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Compassion Spreads Through North America as More Than 45 Cities Join Farm Sanctuary's 2008 Walk for Farm Animals

Walks will benefit Farm Sanctuary’s rescue, education and advocacy efforts for farm animals

Watkins Glen, NY – August 18, 2008 – This September and October more than 45 cities across North America will host a Walk for Farm Animals to benefit Farm Sanctuary, the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization. Walks occur throughout the U.S and Canada every fall – on or around October 2 – in honor of World Farm Animals Day. Walkers will take to their city’s streets and parks to help raise funds for and awareness about Farm Sanctuary’s vital rescue, education and advocacy efforts for farm animals.

“The Walk for Farm Animals is a critical tool that provides an opportunity for animal advocates to demonstrate their support for animal protection, educate the public about why this is important issue and help raise the funds necessary to continue Farm Sanctuary’s distinctive work to rescue farm animals from abuse, and advocate for farm animal protection across the country through legislative, legal and corporate campaign efforts,” said Farm Sanctuary President and Co-founder Gene Baur.

Operating the largest rescue and refuge network for farm animals in North America, Farm Sanctuary recently underwent one of the largest and most expensive rescue efforts in its 22 year history when the state of Iowa invited a coalition of animal protection organizations to rescue nearly 70 pigs from the Midwest floods. Abandoned by factory farmers in southeastern Iowa, all of these pigs were either breeding sows who had lived their lives in gestation crates – 2-foot-wide enclosures unable to turn around or lie down comfortably – or young pigs, between one and five months of age, well below slaughter weight. Some of the rescued sows were pregnant and have since given birth and many of the pigs are undergoing major medical procedures to bring them back to health.

The Walk for Farm Animals helps to fund major rescues like Farm Sanctuary’s efforts in Iowa, as well as nationwide campaigns, such as Farm Sanctuary’s Anti-Confinement Campaign to end the use of gestation crates for pigs, veal crates for calves and battery cages for egg-laying hens.  Widely used on factory farms, these confinement systems keep animals caged by the thousands inside massive warehouses, where they are treated like unfeeling commodities and are denied their most basic natural behaviors. These systems are being phased out in the European Union and Farm Sanctuary is campaigning nationwide to educate the public about intensive confinement and the suffering it causes, as well enact policy to outlaw it.

National Walk sponsors include MooShoes, The Groovy Baker, Foley Enterprises and A Scent of Scandal. Participants can register at www.walkforfarmanimals.org, or call 607-583-2225 ext. 229. All participants receive a Walk t-shirt, specially designed by animal activist and artist Adam Durand, and walkers who raise $100, $250, or $500 or more will receive prizes.

Farm Sanctuary is the nation's leading farm animal protection organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the "food animal" industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be found at www.farmsanctuary.org or by calling 607-583-2225.