Will Lowrey is Legal Counsel for Animal Outlook and divides his time between undercover investigations and civil litigation. She is licensed to practice law in California and Hawaii, and lives in Los Angeles with her family and two rescue dogs. Looking ahead, Lowrey is hopeful the Pennsylvania decision to prosecute Martin Farms will have wider consequences. ~':`$>7, " The Co ur t's ruling s ends a clear mess age that animals us ed in agriculture are wor thy of protec tion." Erin Wing, Animal Outlook's deputy direc tor of investigations who documented the abus e while wor king ir(#x~^ As is often the case with animal cruelty, Lowrey said, the greatest challenge was finding legal recognition of grounds for prosecution, because law enforcement and prosecutors so often find reasons not to apply the law as written., News the Martin Farms prosecution would proceed to court was greeted with particular relief by Wing, who is still troubled by memories of cows being stabbed in botched medical procedures and the smell of burning flesh as calves had their skull tissue burned away., Asked how she prepares for her investigations, Wing said she had to be ready for anything. We write in response to your correspondence submitted on behalf of your client, Animal Outlook, alleging that the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) violated Delawares Freedom of Information Act, 29 Del. . The Vermont Supreme Court also named him Best Oralist at the Debevoise Moot Court Competitionan intramural competition the court judges every year. Many birds die suddenly, with mortality rates as high as 100% within a few days, though it can also take weeks. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia and her law degree from the American University Washington College of Law. Animal Outlook approached the the Franklin County District Attorneys Office with a report of its findings, including a list of 327 incidents [Animal Outlook] determined constituted animal cruelty, aggravated cruelty, and neglect under PA law. Despite this evidence, the District Attorney decided not to prosecute Martin Farms. . It's becoming an industry standard. C. 3300-4.1 states that veterinarians must protect the personal privacy of patients and clients by not willfully revealing communications regarding the diagnosis and treatment of an animal. The DDA then invokes a new rationale the investigatory files exemption which exempts investigatory files compiled for civil or criminal law-enforcement purposes.[3] The DDA claims that the investigatory files exemption applies to these records; both USDA staff and the State Veterinarian and Deputy State Veterinarian assist with investigating and minimizing the spread of the avian influenza. of the law doesn't explicitly state that a president can't grant self-clemency from, VLS Alum Paves Way for Farmed Animal Protection and Future Animal Lawyers, International and Comparative Law Concentration, Tuholske Institute for Environmental Field Studies, International and Comparative Law Program, U.S.-Asia Partnerships for Environmental Law, Courses for Credit for Non-Degree Students, Could Trump pardon himself before leaving office? )\3y:3}W AnYhJ The DDA Chief of Community Relations also attests that Incident Action Plans are also prepared for affected premises, are signed off by State veterinarians, and sometimes include veterinary advice specific to depopulation methods.[5] According to the DDA, both the Appraisal and Indemnity Request Forms and Incident Action Plans are part of the civil investigatory files used by the USDA to determine the farm owners negligence and whether indemnification is appropriate. Todd A. R. Mays, Wyomissing, for appellant. any responsive records, . Your commitment to animals is truly inspiring! The research tested multiple versions of VSD: ventilation shutdown alone, which entails sealing off airflow to the birds cages, causing their body temperatures to rise to lethal levels; ventilation shutdown with additional heat, which speeds the process of killing them via heatstroke; and ventilation shutdown with carbon dioxide, which deprives the chickens bodies of oxygen. But in the end, theyre all just terrible methods of killing., Marina Bolotnikova[emailprotected]gmail.com. About Animal Outlook National, non-profit farmed animal advocacy organization Founded in 1995 Mission: "Working today to build a better tomorrow for all animals. Thanks to Vermont Law and Graduate School, Emory University School of Law, Bailey Soderberg, and Matthew Watts for putting on such thoughtful and informative events. [13] In its Response, the DDA asserts that the State veterinarians and USDA officials work with the farm owners to diagnose, and advise regarding treatment for avian influenza. Will generously makes himself available to advise VLS animal law students, and to support VLSs new Animal Law and Policy Institute. MMXXIII Delaware.gov, Common Interest Community (HOA) Ombudsperson, Office