Swine flu - WHAT IS COMPASSION DOING?

Published 28/04/2009

The outbreak of a new flu strain - the H1N1 flu virus, a mixture of human, pig and avian flu viruses, has resulted in increasing numbers of cases being confirmed around the world.

Philip Lymbery, Chief Executive of Compassion in World Farming, said "This is clearly a serious situation. It makes good sense to question the wisdom of the large-scale factory farming of animals, which surely provides an ideal pressure-cooker breeding ground for new and dangerous strains of disease."

What action is Compassion in World Farming taking?

Compassion wrote to the Egyptian Ambassador ( 55.56KB) in the UK querying the necessity for the Egyptian pig cull and calling for any cull to be done in a humane way and according to the Guidelines of the OIE, to which Egypt is a signatory. The letter was also published in Arabic in two Egyptian newspapers: El Masry El Youm and El Dostor.
Calling on both the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO letter 23.81KB) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE letter 23.81KB) to undertake a thorough investigation into the role of intensive pig production operations in the current outbreak of influenza epidemic in Mexico
Provoking discussion in the media on the wider impact of factory farming, for people, animals and the planet. In particular we are drawing attention to the terrible conditions endured by animals in factory farm conditions and the possible transmission of diseases which are harmful to humans and animals alike
Calling for any slaughter of animals that might be necessary to be swift, humane and efficient.