I spent several weeks undercover at a slaughter plant in North Carolina, and I witnessed horrible animal abuse. Please help me stop a new law that would prevent investigators like me from exposing this vile mistreatment of animals.

Between March and April 2015, I worked undercover for the national animal protection organization Compassion Over Killing inside of a Mountaire Farms slaughter plant in Lumber Bridge, North Carolina. What I witnessed there will haunt me for the rest of my life. You can see the investigation details here.

Every shift that I worked, I saw workers treating chickens in a despicable manner--and largely for the sole amusement of the worker. More often than not, workers would shackle the frightened chickens so rough that they ran the risk of breaking or injuring their sensitive legs. The workers would play games where they would stand several feet back away from the shackles, and with one hand, they would grip a chicken very tightly and overhand throw them as fast as they could at the moving metal shackles--to see who could shackle the birds in that manner. So many times as the birds would slam into the shackles they would frantically flap their wings--possibly indicating an injury which occurred due to the force at which they were thrown.

I take my responsibility to expose abuses like this very seriously. That's why I'm so concerned about a new "Ag-Gag" bill in North Carolina that would make it impossible for me to do this work. Please sign my petition asking Governor McCrory to veto this bill

Whether you agree or disagree with the meat industry and their process, the simple fact is that these animals are being slaughtered by the millions daily. As humans, it is our responsibility, our moral obligation, to ensure that this happens with as little suffering as possible -- but that's the opposite of what I saw at Mountaire Farms.

Consumers have a right to know where they are spending their hard earned money, and what they are supporting. Instead of funneling money and energy into more humane treatment of animals, the ag industry is using all of its resources to prevent the public from seeing the truth. The truth which I have painfully witnessed, and lived through. A truth which I will relive every time I close my eyes at night.



Please urge Governor McCrory to veto HB 405/SB 433 (the “Ag-Gag” bill). Urge him to help the animals that we have the obligation to protect rather than companies abusing them.