The president of a Middlebury duck processing operation says the company had already made significant changes to its animal handling procedures prior to the release of a video allegedly showing animal abuse at one of its farms earlier this year.
Nevertheless, Culver Duck president John Metzger said he is "appalled and deeply saddened" by what is shown on the video—workers mistreating ducks.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, claims that 118 ducks at Culver "died agonizing deaths" after being kicked, thrown, slammed against walls and kept in isolation. The video shows an employee decapitating a duckling considered too weak to survive. In another instance, a worker is shown holding a duck by the head and twirling its body to kill it.
The animal rights group also said several ducks went blind when their eyes were sealed shut with mucus due to high ammonia levels in the barns.
The video was shot in December 2015 and January 2016 by a PETA operative who was working undercover at the farm. Last Tuesday, PETA turned over the video to the Indiana State Police and asked them to investigate the matter.
ISP Bremen Post spokesman Sgt. Trent Smith said last week that the investigation is in the early stages.
Indiana state law prohibits "knowingly or intentionally" beating a vertebrate animal, a Class A misdemeanor.
Metzger became Culver Duck's president in April, several months after the PETA investigation concluded. Upon joining the company as its leader, he said he realized there was a need for a culture change and immediately began to implement new protocols for animal care.
Comparing the company's current approach with the past, Metzger said, "It's not the same Culver Duck."
Metzger said the company now has a zero tolerance policy for animal neglect and abuse. He said the two barns shown in the video have been taken out of commission. One has been torn down and the other is empty and will be repurposed. The company is also installing better ventilation systems to improve the air flow in its barns.
Overall, Culver Duck is investing $1.5 million to improve facilities and the quality of life for ducks. Other changes include retraining employees and contractors who come in contact with the animals.
Paul Brennan, executive vice president of the Indiana State Poultry Assn., believes this is the first instance of an undercover PETA investigation in Indiana. Although he hasn't viewed the videotape from this most recent incident, he said PETA's videos are usually highly edited and designed to have a sensationalized effect on viewers.
He added that, in general, poultry growers do not want to harm their animals.
"These companies succeed because they care about the animals," he said.
Brennan said that cervical dislocation—accomplished by holding the duck's body and twisting the head—is the standard practice for euthanasia, according to the American Veterinary Medical Assn.
"It's not pretty, but it is the standard because it is quick and relatively painless," he said.
None of the undercover video was shot in the company's processing facility.
Culver Duck is the second largest duck producer in the United States, raising 5 million ducks annually. Its products are sold into the retail and food service market, particularly Asian restaurants.
As for the hiring of employees, Metzger said Culver Duck now requires workers to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which would prevent them from distributing pictures and videos taken at the farms.
In the company's own investigation, Metzger said Culver Duck learned that the PETA operative had asked other employees to repeat abusive behaviors so that he could videotape the activity.
Brennan said this experience should serve as an educational opportunity for the state's poultry industry. In addition to having a renewed focus on animal care, companies should be very careful with employee hiring and training.
Metzger added that managers also need to have a more active role in the operation.
"You can't sit behind a desk and assume things are going a certain way," he said. "You have to check for continuous improvement."