The operation is a huge operation which saves thousands of hens with the permission from the farmer. There was no financial loss or gain to the farmer by rescuers taking these birds.

A Facebook event called "Hen re-homing" was set up to raise awareness of the legal liberation and find homes for the liberated animals. The event description was "These hens will go to slaughter if we don't find homes for them. They're still laying but not enough to be commercially viable."

Jake Knight, on behalf of the West Sussex Animal Cruelty Investigations Team, will be visiting the farm today and assisting rescuers with catching the hens. He said: "Animals killed for food are neglected, tortured, and often kept in filthy conditions. There is no doubt in my mind that if these hens had gone to slaughter they would of suffered a painful death. Although it isn't much, I thank the people who gave homes to these hens and the people who assisted in the rescue".

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Image courtsey of Brighton Animal Action

Press Release available as PDF (via website)