by Inga Gibson
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The rescued hens are now able to do what comes naturally—dustbathing and nesting.© Georgie Fong |
In late July, Georgie Fong, a Big Island, Hawaii, resident and animal advocate, received a call about the closure of the Hawaiian Fresh Egg Farm.
The owner of the last neighbor island egg farm was closing up shop and needed the animals removed by late August.
While these hens had better lives than most egg laying-hens—a life free of cages, with at least the ability to walk and spread their wings—Fong immediately recognized an opportunity to provide these animals with new lives.
Getting the Word Out
Backed by the experience of rescuing a number of “spent” dairy cows, Fong started contacting fellow animal advocates, neighbors and community members—launching an all-volunteer rescue and re-homing program for the hens.
In the first week, she received two dozen phone calls from people requesting a total of 200 hens. She delivered the first 80 hens to their new adoptive homes on Aug. 2.
The next week, she received calls requesting 500 more hens. “When we first started the rescue, I knew the farm was going to close at the end of August and told the owner I would take an additional 500 hens,” Fong said.
“A few days later, the owner called and said he was closing the following week and we had to take the hens within five days.”
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These hens have their very own new digs.© Georgie Fong |
Fong and the other volunteers worked feverishly to deliver the hens to their new homes by the deadline. In less than a month, she and her dedicated team had rescued 586 hens and placed them in 32 adoptive homes.
Thanks to the compassionate efforts of Fong and the community, this story has a happy ending. Unfortunately, this is not the case for more than 280 million egg-laying hens confined in battery cages across the United States.
Harsh Realities
Arguably the most abused animals in all agribusiness, these animals are confined in barren, tiny cages so restrictive the birds can't even spread their wings.
With no opportunity to engage in many of their natural behaviors, including nesting, dust bathing, perching and foraging, these birds endure lives wrought with suffering.
Not surprisingly, Fong is a strong supporter of California’s Prop 2 initiative to phase out the confinement of hens, pigs and calves in cages so small they can barely move—a modest and important measure The Humane Society of the United States supports.
Commitment to animal welfare on the grassroots level like Fong’s is a powerful force when it comes to making a difference in animals’ lives.
Two things you can do right now to make a difference for farm animals:
1. Join YES! On Proposition2: Be part of the biggest campaign for farm animals ever! Even if you don't live in California, Proposition 2 matters. Farm animals around the country suffer in cruel confinement, and this single measure would help more than 20 million of them.
2. Make a commitment to Humane Eating and the 3 R’s.
Inga Gibson is state director of The HSUS’s Hawaii office.
