Yellow chicks on a conveyor belt

Farming animals

Most of us want animals to be treated well and care for those we meet. But profit-driven industries, like big animal agriculture, intentionally mislead us into doing the opposite.

Each year in the UK, around 1 billion animals live and die on the production line, condemned to death for the food on our tables. Not included in this number are the fish and other aquatic animals who are killed in such vast numbers that they are counted in tonnes, not individuals.

The industry tells us that the animals they farm are treated well yet production costs are kept low by giving animals the bare minimum they need to survive. They are mutilated as babies, fattened quickly in huge, dirty sheds and deprived of everything that makes life worth living. Even on so-called ‘higher welfare’ farms, animals will be killed at a fraction of their natural lifespan.

At the slaughterhouse, they will face a terrifying and brutal death. Animal Aid has conducted undercover investigations inside 16 randomly chosen UK slaughterhouses and found evidence of lawbreaking in ten of them. This included animals being beaten, kicked and burnt with cigarettes.

We believe that a kinder world is possible and that animal freedom begins with public awareness of a notoriously secretive industry.

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A young calf looks into the camera

Farming cows for dairy

Cows form close, matriarchal bonds and grieve for loved ones they’ve lost. Farming these sensitive animals destroys these bonds and forces families apart.

A brown cow peers out of transport vehicle

Farming cows for beef

Cows form close, matriarchal bonds and grieve for loved ones they’ve lost. Farming these sensitive animals destroys these bonds and forces families apart.

Vast ocean with six fish farms dotted around

Farming and catching fish

Fish are diverse and fascinating and have existed for millennia – long before us. The scale at which they are farmed and stolen from the wild is nothing short of a scandal.

A pig laying in hay looking into the camera

Farming pigs

Pigs are intelligent and sensitive, singing to their babies and even wagging their tails when happy. But farming pigs leaves little to be happy about.

Two turkeys outdoors in the sunshine

Farming turkeys

Turkeys use distinct vocalisations to express emotion and to communicate with other turkeys. Farming robs them of their individuality.

A sheep looking into the camera

Farming sheep

Sheep are social animals, forming friendships and even holding grudges. Many believe that farming sheep is more natural, because they live outdoors, but that’s far from true.

Farming goats

Goats are wonderfully maternal and agile, having adapted to all different climates. On farms, goats are valued not for their personalities and skills but as commodities.

A hen peering through the bars of a cage

Farming chickens for eggs

In the wild, chickens spend their days dustbathing and foraging among rich undergrowth, living in groups of friendly faces. But farming chickens is very different.

A young chicken lying on the floor of a large barn

Farming chickens for meat

In the wild, chickens spend their days dustbathing and foraging among rich undergrowth, living in groups of friendly faces. But farming chickens is very different.