Gastronomic excellence on the one hand and cruel practice on the other. Can a prized and DOP-branded product hide abuse of pigs? It happened in a Cremona farm belonging to the Parma Ham production circuit. A fact documented and reported by LAV, Anti Vivisection League, in 2017 and subject to checks by the NAS and the ATS, which however had not found any ill-treatment.
But the images brought by the animal rights association, which was formed civil party in the process, allowed to document precarious sanitary conditions, overcrowding in the cages and prohibited practices such as mutilation of the tail. This convinced the prosecutor to proceed and the first hearing on January 13 ended with the plea agreement for a fine of 3,000 euros and 6,000 euros to those responsible and the payment of court costs.
Why is all this a historic sentence? “We are satisfied with the admission of responsibility, confirming the claims of our association, which has been fighting for years to denounce and close structures like this one, in which animals are detained in completely unacceptable conditions” he says Roberto Bennati, LAV General Manager.
However the fact throws a shadow on the controls carried out in the farms. «This sentence must also make us reflect on the system of controls and inspections. In fact, both the veterinary staff of the ATS and an inspection of the NAS in the reports of the inspections carried out following the complaint, had established the lack of mistreatment and only minimal hygiene irregularities, and this despite animals in distress that had even needed euthanasia. The Public Prosecutor’s Office, which is the competent body to ascertain the crimes, has however decided to go ahead and this is proof of the fact that crimes of this type are ascertained, not by veterinarians in charge of controls, but in court. It also confirms how necessary it is to work, at a cultural, political, and training level, for ensure the correct and systematic application of the law on ill-treatment, by public health veterinarians, ”says Bennati.
Yet something is moving on the bumpy path of animal rights. A first step, this, which is added to others such as last March’s compensation sentence to the giant Amadori. Back then, they had been the activists of Being Animals, supported by Report inquiries and other associations such as Enpa e Animal Equality, to denounce the killing and mistreatment of animals in intensive farming.
In short, if on the one hand the veil is torn on the abuses perpetuated daily against creatures who have no voice. On the other hand, megaphones multiply to spread the complaints.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
