PETA protests ASPCA 'animal welfare certified' labels, alleging factory farm cruelty to animals

Jan. 23 (UPI) -- PETA supporters in New York City on Thursday protested at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals headquarters for promoting animal welfare certification labels that PETA claims are a sham.

PETA said the labels are affixed to meat, eggs and dairy sourced from factory farms. The animal rights group urged consumers not to trust that the labels actually certify humane animal treatment.

"Standards backed by the ASPCA still allow for 'certified' facilities to mutilate piglets without pain relief, cram cows into filthy pens, and force chickens to grow morbidly obese until they can barely walk," said PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman in a statement. "PETA is calling on the ASPCA to cut ties with this shameful 'humane-washing' scheme and for kind consumers everywhere to please go vegan."

PETA said it investigated Plainville Farms, which had ASPCA "animal welfare certified" labels on its products, and found "that workers kicked, beat, and threw turkeys and left sick and injured birds to suffer without treatment."

PETA said former workers at that farm were charged "with six felonies and a total of 141 counts of cruelty to animals." PETA said it's the largest number of charges in any farmed animal case in United States history.

Another PETA investigation into Sweet Stem farm revealed pigs were allegedly "crammed into severely crowded sheds on concrete floors."

PETA also alleged in a statement updated Thursday that the Humane Society of the United States, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Compassion in World Farming promote the factory farming industry.