German poultry producer responds to abuse allegations

Severs relationships with transport company, contract grower

Wiesenhof, a major German poultry producer, is ending its relationship with an animal transport company and suing a contract grower after a German television station broadcast images of alleged animal abuse by the business partners, according to The Local, a German news Web site.

The problems were made public on January 11 when a television news program showed video footage secretly taped by activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The program included images of a Wiesenhof contract grower’s chicken housing that The Local described as “an unlit, cramped space.” Other footage showed workers kicking and throwing chickens into transport boxes and trucks.

In a statement, Wiesenhof called the birds’ treatment “absolutely unacceptable” and said it “will, as a consequence of this isolated case, no longer work with the outside firm responsible for the transport of the animals.” Wiesenhof pledged to add unannounced checks of contract growers’ facilities to its inspection routine.

Wiesnhof’s parent company, the PHW Group, has said it will sue the contract grower featured on the news show for failing to meet his contractual obligations to abide by animal welfare laws, The Local reported. The company may also ask state prosecutors to press charges against PETA for not reporting the abuse immediately and allegedly encouraging abuse in order to produce more shocking footage.

On January 12, PETA pressed charges against Wiesenhof under animal welfare laws.

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