of Immigration Assistance (Oficina de Asistencia de Inmigracin), Any records related to the method, procedures, and protocol for the depopulation, Any records related to the approval of the methods, procedures, and protocol for the depopulation, Any photographs or videos related to the depopulation, whether taken before or after the actual event[. Visit the link below for more information. Foaming is cruel but not as bad as VSD+, Reyes-Illg said. Our mission is to change the world for animals. Animal Outlook is committed to respecting the privacy of its donors, whether the donation is made online, by mail, or any other method. Will wore many hats as a law student. Screenshot: The Intercept / North Carolina State University footage that Animal Outlook obtained via FOIA [Freedom of Information Act Request]. Facebook: https://lnkd.in/eGEuXdHd hbbd```b``:"+ ,= D2`2,LNI7< H2Mh$&@"@qs ]
To access opinions back to 1995, please visit the Archives. In Iowa, the nations top egg-producing state, 5.3 million hens at a Rembrandt Enterprises egg factory farm were exterminated with VSD+ last month, the Storm Lake Times reported. ie|"&l) k [2duKHQ'v!&(5asCmpDN`Pj(9Q ZJ Prior to joining Animal Outlook, Will clerked in the Superior Court of New Jersey and interned with the Virginia Attorney Generals Animal Law Unit and the Animal Legal Defense Fund. State Employees The tragedy here is that our current methods of raising birds for food production, in enormous sheds with millions of stressed, nearly genetically identical birds in close proximity to one another, has resulted in a situation where outbreaks of diseases like HPAI are nearly inevitable and few options exist for humanely killing infected birds, Reyes-Illg, the Animal Welfare Institute veterinary adviser, wrote to The Intercept. P[ k -#L+>{Vp)!E)90 With your support in 2023, we'll aim to be an even bigger thorn in the side of the animal agriculture and research industries. endstream
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Independent Writing and Editing Professional and born realistic Artist, and a clairvoyant of animals, and She works on the strategic direction of the organization as a whole, especially focusing on the use of undercover investigations as a mechanism for high-impact advocacy, and on targeting large-scale abuse of farmed animals through proactive litigation. a philosopher in my own right, and somewhat of a genius. In August, I left Animal Outlook after three years as Legal Counsel and decided it was time to pursue my own path. Im perpetually thankful for a bunch of people who gave their time, input, advice, and encouragement in support of the idea that this world shouldnt be such an awful place for animals. HV]O0}p& `hHV%DMH{ZRc>{MiS)$zr&(qT87nlX}8<>?qw\H`8q(. According to a separate study published the following year by some of the same researchers, time to death is significantly longer for hens in a large, multilevel cage setting, which more closely resembles factory farm conditions than individual cages: 3.75 hours for VSD alone,2 hours for VSD plus heat, and 1.5 hours for VSD plus carbon dioxide. Elected Officials Looking for Will Lowrey online? Experience results with superior research, data-driven insights, and practical guidance, all via one premium legal solution . Animal Outlook is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) animal advocacy organization based in Washington, DC. The dying birds likely suffer enormously as they struggle to breathe, develop diarrhea, and become paralyzed or otherwise neurologically compromised, Gwendolen Reyes-Illg, a veterinary adviser to the Animal Welfare Institute, told The Intercept in an email. Outside the cage, researchers point, take notes, and watch her die. on about your day, ask yourself: How likely is it that the story you just read would have been produced by a different news outlet if The Intercept hadnt done it? Co-hosted by the Animal Legal Defense Fund and the Center for Animal Law Studies at Lewis and Clark Law School this years conference marks the thirtieth anniversary of this premier animal law event. If you just turn off the ventilation system and seal the house, it takes longer for the birds to die than if you provided heat to speed up the process. With millions of hens hastily exterminated at the facility, even a small proportion of them unsuccessfully killed could result in thousands dumped alive. Animal Partisan had a busy few months challenging the animal agriculture and research industries. In its Response, the DDA withdraws its assertion of the security records exemption, as the basis for its concerns are mooted by completion of the depopulation process, but the DDA argues that the requested records are not subject to disclosure under other exemptions. Will Lowrey is Legal Counsel for Animal Outlook and divides his time between undercover investigations and civil litigation. a merciless method of exterminating millions of helpless