A lawyer dedicated to animal rights in Iceland has disclosed that meat sold in shops often comes from animals who have not only been factory farmed, but faced additional abuse as well.
Factory farming in Iceland is a fact. Cruelty-free farming group Velbú has pointed out that “In 2009, about 84,000 pigs and 4.6 million chickens were slaughtered. This same year, each Icelander ate 20.5 kg of pork and 23.5 kg of poultry. These animals were for the most part raised in factory farms, where economic advantages take precedence over animal welfare.”
Árni Stefán Árnason, who also uncovered the terrible conditions in which pigs are raised, has now said that consumers are unwittingly buying meat from animals who have been abused.
He brought to light that, according to Icelandic law, slaughterhouses have the right to buy animals from anyone who has a license to raise livestock. There are no restrictions on buying animals from farmers who have been warned or fined for abusing their livestock. DV recently uncovered a number of cases of animal abuse on Icelandic farms.
“We, as consumers, who eat lamb meat are indirectly supporting the abuse of animals without even knowing it,” Árni said. He believes the law should be changed to prohibit farmers found guilty of animal abuse from selling their livestock.
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