in Bad Iburg (Lower Saxony).

By law, each egg is marked with a numerical code, which can be used to identify the laying farm. The website “www.was-steht-auf-dem-ei.de” helps with this. For example, in an EDEKA store in North Rhine-Westphalia, a code was read off an egg and the associated chicken farm was identified. In a night and fog action in such a way pictorial material developed in the bio enterprise. The pictures showed scandalous conditions. Chickens were crammed together and stacked on top of each other on grid floors. The attitude reminded more of a cage than of an bio enterprise. Injured chickens were not treated, many died also due to the not kind-fair attitude form. Hidden cameras had also documented over several days that dead chickens were not properly disposed of. In some cases maggots had even formed around the carcasses. In a scene one saw a blood-smeared egg. Presumably, the hen had previously been in great pain while laying this egg. Another chicken had become entangled in a string and was threatening to suffocate; animal rights activists on site were able to free it from its predicament.

Much of what you see in these pictures is completely normal in organic farming and not even forbidden. However, the poor hygienic conditions, the fact that dead animals were not disposed of from the barn and sick animals were not treated, violate laws and must not be, especially not in an organic farm. We immediately filed a criminal complaint against the operator and informed the Lower Saxony Ministry of Agriculture in Hanover, the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety as well as the organic certification body and the responsible veterinary office. However, an inspection by the responsible veterinary office had not found any major deficiencies. However, the office did not carry out the inspection until several days after we had filed a complaint. The operator therefore had more than enough time to rectify any shortcomings. EDEKA reacted much faster and took the eggs out of the assortment. The public prosecutor’s office informed us that it had taken up the investigation.

A great many media have reported on this exposure. SAT.1 akte, for example, broadcast a 15-minute report. RTL Punk 12, RTL 2 Nachrichten, Focus Online, NDR and many other media also reported on our revelation nationwide. We were particularly pleased that the journalists also pointed out that organic eggs are not the “yellow of the egg”.

Through the media coverage, a reach of almost 90 million people was achieved. Reach as many humans as possible and clear up as well as to the reorientation energize, that is one of the central goals of the German animal protection office registered association.

Again and again we and other animal right organizations report on scandalous conditions in agricultural livestock enterprises. Again and again against attitude defaults and laws one offends and it more controls are demanded. But controls bring, as this research once again proves, nothing. The only way, which helps the animals really lastingly, is the vegan way of life.

Further information: https://www.tierschutzbuero.de/wir-decken-auf-tierquaelerei-fuer-bio-eier/

How has the Wolfang Bösche Animal Welfare Foundation supported the German Animal Welfare Office?

The organic egg research was supported by the animal protection foundation Wolfang Bösche. Thus, a donation was provided for the purchase of camera equipment. We thank you very much for the support.

The acquisition of the camera equipment is sustainable, because the cameras can and will be used again elsewhere, for other exposures and documentations. Thus, the acquisition also meets the requirements of the foundation, which attaches great importance to sustainable use.

What is the German Animal Protection Agency?

We are a leading animal rights organization and give animals our voice. The focus of our work is on industrial factory farming and fur farming, because they are responsible for the greatest exploitation and cruelty to animals in the world and that is where we can make the most lasting change for animals.

We uncover abuses in animal husbandry and bring to the public what the agricultural industry tries to withhold from society. From our office in Berlin, we work in a strong team of full-time and volunteer staff. Together we are committed to the rights of animals every day with a lot of heart and soul and always remain authentic. We act thoughtfully and act professionally in every situation.

As a nationwide organization, together with a large network of activists, media partners and our supporters, we strive to use all our energy, creativity and knowledge for the animals. We work with original, quick-witted and provocative ideas and campaigns.

In doing so, we are also willing to go beyond boundaries in the name of the animals. We know no fear and will not be silenced by anyone. We use various channels to educate people and involve them in our work and activities. Only together can we come closer to our vision of a society in which all living beings have equal rights.

THE MISSION:
We stand up for animals, fight tirelessly for their freedom and establish animal rights in society. We fight industrial factory farming and fur farming because they are responsible for the greatest animal suffering in the world. Through our campaigns and undercover research, we personally expose the abuses in animal farming and inform people about them. As long as animals are exploited and tortured for products like meat, milk, eggs and fur, we demand radical change and strive for a shift towards a society where respect and mindfulness towards animals are an important basis.

THE VISION:
We fight for a world where all living beings and their natural habitats are respected. Animals live in freedom with equal rights according to their natural needs. The plant-based way of eating and living is lived and cultivated by humans so that animals are no longer exploited and tortured. In this world, animal exploitation no longer has any meaning. For the life of all animals in freedom.

Background:

Deutsches Tierschutzbüro e.V. is based in Sankt Augustin and operates an office in Berlin (Streustraße 68 in 13086 Berlin). The association is registered in the register of associations of the district court Siegburg under VR 3499. The registration as a non-profit association took place in 2013. Previously, the association was active under the name Arbeitskreis humaner Tierschutz, the non-profit status existed. The association carries the donation seal of the initiative transparent civil society and represents its income and expenditure transparently in the Internet: https://www.tierschutzbuero.de/zu-transparenz-verpflichtet/.

Further information about the German Animal Welfare Association can be found here: https://www.tierschutzbuero.de.

Status: Jan. 2020, Author: Jan Peifer (Chairman of the Board Deutsches Tierschutzbüro e.V.)