birds on factory Save the date for November 4-6, 2022! helpless animals an obligation over and above corporate cozying. Legal Counsel at Animal Outlook Will Lowrey. This Petition followed, alleging that the DDA violated FOIA by denying access to the records requested in the first and second items. The videos obtained from NC State are remarkable because the meat industry often claims that undercover footage of cruel conditions taken by activists is doctored or staged. subject to any redactions otherwise appropriate under FOIA.). Several years ago Animal Outlook conducted an undercover investigation of Martin Farms, in Pennsylvania, a dairy farm that proved to be the locus of much hideous cruelty to animals. This story is part of a new original series, Closer Look. the opportunity to formally oppose After years of legal effort by Animal Outlook the case ended up in an appellate court in Pennsylvania which said, yeah, this is bad. On behalf of Animal Outlook, Will is engaged in numerous lawsuits against the government and industrial agriculture, including cases involving administrative challenges, false advertising, and animal cruelty. Will Lowrey graduated from Vermont Law School in 2017. Theres still plenty of start-up work left to do, but this past week, we launched three legal actions challenging a wide range of animal abuse in three separate states, including a public records lawsuit over animal research, a criminal complaint over cruelty to a lamb, and an administrative complaint over federal slaughter laws as applied to pigs. According to Will Lowrey, the Animal Outlook attorney who obtained the videos, the suffering is extremely profound.. Working to end animal abuse since 1995, Animal Outlook exposes cruelty to farmed animals and promotes vegan eating. But these videos came directly from an industry-funded study, the raw footage of which was shared with The Intercept. As Supreme Court Hears Prop 12 Arguments, a New Investigation Looks Into Gestation Crates. (Picture of Skittles, a resident of Porchlight Animal Sanctuary in Virginia, just for good measure). _*2wn$5TKFS0"t*1a^bxg:C)0mcRiI5CJc'+]5s">d5r2mG2C Several years ago Animal Outlook conducted an undercover investigation of Martin Farms, in Pennsylvania, a dairy farm that proved to be the locus of much hideous cruelty to animals.Some of that cruelty was what we often call "gratuitous . APHISs policy on managing bird flu, which draws from the AVMAs guidelines, states that VSD+ should only be used if other methods foam or carbon dioxide wont be available in time. earn international recognition as the Animal Legal Defense Fund's Best Student Chapter. The investigation revealed many instances of abuse and cruelty to cows and calves. Op. Animal Outlook is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) animal advocacy organization based in Washington, DC and Los Angeles, CA. Hitt is the founder and director of the. Dear Mr. Lowrey: We write in response to your correspondence submitted on behalf of your client, Animal Outlook, alleging that the Delaware Department of Agriculture ("DDA") violated Delaware's Freedom of Information Act, 29 Del. Cheryl is the Executive Director of Animal Outlook. Egg-laying hens in factory farms are typically kept in cramped, vertically stacked battery cages, while chickens raised for meat are packed together on the floor. If you keep a house full of infected birds, and the pathogens spread through the ventilation air, soon you have many more farms infected. Will also supports Animal Outlooks investigations work. The company or organization that William Craig Lowrey serves is Animal Outlook.The office address is Po Box 9773, Washington, DC 20016-9773, United States of America. Will Lowrey is the founder and Legal Counsel for Animal Partisan, a newly forming legal advocacy organization focused on challenging unlawful conduct in animal agriculture and research. Will also supports Animal Outlooks Investigations department in managing risk and seeking criminal prosecution for cruelty and neglect. these birds, mired helplessly in disease-spreading squalor. An impassioned vegan and animal rights activist, Sebastianos primary focus is on promoting the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle globally; fighting against the cruelty and injustice of animal agriculture, and striving to protect the natural world from the catastrophic environmental effects of climate change resulting from the global consumption of animal products. Lowrey said punishments in the Pennsylvania case could include fines for the business and the owners, as well as possible prison time. at *7 (We recommend [the public body] review its records in accordance with this Opinion and provide a supplemental response to you in accordance with the timeframes permitted in Section 10003(h). "For years, Bravo Packing has profited off the bodies of horses and cows butchered in filthy . https://lnkd.in/em5eDiE3, We are proud to