PETA claims video captures abuse at West Virginia turkey farm

5:50 p.m.

LEWISBURG, W.Va. (AP) - A video released by an animal rights group on Tuesday claims to show horrific abuse of turkeys at West Virginia farms operated by major global poultry grower Aviagen Inc.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said the video, which includes workers stomping on turkeys' heads and twisting their necks to kill them, was shot by an undercover investigator who worked on the companies' farms for more than two months.
The undercover worker, who was not identified, described stifling, dusty barns where the animals were kept and caught video of several workers killing turkeys, slamming them into metal cages and bragging about previous abuse of the animals.
A company official told The New York Times that they "condemn the abuse of any of the animals in our care and will take swift action to address these issues." They said they would investigate the allegations, which could lead to firing employees who were involved.
A call Wednesday morning to the Alabama headquarters of Aviagen North America was not immediately returned. A call to subsidiary Aviagen Turkeys Inc., in Lewisburg, W.Va., also was not immediately returned.
PETA filed a criminal complaint on Tuesday alleging animal cruelty, according to the Greenbrier County Sheriff's Department.
In West Virginia, felony animal cruelty can be punished by one to three years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.
Sherrie Rosenblatt of the National Turkey Federation in Washington, D.C., questioned the timing of PETA's sting.
"I think its interesting that PETA, allegedly this vegetarian group, would go into a place and actually see something that is not common, and not say anything about it until about a week before Thanksgiving," Rosenblatt told Associated Press Television on Wednesday. "To me that is not making sure there is ethical treatment of animals, but it's more about public relations propaganda.
"The turkey industry really takes pride in the health and well being of its flock because that's the way we can provide safe and nutritional and affordable foods for consumers especially around Thanksgiving when everyone is going to have turkey at the center of the plate."
Rosenblatt said industry guidelines for turkey handling have been in place since 1980 and called the video "very much an isolated incident."
Norfolk, Va.-based PETA campaigns most years against the practices of turkey growers before Thanksgiving and encourages Americans to find vegetarian substitutes for the bird, such as tofu. The video showing the turkey abuse was posted on PETA's Web site.
In 2004, PETA carried out a similar undercover video sting in West Virginia against Texas-based Pilgrim's Pride at the company's Moorefield plant.
The company fired 11 employees and provided animal cruelty training throughout its North American operations after that, but a Hardy County grand jury in 2005 refused to indict any of the workers involved.

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11:24 a.m.

LEWISBURG, W.Va. (AP) - A Virginia-based animal rights group has filed a complaint in Greenbrier County alleging animal cruelty at Aviagen's turkey farms.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released a video last night that it claims to show horrific abuse of turkeys at the farms.

PETA says the video was shot by an undercover investigator who worked on the companies' farms for more than two months.

The undercover worker, who was not identified, caught video of several workers killing turkeys, slamming them into metal cages and bragging about previous abuse of the animals.

In West Virginia, felony animal cruelty can be punished by one to three years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.

A company spokesman told The New York Times that officials would investigate the allegations, which could lead to firing employees who were involved.