In more than 800 hours of footage filmed at the Innovis Gene Transfer Centre in Great Yarmouth, the animal rights organisation recorded instances of boars targeted with physical and verbal abuse, neglect, filthy conditions and inadequate living conditions.
The farm is used to extract semen from boars which is then sold on to pig farms across Britain, via intermediary Hermitage AI, which then supply the food manufacturing sector.
Scenes include boars being struck on more than 300 occasions during the documented period, including with pipes and paddles.
Meanwhile, the Animal Justice Project footage showed dirty and unhygienic pens, as well as more than 100 boars confined to cramped concrete living quarters.
Authorities contacted
“The abuse documented at Innovis is appalling,” said Claire Palmer, director of Animal Justice Project.
“Pigs were struck, stabbed, and intimidated daily by long-standing staff under a CEO in place for 20 years. Yet no one intervened.
“We have contacted the authorities to push for prosecutions and demand the immediate dismissal of all staff involved—suspensions are simply not enough. If these were dogs, the consequences would be swift and severe.”
‘Copious failings’
Meanwhile, barrister at law chambers 33 Bedford Row, Ayesha Smart, concluded that the footage showed “copious failings” on the part of Innovis.
“It is wholly unacceptable to hit, strike or kick pigs, whether using a body part or an implement,” said Smart.
“There are clear breaches of these requirements given also the unsanitary and slippery walkways coated with urine and faeces.
“There is a lack of suitable bedding or enrichment in some of the pens leaving animals to resort to pacing, playing with the concrete floor or fighting.”
Smart added: “Innovis and its staff workers must comply with section 4 and section 9 Animal Welfare Act 2006.”
Food Manufacture has reached out to Innovis and Hermitage AI for comment.
