Pig abattoir implements measures to stop cruelty

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Thursday, January 26, 2012
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Brentwood Gazette

THE doors to a Brentwood abattoir were opened to the Gazette for a rare tour after scenes of animal cruelty were exposed last year.

In a bid to show they had nothing to hide, the bosses of Elmkirk Ltd slaughterhouse in Warley gave a full tour of the facility and outlined all the measures taken since hidden camera footage showed former employees punching and stubbing out cigarettes on pigs.

Three men have been sacked by family business Cheale Meats, which condemned the cruelty. The owners say the abuse took place out of sight of the firm's own CCTV.

During a full and frank interview, one of the directors of Cheale Meats, Adam Cheale, listed all that had been done to ensure the highest welfare standards were upheld.

Mr Cheale also gave his reaction to the horrific cruelty by the former members of staff, which has sparked six months of protests outside the abattoir.

He said: "I was sickened by [the footage]. I could not believe it happened here, I was disgusted by it."

Mr Cheale revealed that these men offered no defence or explanation after they were caught.

During the tour, the Gazette was taken to the scene of the animal cruelty, which was recorded by the campaign group Animal Aid and broadcast last July. The firm's improved CCTV coverage was also available.

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22 Comments

  • Profile image for Ribdiger

    by Ribdiger

    Tuesday, January 31 2012, 3:04PM

    “Sorry to disapoint but I am not an employee. And as for knowing so much about the Nazi's my knowledge was as a result of researching vegetarianism. Ouch! You accuse others of ill treatment of livestock as a reason for not eating meat. Does that mean if you saw every step of an animals life living in ideal conditions you would be prepared to eat it? No your real objective is to close all abattoirs. What next - put all fishermen out of business? Disagree as much as you like but to vilify a company which appears to be doing all it can on animal welfare and subject to third party unnanounced surveys does you no credit. Myself I prefer to spend what little time and and cash I have to support more worthwhile causes. ie., NSPCC.”

  • Profile image for MarciaH

    by MarciaH

    Tuesday, January 31 2012, 1:15PM

    “Ribdiger I am slightly worried although not surprised at your apparent extensive knowledge of Hitler and the Nazis. I notice that you are no longer denying that you are a Cheale Meats employee although it was obvious from the outset. It may well be a person's right to eat meat just as in the past it was a right to own slaves and only men had the right to vote. Things change and wrongs can be righted if people stand up for what they believe in. This situation IS about the cruelty which occurred and the fact that no-one has been punished for it but if it draws attention to the general cruelty in the meat industry in the process this could be one small step in turning the tide.”

  • Profile image for Ribdiger

    by Ribdiger

    Monday, January 30 2012, 12:56AM

    “You seem to conveniently to gloss over the outlandish position you are holding . But I am glad you bothered to read Wikipedia in which the majority of researchers make Hitler a Veggie. Try Britannicca as well. Hitler quite clearly claimed he was a veggie and saw a future in which the world would all be vegetarian. (Some say he ate the occasional slice of ham or sausage - well well - just like so many veggiers do anyway).
    However you find yourself in agreement with the principles of the Nazi party. No don't bother to deny it there's just too much evidence. If you bother to read the history of the Nazi party and bother to read what Hitler wrote, you will find it was most concerned about animal cruelty and even brought in some animal protection legislation. How their halo shone - what a civilised party they were. 6 million in the death camps! I will refrain from mentioning other veggie monsters in history.(you will of course know them) Not suggesting you would be the same but it rather strongly makes the point that you do not have moral superiority over us meat eaters. Have you ever read the Aryan website? You will enjoy it - you have so much in common. A proper veggie manual in parts.
    As for how many workers were sacked at Cheales you obviously know more than I do although I did hear that one of the workers was a real dog lover. Not that the number is important. What is important is that they were sacked, some 10months ago I believe, and the firm has a clean bill of health from the RSPCA. Oh, I forgot they, the police , the Gardian, and the establishment are all in a cover up aren't they?
    So what are you protesting about - not animal cruelty - no your protesting about people eating meat and just cant get it into your head that it is a person's right to do so. And by the way I rather like the idea of Father Christmas, it's fun for the kids and what would their Christmas be without him - or do you want to ban him as well?”

  • Profile image for Glamsticks Ltd

    by Glamsticks Ltd

    Friday, January 27 2012, 5:17PM

    “Interesting that you corrected the press who said three workers had been sacked when only people well acqainted with the case actually know only two workers had been sacked.

    You were commenting on the story in the press which said THREE men got sacked. Only those closely acquainted would know only two got sacked which is apparently something you also are aware of. Are you sure you are not a Cheale employee.

    Outwitted again and again.”

  • Profile image for Glamsticks Ltd

    by Glamsticks Ltd

    Friday, January 27 2012, 5:12PM

    “Ribdiger, the actual quote from Wiki reads "Adolf Hitler has been regarded by some as a vegetarian" and it gives a subscript to show this is not fact.
    The hitler vegetarian myth was put about by Goebbels (according to Hitlers biographer) to give him the air of ascetic. His cook Dione Lucas said his favourite dish was stuffed pigeon.

