A tragic reminder of farming’s unofficial victims

The last few days have provided a stark reminder about the unofficial victims of the animal farming industry. Hundreds of cows and sheep are reported to have been killed in the floods, while around 1,600 pigs have been found dead at a farm in Leeds and a man has been arrested on suspicion of causing unnecessary animal suffering.

Floods in Cumbria are reported to have killed hundreds of sheep and cows, and we suspect that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Near the village of Great Salkeld, a herd of cows was swept up in a torrent and faced a terrifying ordeal that included two of them being washed over a waterfall. One of the cows was pregnant, and was found alive after being swept 20 miles down the river. The majority of the herd survived the ordeal, but four of them are still missing. We very much hope that the surviving cows will not be returned to the life of suffering and exploitation that farmed animals typically face, and instead be allowed to live out their days at a sanctuary.

In the other disturbing incident, the Yorkshire media reports that a man has been questioned on suspicion of causing unnecessary animal suffering after around 1,600 pigs were found dead at a farm in Leeds. It has been suggested that the pigs may have starved to death, and living animals are said to have been found amongst the dead.

In December 2014, Animal Aid released the Uncounted Dead, a groundbreaking report that highlights the millions of animals who die every year before they can be slaughtered. Although they are not reported in the official statistics, we estimate that around 43 million farmed animals die each year from causes such as floods, fires, road crashes, disease and neglect. These ‘unofficial victims’ join nearly a billion animals who do survive long enough to face a terrifying and brutal death at the slaughterhouse.

If you don’t want your food choices to support an industry that causes such terrible suffering, please drop animal products and adopt a vegan diet.