Animal cruelty allegations: Westfleisch wants to clarify further

Created: 2022-09-27Updated: 2022-09-27 12:09 PM

The handout from the German Animal Welfare Office shows an injured pig in a stable.

© -/Deutsches Tierschutzbüro/dpa/Archive picture

About a week after allegations of animal cruelty at Westfleisch suppliers became known, the agricultural company from Münster is still examining the consequences.

"The clarification of the allegations is in full swing and within a framework appropriate to the German constitutional state," said a company spokesman on Tuesday in Münster.

The companies were “directly inspected” and they continue to be monitored.

Münster – The company spokesman did not comment on the findings of the visits.

Westfleisch took so-called court portraits - i.e. pictures and information about the suppliers - from its website.

This was done temporarily to protect the families, the company said.

The German Animal Welfare Office published shocking footage last week showing pigs with bleeding wounds, abscesses and inflammation.

Dead and even decomposing animals could also be seen in the barn.

The recordings are said to come from six companies in the Münsterland and East Westphalia and from a farm in Lower Saxony.

The public prosecutor's offices of various cities began investigations into possible violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

Jan Peifer from the German Animal Welfare Office called on Westfleisch on Tuesday to finally stop the cruelty to animals, to take tough action and to end the cooperation with the "scandalous companies" immediately.

"Westfleisch pretends to consumers that the world is ideal with alleged animal welfare, but the reality is very different." dpa