    You might want to look it up again with the proviso, Hitler was a vegetarian, believed only by those who will believe anything on Wikipedia (those unfortunate A level students who failed their exams after believing wiki was accurate will attest to the foolhardiness of that).

    I guess you still believe in father christmas! oh darn, sorry, didn't mean to disappoint you there, no he isn't real...”

  • Profile image for teganc

    by teganc

    Friday, January 27 2012, 1:58PM

    “@Ribdiger I attend these demo's when I can. I'm 37 and have never claimed any benefits. I save my annual leave to attend these demonstrations. Have you not heard of annual leave?”

  • Profile image for DavidBristol

    by DavidBristol

    Friday, January 27 2012, 1:35PM

    “Interestingly the Wikipedia article on Hitler's vegetarianism hints that its not that clear-cut a fact. But anyway, typing it in capital letters probably helps.

    The Wikipedia article on Godwin's law is also quite interesting and appropriate...”

  • Profile image for Ribdiger

    by Ribdiger

    Friday, January 27 2012, 12:29PM

    “So added to your GRAND CONSPIRACY THEORY (a somewhat unbalanced proposition don't you think?)) we now deny that Hitler was a vegetarian. If you care to check your facts - I suggest Wikipedia for one - (perhaps they are in on the conspiracy too) then you will have no doubt that HITLER WAS A VEGETARIAN who liked to put off his guests from eating meat by describing lurid details from his visit to a slaughterhouse. (nothing new there then) He would turn away if he saw cruelty to animals which so upset his finer feelings. It did not stop him torturing, maiming and slaughtering millions though. I know this is an inconvenient truth but because you do not wish to be judged by the actions of some of your fellows do not judge all at Cheale Meats for the actions of two rogue workers who have been sacked. This situation has been remedied according tom the RSPCA so your cause for complaint has gone. I support animal welfare, the public support animal welfare, the police support animal welfare, Cheale Meats support animal welfare, the vets support animal welfare etc., etc., so your demos are pointless from the welfare point of view. That only leaves you pushing your veggie agenda down our throats. I don't object to veggies eating whatever they want . I'ts a free country but I do object to having hysterical propaganda based on deceit and lies shoved down both mine and the public's throat.”

  • Profile image for Ribdiger

    by Ribdiger

    Friday, January 27 2012, 11:55AM

    “Adding to your great conspiracy theories (which already shows your unbalanced state of mind) you now try to deny Hitler was a veggie. Yes I do know my facts. Hitler tried to put off his guests from eating meat by describing lurid scenes from a slaughterhouse visit. (does this ring a bell)) This from a man who did not want to see cruelty to animals buit had no compunction to create suffering and death to millions of human beings. LOOK IT UP IN WIKIPEDIA and get your facts straight.
    So now you have agreed with me your real motive is to close slaughterhouses because your a veggie. I am very much for good animal welfare and from what Cheale Meats have done it is obvious they take it very seriously. You do not want to be judged by what some of your fellow veggies have done, are doing and have said, do not judge all at Cheale Meats for what a couple of rogue workers did. They were sacked and the cause of your complaint has gone. It's a wonder the company has not taken you to court for defamation. You may shout long and loud but it does not make you right or being a veggie morally superior to the rest of us. I have no objection to veggies - its a free world but I do object them trying to push their beliefs down peoples throats. And especially when they cannot win a civilised debate and choose instead to use hysterical propaganda, lies and defamation.”

  • Profile image for Glamsticks Ltd

    by Glamsticks Ltd

    Friday, January 27 2012, 9:12AM

    “Ribdiger where on earth do you get your facts from lol? Hitler most certainly was not a vegetarian. He had some bowel issues and his physician told him to cut down on meat which for the most part he didn't bother with.
    How interesting that you twist our compassion for other species as well as our own into a warped idea we want death for our own species. We actually don't want people to die either. Animal rights also means human rights. We want the world to be a better place. I have no doubt you have no interest and you just can#t give up your bacon sandwich but the meat industry is a massive contributer to world poverty and every person who goes vegan saves 25 human lives approximately. The UN recommends a vegan diet and more and more reports including one in the independent a few days ago recommended vegetarianism otherwise there won't be a world for a children.
    I'm sure you will laugh at this and call it veggie propoganda but that will be your measure that you won't even just go and check it out, do your own research, just maybe, just maybe your actions could save a childs life? No of course you won't. Silly me.
    Please don't judge us by your own badly researched ideas and your own lack of ethics. Not a single one of the protestors wear anything derived from animal products. We're not hypocrites, we actually have morals and ethics.
    You cannot have been someone going past in a car to be saying all these things about us, you'd have had to have stood there for hours to have apparently heard all these fictitious things.
    You do know the police would arrest us if we shouted abuse? It's just not allowed to happen and the protests have been peaceful.
    Go somewhere else with your lies and your hate for animals and the human race. You have lied, your have misinformed, you have supported animal abuse and you also support human abuse. Bacon kills, all press releases from medical authorites now say don't eat processed meat AT ALL, which includes bacon. We don't want anyone to die, animals or humans. It would be nice if you could show the same concern and not try and blacken our names with lies.”

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