By JoAnn Alumbaugh, Editor; PORK Network; February 13, 2017
HumaneWatch, a project of the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom, announced that is has released a video that “pushes back” on misinformation related to the use of antibiotics on farms, the group stated in a news release. According to HumaneWatch, the video dissects an interview with Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), who attempts to blame modern farming practices for creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
View the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD1Bfr0TrcE&t
“HSUS and other vegan activists mistakenly advocate for a national ban on the preventive use of antibiotics for animals,” HumaneWatch said.
This policy is not in line with sound animal handling and welfare practices, and could lead to more animals getting sick and potentially spreading disease.
It’s as logical as banning the flu shot. Moreover, the federal government requires on-farm antibiotic use be approved by a veterinarian and to follow FDA treatment guidelines, which, of course, HSUS is not going to share with its consumer audience.
Experts and researchers readily state the primary cause of antibiotic resistance is the misuse of antibiotics in human medicine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revealed that about one-third of antibiotic prescriptions in humans are unnecessary, while a study in the UK found that over half of patients were inappropriately prescribed antibiotics by general practitioners.
Last year, the Annals of Internal Medicine went so far as to publish a reminder for doctors not to prescribe antibiotics for colds.
Along with doctors mistakenly prescribing antibiotics for viruses (they only work on bacteria) patients often don’t take their full prescribed regimen, which can also lead to the development of antibiotic resistance.
“In its zeal to attack livestock farming, the Humane Society of the United States is showing it’s willing to throw barnyard animals under the bus,” commented Will Coggin, research director at the Center for Consumer Freedom. “HSUS is standing against farmers, veterinarians, animals, and good science in pursuit of a twisted agenda.”
This video follows on the heels of a television ad from HumaneWatch that was featured in the Washington, DC area prior to the Super Bowl this year. You can watch the ad here.
To learn more about the Humane Society of the United States, visit HumaneWatch.org.
Read the original article here.
