Out-of-State animal advocates protest at Perdue

MARYLAND – Tuesday animal rights advocates protested Perdue, and they say this is just the start of a long week journey.

Perdue Protest

On one side you have the chicken community, and on the other, you have animal activists. Both stress the work they do benefits everyone yet somehow are unable to find common ground.

Direct Action Everywhere, commonly known as DXE, is a grassroots animal rights advocacy group that traveled 3,000 miles from California to confront Perdue’s corporate office about their subsidiary, Petaluma Poultry.

Petaluma Poultry

Community Organizer Curtis Vollmar says they don’t suggest people eat eggplants instead of eggs, but that consumption shouldn’t be cruel. “We’re coming here to the corporate office to let them know we demand transparency and accountability, and we want Petaluma Poultry shut down…”

He goes on to say, “99% of animal products in this country, and frankly around the world, come from these large industrial animal factory farms formerly called CAFOS – concentrated animal feeding operations, where animals are cramped in extreme conditions”

Chicken Culture 

Communications Manager for Delmarva Chicken Association James Fisher says the group is misinformed and that they don’t realize they are hurting instead of helping. “When they invade processing plants and farms, they don’t pay attention to the biosecurity precautions that farmers live by, so they’re putting animals at risk.”

Fisher says chicken culture has been a part of the shore for the past century, and advocates need to understand what ending animal agriculture would mean to this area.

“We hope that everybody keeps in mind how crucial chicken is to Delawares economy, to Maryland’s Economy, the Eastern Shore of Virgina… They’re interested in putting every famer and every chicken company out of business- that’s 18,000 jobs, more than 1200 family farms, it would be a big deal if they got their way.”

Foul vs Fowl 

Until then, protesters say they will continue to fight any time they see ‘fowl’ play. Now DXE says they plan to continue to take to the streets starting as early as 8:30 am Wednesday morning at the corporate office.

Saturday, they plan to be back at the Perdue Plant. We’ve reached out to Perdue for comment and have yet to hear back.

Protest Precautions

When we think of protest, we also think of protection and that’s where our local police come in. Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis said his department has seen their share of protests, and he says this group has a history of trespassing on properties, and freeing animals from facilities.

Sheriff Lewis said protesting is the people’s right, and after meeting with Perdue officials- they’ve stepped up their game to keep the Eastern Shore safe. “We’re going to give individuals areas where they can demonstrate and area’s where they can protest, protected areas I might add. Actually, fenced in areas…”

Sheriff Lewis says they’re not sure about how many people will be on the shore within the next few days but has deputies on standby. “We have an enormous amount of extra resources that are going to be out this entire week soley because of the planned demonstrations and planned protest.”

The Wicomico County’s sheriff’s office says they will continue to partner with Salisbury Police and other local law enforcement to keep everyone safe.