Four views on bills criminalizing undercover videos of animal abuse

Welcome to Animal Air, a series of interviews and documentaries by Animal Policy Reporter Katerina Lorenzatos Makris with newsmakers on a variety of animal issues.

This segment, "Violation of First Amendment? Or protection for farm owners?" explores proposed legislation in Iowa and Minnesota that would criminalize undercover "whistleblower" photography and videos of animal abuse at farms and other animal use facilities.

Under Iowa's pending bill House File 589, taking videos or photographs of such incidents could result in felony charges and prison time.

Recorded between March and May 2011, this segment of Animal Air includes interviews with:

Sarah Hubbart, Animal Agriculture Alliance
Wayne Pacelle, The Humane Society of the United States
Aaron Putze, Iowa Soybean Association
Nathan Runkle, Mercy for Animals

For more information, see Animal Policy Examiner.
http://www.examiner.com/animal-policy-in-national/calf-farm-owner-told-worker...

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Undercover
• videos
• Nathan
• Runkle
• Mercy
• for
• Animals
• Iowa
• House
• File
• 589
• Wayne
• Pacelle
• Humane
• Society
• of
• the
• United
• States
• Animal
• Abuse
• Whistleblower

[jtbnin]

I live in Iowa. A Des Moines Register poll that said that 60% of Iowans opposed the bill.

The reason so many from other states contacted the legislators is because if this law passes in Iowa, other states will try to pass it as well to cover up abuse and limit bad press.

In Iowa, legislators expressed displeasure to animal rights groups in receiving feedback via petition form. Rather than accept that people do not support the bill, they want to shoot the messenger just like the bill does.

[jtbnin]

I hear representatives for agriculture make statements about what is in the best interest of the animals, but this legislation is solely to protect the reputation of the farmers abusing animals. Business as usual on the farm.

If they have nothing to hide, why are they wanting to make people who really care about the animals felons?

The ag community is only kidding themselves and preaching to their choir with their empty excuses about wanting to protect the animals and food safety, etc.