>Yes, it's been the same in the U.S. with them; animal life is simply not
>of value to such people.
 
But MF and the labs who buy their animals to torture them believe strongly
in the sanctity of animal life?  Please.
 
Even if you don't agree with the ALF's methods and philosophy (and I
personally do not either, so don't turn around and label me as some kind
of militant ALF supporter), they risk incarceration to free animals they
believe are suffering or being kept as pets when they should be free.
AGAIN I AM NOT SAYING I BELIEVE IT'S RIGHT FOR THEM TO "LIBERATE" 6000
MINK WHO THEN ALL DIE.  But they wouldn't go as far as they do if they
didn't hold animal life in high regard; in fact these people regard animal
life as more important than their own personal freedom, because if they
are caught they will be punished and jailed.  Their results and their
methods are in question and rightfully so in some circumstances, but to
label them as people who DON'T care about animals is a little ridiculous
considering what they risk to free animals who are destined for a gut full
of Lysol to see how long it will take them to die from it.
 
Obviously the ALF regards mink as "wild" animals, which they are.  Clearly
they released them in an area that was unfit for their survival (I have
also heard that among the minks released were baby mink who were screaming
with fear when they were released into the wild, so rest assured I am not
defending what they did here).  Ferrets and beagles are domesticated
animals and whatever ALFs history with mink in the UK, they DO recognize
the difference between domesticated animals and wildlife.
 
Personally I think it is too funny (in a sad and somewhat discouraging
way) that people keep saying they want "proof" that MF is not taking good
care of ferrets, then when some pictures appear, it's immediately
speculated that they're fake.  I'm guessing that Marshall Farms will have
to actually issue a "we are a very careless company, sorry about that"
press release before anyone will catch on to the fact that this company
cares nothing for animals and sends them off for horrific, unnecessary
experimentation and carelessly breeds genetic lines prone to short life
spans and cancers and insulinomas.
 
You can accuse ALF of a lot of things but personally I think it's strange
that a group of people would get together and risk imprisonment just to
"stage" poor conditions at a breeder and take fake photos, then take all
those domestic animals that they freed and release them to certain death
in the December cold.  Kind of a waste of their time and an awfully big
risk to their personal freedom just to perpetrate a big hoax on all us
clueless animal lovers, don't you think?
 
One last thought: what exactly is ALFs driving motivation to stage these
photos and the break-in?  These photos cannot be used as evidence in court
because they were taken on an illegal break-in (yes, I acknowledge that,
again I am not defending ALFs methods).  The ALF cannot be contacted by
anyone to congratulate them, and it is next to impossible for people to
"join up" since they are such a shadow group (anticipating the argument
that these are "recruitment" pictures).  If the photos are all staged,
they sure went to a lot of trouble to stage pictures that aren't really
of any legal benefit should a case ever come out of it against MF as well
as photos that CAN be used againt ALF if they are caught and the case goes
to trial.
 
It is a fact that they broke into MF.  It was in the newspapers and on
news.  Unless they're all in on the scam as well.
 
On the speculation that there was nothing that specifically said "Marshall
Farms" on any of the cages or walls and there were no "Marshall Farms"
products laying around...that's solid proof they weren't at MF??  Wouldn't
you think that if they WERE staging the photos they WOULD have scattered
bags if MF food and tubes of MF Ferret-Vite all over the place??  Gee,
you'd think a group that's smart enough to pull off a whole "staging
photos" and "staged break-in" farce would have the intelligence to cover
all their bases.  Guess they goofed.  ALF isn't as smart as they thought
they were, and MF is still a shining example of the kind of company that
cares deeply about the welfare of the animals it forcibly impregnates and
sells to HLS for toothpaste and dish detergent force-feedings.
 
Those beagle puppies didn't really have mange...ALF brought along electric
razors (standard "staging" equipment) and shaved patches on their little
faces before they posed them in front of the camera...
 
-Heather W
 Massachusetts
[Posted in FML issue 3657]