Shearing cruelty exposed, but “ag-gag” laws on the way

Animal rights activist group PETA has released a shocking, graphic video of shearers abusing sheep: “The footage shows the workers violently punching sheep in the face, stomping and standing on the animal’s necks, and also beating them in the face with electric clippers and even a hammer.” They say the incidents were secretly filmed in Australian shearing sheds over the past year, and are calling on the RSPCA to prosecute the offenders, and on consumers to stop buying and wearing wool. At the same time, the Victorian Farmers Federation is lobbying for laws to crack down on activists secretly filming on farms—known in the US as “ag-gag” laws—and the Napthine Government has promised to introduce legislation this year.