Help End the Use of Cows and Pigs at the California State Fair Nursery Exhibit
In 2010, a pregnant Holstein cow escaped her pen during the California State Fair. State Fair police chased the frightened animal down in a large SUV. They shot her multiple times, killing her. The cow was part of the Nursery Exhibit, in which heavily pregnant cows, pigs, sheep, and goats give birth in front of an audience.
Since then, animal advocates and concerned citizens have attempted - in vain - to convince the State Fair to eliminate the live birth exhibit at the State Fair. The educational value of the exhibit is questionable, and more importantly, heavily pregnant animals are unnecessarily transported and stressed.
The State Fair Board has adamently opposed any attempts to eliminate the exhibit, despite public pressure.
It is now time to offer the Fair Board a compromise - eliminate the cow and pig live births, while retaining the sheep and goats.
Why just the cows and pigs?
While Animal Place opposes the nursery exhibit in its entirety, it is the cow and pig portions of the exhibit that pose the most danger to both animal and human safety. Both cows and pigs are large animals who are not easily controlled should they escape or react poorly to the unnatural, stressful environment of the fair.
Pigs are confinsed in crates so small they cannot turn around. This added confinement only increases stress and frustration. Calves are removed from their mothers immediately after birth, which is already an enormous stressor. To have that occur in a strange, frightening environment only exacerbates the fear of the cow and calf.
Instead of eliminating the nursery exhibit entirely, stop using cows and pigs. Both pose a human health risk due to their size and difficulty in handling should they escape.
Further, pigs are confined in crates so small they cannot turn around, and calves are removed from their mother's immediately after birth. This creates undue stress and frustration for the animals.
Sheep and goats are easier to handle and provided more appropriate space. Kids and lambs remain with their mothers as well.
Please compromise and remove the cattle and pig portion of the live birth exhibit.
Number | Date | Name | Location | |
---|---|---|---|---|
574 | Thu Feb 23 02:23:09 EST 2012 | Nicole Blume | ||
573 | Thu Feb 23 02:01:26 EST 2012 | Rebecca Deschaine | Santee, CA | |
572 | Thu Feb 23 01:57:24 EST 2012 | Anonymous | CA | |
571 | Thu Feb 23 01:15:21 EST 2012 | Barb Kendall | New Westminster, BC | These animals already suffer enough - please do away with the live birth exhibit. |
570 | Thu Feb 23 00:25:14 EST 2012 | Jill Johnson | Auburn, CA | |
569 | Thu Feb 23 00:09:05 EST 2012 | Cindy Jakes | Pinole, CA | |
568 | Thu Feb 23 00:05:00 EST 2012 | Lea Ann Salmon | Meadow Vista, CA | This abuse to the mom and babies is just wrong! Stop!! |
567 | Wed Feb 22 23:21:12 EST 2012 | Eric Mills | oakland, CA | Talk's cheap! Attend the State Fair board meeting on Friday, Feb. 24, 12:30pm in the Administration Bldg. at CalEXPO, and speak up for the animals. |
566 | Wed Feb 22 23:20:45 EST 2012 | Eric Mills | oakland, CA | Talk's cheap! Attend the State Fair board meeting on Friday, Feb. 24, 12:30pm in the Administration Bldg. at CalEXPO, and speak up for the animals. |
565 | Wed Feb 22 23:11:41 EST 2012 | Jen Gagnon | ||
564 | Wed Feb 22 23:09:24 EST 2012 | Rachel Hembree | Hopland, CA | I wouldn't want to make a show of MY birth. :/ |
563 | Wed Feb 22 22:51:40 EST 2012 | Sharie Lesniak | Sacramento, CA | |
562 | Wed Feb 22 22:04:24 EST 2012 | Leslie Gerrard | Laguna Beach, CA | |
561 | Wed Feb 22 21:57:04 EST 2012 | jayne george | kittery, ME | This is 2012, people! Wake up! It's time to start respecting all living things. This is beyond cruel and encourages those who do not know any better to also be hateful, cruel and disrespectful. |
560 | Wed Feb 22 21:49:29 EST 2012 | lisa rockwell | menlo park, CA | |
559 | Wed Feb 22 21:41:06 EST 2012 | Anonymous | Milford, MI | |
558 | Wed Feb 22 21:23:54 EST 2012 | Preeti Kodikal | CA | |
557 | Wed Feb 22 21:18:21 EST 2012 | Preeti Kodikal | CA | |
556 | Wed Feb 22 21:16:20 EST 2012 | Marilyn Greer | Roseville, CA | This is very poor role modeling on how to treat animals to our childern!!! |
555 | Wed Feb 22 20:35:58 EST 2012 | Ruth Moratz | Big Bear Lake, CA | |
554 | Wed Feb 22 20:33:57 EST 2012 | carmen costello | Greenwood, AR | Don't be so disgusting, that is sick. What in God's name are you thinking? the person who thought this up must 1; hate animals, 2; need mental help, 3; need sacking |
553 | Wed Feb 22 20:15:10 EST 2012 | Joanne O'Keefe | ||
552 | Wed Feb 22 20:13:31 EST 2012 | Anonymous | CA | |
551 | Wed Feb 22 20:08:32 EST 2012 | alison dice | lakewood, CA | |
550 | Wed Feb 22 19:51:58 EST 2012 | Kim Heller | Middlebury, IN |