Vegan activists have this morning stormed a dairy farm demanding that a calf is released and rehomed in a ‘sanctuary’ – shouting that ‘baby cows just want to be free’.
Animal Rising said that 30 protesters entered and ‘occupied’ Grange Dairy in Winfrith Newburgh, near Dorchester, Dorset at around 7am this morning.
The group, which is opposed to the dairy industry, has asked the farm to release a calf to be rehomed in an animal sanctuary ‘as a sign of good faith’ while they negotiate ‘over the need to transition towards a plant-based food system urgently’.
This comes after Animal Rising supporters ran onto the racetrack at Aintree last month before the Grand National last month – and last year protested against dairy by pouring milk from shelves over the Harrods food hall and in other supermarkets.
Activists claim a prior investigation found Grange Dairy was effectively a battery farm, with calves as old as 6 months in incredibly cramped conditions – despite a legal limit of eight weeks.
Vegan activists have this morning stormed a dairy farm in Dorset demanding that a calf is released and rehomed in a ‘sanctuary’
Animal Rising said that 30 protesters entered and ‘occupied’ Grange Dairy in Winfrith Newburgh, near Dorchester, Dorset at around 7am this morning
An animal rising protester sitting down at Grange Dairy with a picture of a cow with two calves
However a Dorset Council investigation later found no evidence of animal welfare breaches, the Dorset Echo reported in 2017.
Activists claim the farm, owned by J.F. Cobb & Sons, supplies ‘high welfare’ milk to Marks & Spencer supermarkets.
Activists at the farm were pictured ‘comforting’ some of the approximately 1,000 calves who are, according to Animal Rising ‘kept in pens, isolated from each other’.
Ben Newman, who is part of the action at the dairy this morning, said: ‘Just like every other animal in farms across the UK, the baby cows here just want to be free and live without the threat of being slaughtered for food or repeatedly impregnated so they produce milk.
‘The dairy industry – indeed all of animal farming – is not working for any of us, farmers included.
‘Exploiting these animals for our own purposes is hurting us, it’s hurting our environment, destroying our rivers, and it’s killing billions of innocent individuals each year.
‘We need a safe and secure food system and that can only come once we all truly consider how to mend our shattered connection with all animals and create a world that is kinder to us all.’
Activists at the farm were pictured ‘comforting’ some of the approximately 1,000 calves who are, according to Animal Rising ‘kept in pens, isolated from each other’
Animal Rising have said managers at Grange Dairy have had discussions with activists who are trying to secure the release of a calf today
Animal Rising protesters sit in at Grange Dairy Farm this morning, which supplies ‘high quality’ milk to supermarkets like M&S
Around 30 supporters of the vegan activist group entered the dairy farm in Dorset today
Animal Rising have said managers at Grange Dairy have had discussions with activists who are trying to secure the release of a calf today.
The group said protesters are ‘trying to begin a dialogue with the farming industry’ and that ‘if we are to create a safe and secure food system in the UK, then British farmers must be at its heart’.
They added: ‘An overwhelming majority of Britons support rewilding, where land is restored to nature and given the chance to bloom. This would restore biodiversity and begin carbon drawdown.’
Animal Rising claims that this can only be done if the government supports farmers and transition subsidies to help the industry change, adding that a recent survey suggested more than 60% of farmers in Scotland would transition to rewilding or plant-based production if adequate financial support were in place.
J.F. Cobb & Sons and Marks & Spencer have both been contacted for comment.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
