New York bill AB 8163 is a bill brought once again to eliminate the worst of the factory farming practices, battery cages for egg laying hens, gestation crates for pregnant sows and tie stalls for veal calves.

New York state Rep. Linda Rosenthal is the sponsor.

The new bill would prohibit any person from tethering or confining a pregnant sow or veal calf "for all or the majority of a day in a manner that prevents the animal from....[l]ying down, standing up and fully extending the animal's limbs; and ...[t]urning around freely." "Turning around freely" means being able to turn "in a complete circle without any impediment, including a tether, and without touching the side of an enclosure". Egg laying hens would be able to extend their wings fully, something they cannot do now in the typical factory farm.  

There would be exceptions for animals that are the subject of scientific or agricultural research; undergoing veterinary treatment and care; being transported; at a rodeo exhibition or state or county fair or 4-H or similar exhibition; or being slaughtered according to law. There would also be an exception for sows during the 7-day period prior to the sow's expected date of giving birth.

A violation would be a misdemeanor which could mean a fine up to $1000 and 1 year in jail. 

Recently, Maine joined Colorado and Arizona in banning these cruel practices for pregnant sows and veal calves.  California with its successful Prop 2 will ban cruel confinement for egg laying hens as well. Oregon and Florida ban cruel confinement of pregnant sows.

For more on the cruelty of these practices, go here.  

This bill, if it becomes law, would take effect Jan. 1, 2015.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Find New York Assembly members here including your own if you live in that state. Write and then follow up with a call to urge members to vote yes to AB 8163 and end the worst of factory farming abuses for pregnant sows, veal calves and egg laying hens. The bill will simply give them some room to move around. Not too much to ask.

Contact Agriculture Committee members here. They are currently considering the bill, A. 8163.

The sponsors explained in their justification of this bill: "Harsh  confinement within confinement crates and cages deprives calves, pigs and chickens of the ability to engage  in  natural behavior.  Animals  confined  in such circumstances experience extensive and significant physical and psychological trauma.

"Nationwide, about one million calves raised for  veal  and  six  million breeding sows (female pigs) suffer nearly their entire lives inside tiny crates so small the animals can't even turn around.

"According the Humane Society  of the United States, veal factory farmers separate calves from their mothers within the first few days of  birth  and  cram  them  into individual  crates  or  stalls,  tethered  by  their necks. Inside these enclosures, the calves can barely move.

"Breeding sows suffer under similar circumstances. Gestation crates board
pregnant pigs for nearly their entire four-month pregnancy.  These  tiny
metal  crates  are  not even large enough for the pig to move or perform
natural behaviors such as cleaning themselves or simply turning around.

"Battery cages used to confine hens make it impossible for them to spread
their wings or turn around. This severely restricts the hen's ability to
engage  in  basic  natural  activities including stretching their wings,
turning around,  perching  and  dust-bathing.

"Cage-free  systems  would enable  hens  to  lay their eggs in nests, walk, and spread their wings, all  of which would significantly reduce the suffering, stress and injuries associated with severe crowding in cages."