Our Inspectorate is keeping an eagle eye on chicken hawkers in Chatsworth, particularly in Units 3 and 7. They have been warned to ‘get their act in order’ and shown how to water, feed and provide shelter while selling and also not to over-crowd the birds, which was happening to a distressing degree.Jacqui threatened to take a truck and remove the chickens unless the SPCA’s instructions were carried out.

Chickens are sold to the public every Friday. At the next visit, all chickens had water and some form of shelter, and most sellers were providing food. There was less over-crowding.A positive move is that councillors working with the City Health department have arranged the building of vendor stalls where chickens for sale can be kept. This is in Unit 7. Unit 3 needs the same facilities.

Most disturbing is the casual way of slaughtering without any thought that chickens are sentient creatures who are well aware of what is going on and suffer deep trauma. There is also a total disregard for health hazards or for protecting the public from the slaughtering spectacle. No drapes are being used. Regulations are being blatantly ignored. The Inspectorate has been in touch with City Health regarding rectifying this nasty situation.

Yes, the photographs shown here – not by any means the worse available – are distressing. So imagine what it is like to have to deal with situations like this in person.Situations like this are going on in our city. Would we rather be like the three monkeys and choose to know nothing. I hope not… It is only by people caring that changes come about. If we had even ten times the members, what a difference that would make in public awareness. more reports »