collaborate withThe Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy for the relaunch of its National Animal Law Competitions, returning March 18-19, 2023, atHarvard Law School. Research footage obtained by Animal Outlook reveals how the practice was tested in 2016. American Veterinary Medical Association On this week's podcast I will be talking to Will Lowrey of Animal Outlook about a case that really has everyone in the animal law community talking. C. 10001-10007 (FOIA) in connection with your request for records. Also thanks to Legal Impact for Chickens for always being such a wonderful co-panelist. Limited Series: Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan, https://media.blubrry.com/ourhenhouse/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/media.blubrry.com/animallaw/files.ourhenhouse.org/ALP82.mp3, an undercover investigation of Martin Farms, Our Hen House episode 587: Going Undercover for Animals ft. Erin Wing, The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy, Inc, Artists for Animal Rights w/ Weronika Kolinska. Attorney Representing Whistleblowers at Tycko & Zavareei LLP. Locations Directory The court dismissed Animal Outlooks complaint, concluding the District Attorney properly found there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Martin Farms. Ventilation Shutdown experiment by researchers at North Carolina State I still remember the sound of their teeth grinding as they braced [for it]., Her best memories of the investigation, she said, were the cows, who, despite being numbered and treated as objects were loving, affectionate and intelligent even in the worst of circumstances.. Rosenberg said its easy to mistake live animals who have been unsuccessfully killed in depopulation for dead. His zeal for protecting farmed animals is also contagiousI would know! Ventilation Shutdown- Plus as a favor to agribusiness, and to honor the In an email to Lowrey, USDA spokesperson Lyndsay Cole confirmed these chickens were killed with a combination of foam (a method that suffocates birds under a blanket of foam) and VSD. These animals include rats, mice, and birds bred for research, as well as agricultural animals used for agricultural research, said Jeremy Beckham, research advocacy coordinator for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. HWIk@(z2$A$] Cb'NK~}q]T[sd&GgNh#f7i8a^i".Gg8[gg"i5mrK|T,-TZeOqHf%!%D7n|%H[2tAY(Q91,E%-ODBo Jy1nyIV]BP?gT^%JxV4W^s~
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He was co-chair of the VLS Animal Law Society, helping it earn international recognition as the Animal Legal Defense Fund's Best Student Chapter. In sum, we find that the DDA violated FOIA by failing to satisfy its burden of demonstrating the denial of access to the requested records is justified under FOIA. [14] The DDA has not indicated whether this form meets this standard, so we cannot determine that this exception applies to the Appraisal and Indemnity Form in the DDAs possession. Will Lowrey. We will not sell, share, or trade our donors names, personal, or financial information with any other entity, nor send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations, unless the donor has given us specific permission to do so. The Cruelest Part of Dairy Farming Is Totally Legal, Dairy Industry Takes a Page From Big Tobaccos Book and Targets Kids With Flavored Milk, Dairy Farmers Find Themselves at the Center of a Troubled Industry. U.S. taxpayers pay for these killings through U.S. Department of How many covert wars, miscarriages of justice, and dystopian technologies would remain hidden if our reporters werent on the beat? Sentient Media Podcast: The Power of Blindness With Kathy Stevens, Two Recent Court Cases Shift the Future of the Animal Rights Movement. C. 10005 regarding whether a violation of FOIA has occurred or is about to occur. It was detected on the day before the email from Tyson was sent, making it almost certain that the nearly 300,000-bird facility was owned by the meat industry giant. As the Animal Law Podcast 2021 Exclusive Sponsor, the The Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law and Policy, Inc is dedicated to producing and disseminating outstanding, independent, academic, and public policy research and programming; and pursuing projects and initiatives focused on advancing law and policy pertaining to animals. of theGovernment Accountability Project. BOWES, J., OLSON, J., and KING, J. Soon after, Iowa Select announced that it was discontinuing its use of the method, commonly abbreviated as VSD+. Working to end animal abuse since 1995, Animal Outlook exposes cruelty to farmed animals and promotes vegan eating. What to know - CNET, Asian Pacific American Law Students Association. Bowes noted the evidence Animal Outlook presented was sufficient to make out prima facie cases of animal neglect, cruelty, and aggravated cruelty. Bowes further noted the evidence sufficiently establish[ed] the