The torture of geese in Poland, Hungary and China

I would like to tell you about a tv documentary that has caught quite a stir here in Sweden. It was shown on one of our most reputable channels, TV4 nad the debate has been raging in all our leading newspapers.

An "underground investigative team" with hidden cameras has researched the goose feather industry - you know... goose feathers, the kind of stuff our cushions, winter clothes etc are filled with.

It seems that a fairly common custom is to pick the feathers out of living geese - not dead and slaughtered geese. The practise is forbidden in the EU, but apparently this law is not enforced in Poland and Hungary, according to the documentary. The footage shown is revolting. The geese scream in their pain. The biggest wounds resulting from the torture are hastingly sown together by their tortureres - so that the animals will not bleed to death but be ready for another "treatment" later on. The geese have to endure this torture 3-4 times before slaugther, unless they are especially unlucky and after this torture are being sent to one of these farms where they are force-fed to enlarge their liver before death finally release them from human torture.

A leading Swedish veterinary, commenting on the footage, called the practise... yes "TORTURE" and compared it to ripping out the hair of a human skull. "Double torture"... "...their lives are Hell on earth", was the commentary of the veterinary - Johan Beck-Fries - member of a Swedish governmental commission. Our Agricultural Minister sad he was "outraged" and would raise the matter with his Hungarian colleauge (hopefully also with his Polish).

According to the documentary, the practise is most common in China (SURPRISE!) but I will not go into that now - I know that even mentioning China is a lost cause from the beginning.

Most retailers in Sweden have already publicly commented on the issue. One of our leading department store chains - Åhléns - have immediately stopped the sale of goose feather goods and offer any consumer a refund on their purchased goose feather products. IKEA are taking measures etc.

But I would like to encourage forumsters from Poland and Hungary to protest against this barbaric procedure in any way you can! Find out all about it and do what you can in your countries, PLEASE!!!

 

That's sounds cruel, around where I live kids my age usually torture or play with native birds e.g. lorikeets etc.

 

I do wonder what the direction of this forum is going some days!

I watched a program called "Jimmy saves our bacon" were they showed footage of them castrating a young pig without anaesthetic. That was not a nice sight.

I agree dan that this is a little barbaric and the geese should be killed humanly before being plucked.

 

I agree that the geese must live terrible lives, much as many chickens and other livestock do before being eaten by millions worldwide. The plucking of feathers sounds barbaric, and I had also heard about the practice taking place in China. It is similar to the treatment of sharks as they have their fins sliced off and then are dumped still wriggling back into the ocean. Nothing like being eaten alive by predators...

 

Please notice, taun, that I brought this subject up in the "non-zoo-related" part of the forum, hoping that most of the forumsters here are animal friends and would react to the subject as such and perhaps could make a difference by protesting against this not so "little" barbaric practise.

 

Dan,

I know you posted it in the zoo cafe which is for general unrelated zoo stuff. I was refering to your little note on the bottom of the post.

I wouldn't of bothered posting if I didn't have anythink to share or views on the thread.

 

Yeah, snowleopard... "Nothing like being eaten alive by predators... ". I get your point, of course (and you and I are totally cool on this subject), and I wish I was more fluent in English - then I could have made myself better heard here at ZooChat. I will not go into a philosophical debate, because I could only handle one in my native language.

Just trying to make a change here, if by some chance a Polish or Hungarian forumster would care to start a debate in their countries, and thereby possibly stopping this particular (human enforced) torture of animals.

 

Dan, although I agree with you and think of myself as an animal lover, a lot of people on this forum probably wouldn't call themselves animal lovers, just zoo fans if you will.
And although this does sound stupidly cruel and barbaric, I don't think I'd ever protest, I complain enough about Christians ramming their beliefs down my throat, don't want to be a hypocrite

 

I dont think I quite follow you here, ashley-h:

"And although this does sound stupidly cruel and barbaric, I don't think I'd ever protest, I complain enough about Christians ramming their beliefs down my throat, don't want to be a hypocrite."

Would you like to expand a bit on this, please.

 

I wouldn't protest as I don't think its right to force your own opinion onto another person. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I think it's wrong to force you're beliefs onto other people.
Hope that's clearer :S

 

In all honesty: not really... aren´t we supposed to debate here?

 

Yes, but a debate is "I have this opinion because..." (like the trophy hunting thread), while protesters tend to say "I think this and you should agree with me and not have your own opinion".
There's a difference

 

OK... Ashley-h, I am simply not sure what kind of point you are making here! I have tried to make as an accurate report as I can about a tv documentary that has touched me and a number of other Swedes.

Ashley-h, I simply do not understand this statement of yours:

"And although this does sound stupidly cruel and barbaric, I don't think I'd ever protest, I complain enough about Christians ramming their beliefs down my throat, don't want to be a hypocrite !

It might be due to the fact that I am not fluent in English, but again: I don´t get your point...

 

Ok, it's not important. I just don't think protesting this is the answer is all.

 

Please help me here, Jodea, Rillekolmård and other forumsters in Sweden! You will probably also have seen the documentary or - at least - know about of the debate it has aroused in Sweden!

Please help me make this an issue in the rest of the world!!!

 

Ashley-h, I am totally stunned by this answer of yours! WHY should we not protest against crulelty towards animals?

 

I just don't think it gets anywhere. Look how many protesters go to zoos, and they're still open for business. I do not mean in any way that it's right for them to do this to geese though.
Besides, I live the UK, so I couldn't anyway

 

Dan, thank you (and the TV staff) for picking (plucking?) up this issue. I am Hungarian, and Monday evening there was a debate on a well listened Radio station on goose plucking induced by the Swedish documentary. There was a lady on the phone from the Hungarian Embassy in Sweden, the president of Free Range Poultry Association and the chief officer from the Animal Protection Authority. The situation is that the FRPA president wanted to explain that these were isolated cases at least in this cruel form. I do not think so. The market of Hungarian goose feather is mainly Scandinavia, so I am happy that the presssure of Swedish consumers not buying until the cruel practice continues may alter the behaviour of these goose keeping companies. The president has promised they will better check the procedures, also the animal protection officer has told they will more frequently do site visits. It should be known, however, that despite the general ban in the EU, for Poland and Hungary goose plucking is allowed PROVIDED some strict rules are kept (conditional exemptions). The officer, a vet by profession, said that plucking of feathers close to natural shedding is not painful, the problem is plucking young, and especially furry feathers. And of course the causing of wounds is unacceptable. You are right to raise the issue for protest, protest may lead to results, especially if it influences consumer behaviour, as the most effective protest is that of consumers choice in the market!

 

Not animal lovers but zoo lovers?? what?? isnt that like saying your a resturant lover but not a food lover?? I think sometimes people on this forum can be unfriendly! I agree that this is a barbaric practise and I hope as many people do as much as they can to have it stopped. I do not think that Dan deserved the response he got, and I appluade him for trying his best to help and get the word around. I for one would probably have never heard of this had he not posted here. I think if people have nothing constructive to say they should say nothing as it really lowers the tone of this forum!

 

I know some people who like zoos, but don't like animals. Odd I know, but they don't think of themselves as animal lovers and would never own any pets or anything. I wasn't being unfriendly, just stating a fact, it's not like I'm saying pluck the geese!