USDA Report, PETA Reveal Animal Neglect at an Elk River Farm
ELK RIVER (WJON News) -- A recent USDA inspection report of Elk River’s Manthei Hog Farm reveals a pig with a severe injury was neglected.
PETA Vice President Daniel Paden says the hog suffered a rectal prolapse—a condition where internal tissue protrudes from its hindquarters—and was placed with five other pigs.
“Pigs are attracted to blood, to one another's tissue. These animals apparently started to attack, and when the USDA vet showed up, she found this pig bleeding from her injuries, blood on the floor, and that this animal had been denied treatment.”
Paden says the USDA cannot remove the animal or press charges, so they wrote to Sherburne County’s Attorney and Sheriff to investigate.
Paden says he knows Attorney Kathy Heaney can’t investigate herself…
“But she’s aware that I had also provided the information to the sheriff, who has jurisdiction. So, our hope is that that office will be investigating and then sharing their findings with the county attorney for review.”
Paden says the farm has a pattern: in 2015, it was cited for killing pigs by gunshot and dumping food directly on feces-covered floors, leading to a parasitic infestation that affected around 364 heavily pregnant and nursing pigs.
Manthei Hog Farm has yet to comment.
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