Tell Legislators to Honor Free Speech in New York!

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S5172 criminalizes “unlawful tampering with farm animals” which includes the “unauthorized video, audio recording or photography done without the farm owner’s written consent.”

It’s clear the only reason for this legislation is to keep the public from seeing the shocking conditions that exist on CAFOs. If passed into law, this bill will protect large factory farms by making undercover investigations into animal care illegal. Those who report and expose cruelty to animals would risk imprisonment for up to one year or a fine of up to $1,000.

Tell your legislator that photographing CAFOs is protected speech under the First Amendment, and if farmers don’t want their dirty laundry aired, they should simply make their farms sanitary and treat their animals humanely.

Rather than stop cruel treatment of animals, this bill will simply ensure that the public never learns about it. Rather than sending perpetrators of animal cruelty to jail, agribusiness wants to send those who expose the cruelty to jail.

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Dear [Decision Maker],

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As your constituent, I strongly urge you to oppose S5172. This bill criminalizes "unlawful tampering with farm animals" which includes the "unauthorized video, audio recording or photography done without the farm owner's written consent."

Last year, an investigation into a dairy factory farm in Locke, NY, revealed egregious cruelty. A whistleblower at Willet Dairy -- the largest dairy in New York State -- documented calves routinely having their tails cut off painfully; sick, injured and "downed" cows with bloody open wounds and prolapsed uteruses left to suffer; and workers punching, electric-shocking, and kicking the animals. The bill would chill legitimate attempts to investigate animal cruelty and expose the grossly unsanitary conditions present at factory farms. This legislation attempts to diminish the public's right to obtain information and undermines our First Amendment rights.

This attempt implies that there is even more to be concerned about on factory farms than previously thought. Passing these bills would be a disservice to both good farmers and concerned New York citizens. 
Wouldn't it make more sense to clean up the factory farms themselves, rather than trampling the rights of free speech and freedom of the press? Aren't whistleblowers to be applauded? Why should the state of New York protect an industry whose practices are questionable at best, at the expense of a possible violation of the US Constitution?

This is a terrible bill, and supporting it will only endanger the health and well-being of your citizens who consume the food made from the animals kept in such an environment -- not to mention propagating the potential abuse of animals. Why should companion pets enjoy the protection of animal abuse laws, but food animals be subjected to the most inhumane conditions imaginable?

Protect free speech in New York. Please vote NO on S5172.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]

Protecting Natural Health