The Humane Society of the US (HSUS) and Farm Sanctuary have filed a lawsuit in New Jersey to ban livestock practices such as castration without anesthesia, sow gestation stalls and tail docking in cattle.
New Jersey is the only state in the U.S. that requires officials to set humane standards for the treatment of farm animals following the passage of legislation in 2004. Lawyers for the activist groups accuse the state Department of Agriculture of ignoring the law and endorsing common agriculture practices without determining whether they are humane.
A decision in the case is not expected for months, but is considered a potential test case on farm animal cruelty.
Source:
Reuters, December 13, 2006