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La Mesa Joins Nationwide Effort To Protect Farm Animals

La Mesa , TX - December 31, 2003 - The city of La Mesa has issued a proclamation that recognizes farm animals as "sentient beings" who deserve to be treated humanely. It has joined other cities across the nation speaking about against cruel factory farming practices.
La Mesa's proclamation states:

Whereas, animals exploited by agribusiness are sentient beings - capable of awareness, feeling, and suffering; and
Whereas, human beings have an ethical obligation to refrain from causing pain and suffering to other sentient beings; and
Whereas, agribusiness commonly subjects cattle, pigs, chickens, and other farm animals to overcrowding, intensive confinement, and other conditions which cause pain and suffering;
Now, Therefore, I, Art Madrid, twenty-second mayor of the City of La Mesa, on behalf of the entire City Council, do hereby proclaim that the City of La Mesa, California recognizes farm animals as sentient beings who deserve to be treated with respect and protected from inhumane treatment.

La Mesa enacted its proclamation after being contacted by Mary Tyler Moore, who chairs Farm Sanctuary's Sentient Beings Campaign, which seeks to elevate the social and legal status of farm animals in the United States. Mary Tyler Moore states, "Like all animals, farm animals have feelings and they deserve to be protected from cruelty. As a civilized nation, we have an ethical obligation to recognize farm animals as sentient beings and to prevent their suffering."

Animals exploited for food and fiber in the United States are considered primarily as commodities or "tools of production," not sentient beings. They are excluded from most state anti-cruelty laws and from the federal Animal Welfare Act, and they are subjected to grossly inhumane conditions. They suffer from both physical and psychological disorders as animal factories seek to maximize productivity and profitability. Public opinion polls have found that the vast majority of Americans oppose cruel farming practices, and most are shocked to learn about the inhumane conditions imposed on animals for the sake of agribusiness profitability. Gene Baur (formerly Bauston), president of Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal protection organization, states, "We commend Mayor Art Madrid and the city of La Mesa for speaking out against factory farming cruelty. Compassion is among the greatest human virtues, and La Mesa is helping to create a more compassionate society by enacting this proclamation."

In the coming months, citizens of California will have an opportunity to stop some of the most atrocious conditions endured by farm animals as AB 732 is brought up for discussion. AB 732 seeks to outlaw veal crates and gestation crates, two foot-wide enclosures where calves and pigs are confined so tightly that they cannot walk, turn around, or even lie down comfortably.

More information is online at www.sentientbeings.org or www.farmsanctuary.org.

About Farm Sanctuary
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.