URGENT: 100 Rescue Pigs at Italian Sanctuary in Danger of Execution
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Over 100 healthy pigs at an Italian sanctuary are facing the imminent threat of being horrifically killed by local health officials to prevent the spread of swine fever in the region. Join us and animal allies all over the world in a life-or-death sprint to demand that authorities spare the lives of the porcine residents of Sfattoria degli Ultimi.
Staff at Sfattoria degli Ultimi, a sanctuary for pigs and urban boars based in Rome, received a heartbreaking notification from local authorities with ASL Roma 1 that their residents may be slaughtered to control the spread of African swine fever.
The regional court, Lazio TAR, has agreed to hold a hearing on Wednesday, September 14 to decide the fate of the pigs at Sfattoria degli Ultimi, but the court needs to understand the gravity of the decision they are making. The lives of over 100 rescued animals are being held in the hands of these officials, and we need your voice added to the outcry so these animals can continue to live in serenity and happiness at their beloved sanctuary.
According to a message released by the sanctuary, the residents of Sfattoria degli Ultimi are all registered with the proper health authorities and easily identifiable with microchips that prove they will never be forced into the cruel food production system, which should legally spare them from this heartless and ineffective disease control measure.
“With the saddest feeling that can be felt we inform everyone that we have just received from the [ASL Roma 1] the notification of the killing of all the animals of the Sfattoria,” reads a translated post from the sanctuary.
African swine fever is spreading through Italy, and in response, authorities have implemented a “shoot down procedure” in hopes of containing the virus, but this law is intended to exclude animals who are not at risk of being slaughtered for food. Despite this crucial distinction, local health authorities are still threatening to kill the healthy animals at Sfattoria degli Ultimi.
The sanctuary's facilities are in compliance with biosecurity rules to prevent the spread of African swine fever and the shelter's residents are kept in fenced areas to avoid transmittable contagion. Sfattoria degli Ultimi is located in the Roman countryside and provides residents with over three miles of gardens and two large stables where they should be able to enjoy long, healthy lives.
This proposed mass murder is devastating for the staff at Sfattoria degli Ultimi and the futures of the residents there could include unimaginable horror. Immediate action is critical to prevent this massacre and save the lives of the pigs and boars who have finally found refuge at Sfattoria degli Ultimi. The need for urgent support could not be more dire!
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