inapplicability of the normal agricultural operations defense, a defense commonly provided for in state animal cruelty laws. Animal Outlook I think the AVMA looked to [the NC State] studies and others as some aspect of legitimacy. Most of the opinions during that period relate to disputes concerning access to public records under, and/or alleged violations of the open meetings provisions of, Delawares Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). and Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy student at Vermont Law School. Delaware State Code Chickens infected with respiratory diseases such as avian influenza also suffer shortness of breath and other painful symptoms and the suffering continues to happen for several days until death occurs. Donate VSD with the addition of either or both of these is referred to as VSD+.. Admin. 3.8K views, 83 likes, 67 loves, 63 comments, 80 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Animal Outlook: The Supreme Court of the United States has rejected the meat industry's challenge to a California. But the 2017 final report lists the lead investigator as Kenneth Anderson, a professor in NC States Prestage Department of Poultry Science. LkVi^*C-u]I!O[`. News. By . endstream
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On behalf of Animal Outlook, Will is engaged in numerous lawsuits against the government and industrial agriculture, including cases involving administrative challenges, false advertising, and animal cruelty. Executive Director at Animal Justice Canada. "This recall represents the latest in a long history of issues uncovered at Bravo Packing," said Will Lowrey, Legal Counsel for Animal Outlook. When contacted by The Intercept, Sheila Hagen, Rembrandts vice president of HR and legal, immediately hung up.). Many of these animals were killed with ventilation shutdown plus. But a good deal of it consisted of the way Martin Farms conducted its business, such as the horrendous suffering inflicted upon calves in the dehorning process. Will continues to wear many hats, one being a valuable mentor to Animal Outlook interns. But the NC State report is the only scientific research cited in the AVMA guidelines on ventilation shutdown in birds, though other studies have since been published on the method in birds and pigs. h&dX/u ZL F!2&P1L8= Since February, 40 million birds have died this horrible Since then, Ive been working to start a new organization focused on challenging unlawful conduct in animal agriculture and research. Any amount is hugely appreciated and Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so its tax-deductible. LinkedIn and 3rd parties use essential and non-essential cookies to provide, secure, analyze and improve our Services, and to show you relevant ads (including professional and job ads) on and off LinkedIn. This appellate decision tips the scale in favor of farmed animal protection. Alexander S. Mackler Looking forward to more in 2023. [9] The DDA contends that any veterinarian communications regarding the diagnosis or treatment of an animal in these records was properly withheld under the statutory privilege for veterinary advice. Well, they said a lot more than that and much of it implicates one of the most nefarious legal tricks of the trade that the industry has used to avoid consequences for their illegal treatment of animals, the customary or normal farming practices exemption. Shop The American Veterinary Medical Associationsdepopulation guidelines citeNC Statesresearch when listing VSD+ as a kill method permitted in constrained circumstances. The guidelines note that a humane approach to the depopulation of animals is warranted, justifiable, and expected by society, but may not be actualized in some cases. They dont claim that VSD+ is humane but instead view it as a last resort. This month, the appellate court reversed the lower courts decision and ordered the lower court to direct the District Attorney to prosecute Martin Farms. Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) photo *YEr2Y.sSyIo,,7pi48WB]p'3"8R m%@NCv2yIkLK8FU4B*b2$>.2kdeSVZ5Wd#V;qf4oH5b&$t3;=10UFxyqn2 C,DX|zjN|h_}{F>h]yg>3Eo_gTic_
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National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management. Animal Outlooks attempts to prosecute a similar cruelty case at the Californian Dick Van Dam dairy remains stalled after the local sheriffs department declined to recommend criminal charges. . C. 10002(o)(6) applies to the requested records, as these records are exempted from disclosure by statute. Urge the AVMA to step up for the birds and all animals they are pledged to Animal Law Podcast #62: The Case of Vegan Butter. Gross Receipts Tax Calls to Martin Farms were not immediately answered but a 2019 statement included with MDVAs condemnation said it took full responsibility for the activities on our dairy.
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