Study: Hens react with emotion when chicks are in discomfort

I found a very interesting article in LiveScience.com, reporting on a study conducted on hens at England’s University of Bristol. It seems the mother hens reacted in a rather extreme way if they felt their chicks were in distress.

It is believed the hens are showing empathy. The hens were separated from the chicks during the experiments but were in close proximity. When puffs of air were directed at the chicks, the hens “responded more intensely with a stress response equivalent to fight-or-flight behavior,” according to the article.

More on the AVMA oath revision, to include welfare

The American Veterinary Medical Association recently modified the veterinarian’s oath to include a concern for animal welfare. The Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan noted on Friday the inclusion of the phrase, “prevention of animal suffering.”

It’s an important revision and I hope this is another move forward for animal welfare.

In her feature on the subject, Lisa Hare includes this – “” For decades, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has upheld confinement farming practices, including veal crates, gestation crates and battery cages, and for years, strongly opposed revisions to the oath. “”

Column offers review of key animal-welfare laws enacted in 2010

A columnist for the Santa Barbara Independent offeres today a review of the some the top laws enacted in 201o to protect animals.

Here’s hoping the momentum is building and 2011 becomes even bigger and better in the way of more states stepping to the plate for stronger animal-welfare laws.

A few thoughts on the list presented by columnist Lisa Acho Remorenko –

Another state moves for better housing for egg-laying hens

The Farm Sanctuary is reporting Washington is the latest state to make hay on the issue of farm-animal confinement.

Washingtonians for Humane Farms has submitted language to the Secretary of State, for a statewide measure on November’s ballot.

From the Washingtonians for Humane Farms press release –

ASPCA lists top legislative victories of 2010

As the year draws to a close, the ASPCA has developed a list of the top legislative victories of 2010 for animals.

The list includes the passage of the anti-crush video ban, the November 2 passage of the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act (Prop B) in Missouri, New Hampshire passes the Greyhound Protection Act to ban dog racing, California approved Assembly Bill 1437 to address better housing standards for laying hens, Tennessee’s HB 238/SB 555 limits convicted folks from having some dogs and a new anti-tethering law in Connecticut.

Texas Farm Bureau rails against the Humane Society for evidence it uncovered

A spokesman for the Texas Farm Bureau is speaking out against the Humane Society of the United States after the organization released video of horrible conditions at a large egg-production facility in Texas.

Mike Barnett, the publications director for the Texas Farm Bureau was quoted in a story posted on PR-USA.net.

Undercover video from Texas farm makes the case for cage-free eggs

It’s long past time to go back to cage free – yes back to cage free – for our eggs in this country. And the Humane Society of the United States has released another key piece of evidence to prove it.

This time, it’s a farm in Texas that CNN reports is “operated by the largest egg producer in the United States.”

Headline: “Caged Chickens are Suffering”

A story posted Tuesday on TopNews.us touches on the topic of battery cages in egg-production facilities. The chickens in battery cages are suffering day after day, month after month and year after year. There can be no doubt this practice is animal cruelty.

And despite the defense from the industry, that the battery-cage system is safe and is not a threat to human health, I won’t be falling for that one.

The last paragraph in the TopNews story says it all: