Ohio farm animal abuser arrested, arraignment set for Thursday

Moving on from this abhorrent abuse situation just for a second… I think it is unrealistic and counter-productive for the MFA to demand we all adopt a “vegan diet”. What should be promoted is a demand that all meat, poultry and dairy products be produced by humane methods and this incident confirms that in the public eye. It is a sensible and achievable solution, whereas demanding everyone becomes vegan is ridiculous and creates the perception of “tree-huggers”! You can’t change the world but you can make it a better place.

What about Gary Conklin himself? He’s on the video kicking a downed cow in the head. Screen grab from the video here: http://www.twitpic.com/1rcxyy

Why isn’t he being arrested as well?

i dont know how anyone can expect onlookers to believe that this absolutely is not a standard practice – how would we know one way or the other? i have seen so many videos from the animal ‘industries’ that illustrate abhorrent levels of abuse that ‘you’ will have to prove to me that you are not guilty. put up cameras of your livestock areas linked to the web and run 24hrs a day … and while thats not a sure thing, we might be getting close. why not? some child care centres do this.

Having seen this video on cruelty to animals, I will dump the milk that I bought yesterday in the sink
and will keep away from dairy until all abusers of animals are on a known list and all their replacements are known to be serene and not violent
throughout the world. I have half of this job already done as I am an vegetarian as it is. Sorry butchers !!! Sorry farmers , no eggs, no meat,also foods that have suspicion of dairy and meat. Bye Bye.feel free to check on my promise as you see fit.I am watching. Lenny909

When I saw what was happing to these animals I cried. These animals could not have done anything to this person or anyone for this type of abuse. It breaks my heart that there was no
one to help these poor animals, what pain they must have felt and for how long? I HOPE THAT THE LAW CAN GIVE HIM AND WHO EVER ELSE THAT HAD A PART IN THIS THE MOST THAT THEY CAN. I HAVE NO PITY FOR THEM I PITY THOSE POOR ANIMALS. Maybe they will think about every time they hurt not just these animals but the one’s that nobody else knows about. God just wonder how many more and for how long they have done things like this or worst. I pray that they hear the painful cries and see the face of every animal they have hurt when they close there eyes at night. This message is for them, GOD DOES NOT LOVE UGLY! I truly hope and pray that this abuse against any animal will not be excepted. These people that has been caught right in the act should not be able to just walk free without doing time if they get by with it they will continue only humans may be next

Conklin Dairy Farms needs to be shut down NOW and NEVER allowed to handle, in any way, any animals whatsoever. I have never in my 52 years of life seen such a disgusting display of animal cruelty! Mr. Conklin should sell his farm and NEVER be anywhere an animal again – period. He is a very sick person and should also be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

He deserves the death penalty.

Interesting that this farm was selected at random by MFA. I have to question how many other dairy farms are operating under similar conditions and have yet to be discovered through an undercover investigation. The Livestock Care Standards Board better take notice and execute a plan on how they plan to deal with this issue. You can bet MFA and other farm animal welfare organizations will be receiving a multitude of donations across Ohio, especially given that this story has been picked up by national newswires.

These comments are expected. How could anyone feel anything but outrage in the actions demonstrated in this video. They are extreme and not tolerated by ethical livestock producers. There are instances of violence in every industry. People who involve themselves in violent acts have deeper problems within themselves. If anyone EVER engaged in this behavior on our farm, they would be stopped and dealt with. Producers in charge of the food you eat everyday, vegetarian diet or omnivore diet, it is produced with the highest attention to detail and care. Let’s also remember the good things farmers and ranchers are doing every day.

The case of animal abuse in the video saddens me. It was difficult to watch and difficult to accept. That being said, boycotting dairy products is not the answer. One isolated case does not make all dairy farmers bad people. Dairy farmers work hard every day, caring for their animals from sun-up to sun-down. Farmers are outraged at this video, too. Please don’t give up on the agricultural industry.

There are bad people in the world, we learned this when our mothers first told us to not talk to strangers. That being said I feel that we should take a step back and look at the big picture.
There are over 75,000 farms in the state of Ohio and hundrends of thousands of head of livestock. This one case should not be representative of the whole. What about the farmers who care for their livestock?
We should not condemn an entire industry, not when there is hope. Only 2% of the American population is involoved with production agriculture (livestock and grain crop production), this means that there is 98% of the population who are not involved, who do not work in ag on a day to day business. Production agriculture is becoming a lost art, and we should research and look into what farmers are doing, really doing, before we condemn them. We should give the Livestock Care Standards Board a chance, give them time, there are a lot of people involved and a lot of red tape, so change will most likely be slow. Please be patient with me, let’s work together on this.

Did they fail to see the owner back in the pen kicking and beating a cow also?? He is just as guilty as the employees!! I work on a dairy farm myself and if someone gets caught doing things like that to our cows and calves and any other animal on the farm…u lose your job and will get your A** beat the whole way to your vehicle….i truly believe they need to shut that place down, and take the animals to a rescue place so that they will get the right treatment, attention, and respect that they need and DESERVE!!!

There is a special place in hell for those that abuse animals. In every society there are those that lack the capacity to be kind to those weaker than themselves. Some people abuse children but not all people abuse children. In Africa waring groups rape women but not all people in Africa rape women. When abuse is found it should be punished to the fullest extent of the law swiftly to spare the animals further pain. Holding the evidence for 4 weeks to make a video makes Mercy for Animals co-abusers.

As a farmer myself I was sickened, numb and in tears over this video as was the rest of the population for two reasons. The first being that I could not believe someone could be so malicious and second because unfortunately yes only the bad farms seem to make the headlines and are not a representation of the numerous other dairies that keep our country supplied with safe, wholesome, nutritious milk. Dairy farmers care about each one of their animals and about the animals care, comfort, and well being. Yes, I said the word cares because farming is a thankless job that requires early mornings, long hard days, and often times very late nights because they care to provide our fellow man kind with something they need to continue on with their life, food. I encourage you to do some looking there are many blogs and facebook pages out that chronicle life on farms across the United States here is an example from Ohio and she address some of the issues everyone is concerned with visit http://causematters.wordpress.com/2010/05/26/dark-secrets-of-farms/.

Good for the county sheriff who responded to these allegations as soon as they were brought to light. What a disgusting act of immorality not to mention poor farming practice. Study after study has shown that unhappy cattle are poor producers of milk. This act was pure ignorance and malicious and has nothing to do with being a farmer. My heart hurts to know that this was allowed to continue.
As for some of the comments posted here…It is starting to fell as if it is considered taboo to make generalized statements about every group and profession in this country except farmers. Somehow it is has become perfectly alright to say all farmers are “animal hating Eco terrorist”. How many of you making these inflammatory comments actually even know a farmer? Do you even consider what comments like this might do to a small family of four in the mid-west who are only trying to do a profession handed down through three generations? “All farmers abuse their animals” is a bigoted statement and it is simply wrong.
And to the lady who is dumping her milk… please also dispose of your cereal, flour, bread, clothes, and shoes. Empty your pantry and refrigerator, the majority of your closest. Or, if you truly are concerned about the state of agricultural and wish to do something effective, contact your local farm organizations, get out there and see where your food is coming from. Educate yourself.
Hopefully this despicable “man” will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and the animal located in that “farm” can be relocated to places where they can spend their days happy and healthy.

Come on now people, There are thousands of dairies in Ohio, Not every one of these farmers abuse their animals. This is their livelyhood here. Every farmer knows that a well cared for cow is a happy cow.

I wish i could have a day with these people alone.I`d treat them and do to them what they did to the animals,to me that would be justice served in a way they`d NEVER forget.But this group that did the investigation deserves credit for bringing this to authorities attention,but i feel like they are out to try and turn everyone vegetarians and they don`t do this for the welfare of the animals,i might be wrong but that`s the message i got from them,but i am glad they brought this to everyones attention,i just wish they made it more about the animals and not the vegetarian.I work on a dairy farm in Marietta Ohio and these acts DO NOT take place on my farm,if they did the owners would put a bullet in someones a**.The cows i milk are treated like a member of the family,they get treated better than employees sometimes and thats the way it should be.If farming and milking cows are a personsons way of making a living then the cows need to be above anyone or anything else on the farm.I just don`t want this story to make all dairy farmers look bad,i have worked on a few dairy farms here in Ohio and in Pa and none of them were abusive to the animals so please everyone don`t look down on your local farmers,not all of us are cruel like this,some farmers still love and care for their animals with the upmost importance that is needed,don`t let a few a**holes ruin the industry for everyone………

oh and for the record……if the cows are sent to a better place or need a better place to be relocated…..contact me,i know plenty of great farmers that would care for and make these cows happy and they would get all the attention they need and deserve………

The person doing this abuse should be punished. It’s NOT how farmers conduct themselves daily by ANY means. It would be outright stupid to treat our animals in such a way as to make them unproductive, miserable, hurt, etc. Well cared for animals are much better for us – why damage ourselves? The entire video begs LOTS of questions; the man speaks directly TO the camera. Suspicious to me.

Betsy, you raise a good point about the man speaking directly to the camera, and there are certainly “lots of questions,” as you mention.

I hope to report more answers as investigation unfolds.

Not all farmers are like this. And if they are promoting allvegetable diet they need to be very careful what they do to promote that also. Because if it wasn’t for all farmer just not diary farmers there would not be any food at all. My thought also. Your on an all vegetable diet. You may want to choice your food wisely there unless it is true organic produce. Just one farmers thoughts for the day.

Chris,

I agree with Betsy also. And please keep us updated. I really hate it when farmers get a bad rap for something that someone else did.

And I have one question. Someone before stated that the owner was in on this abuse. Was the owner of the diary farm the last person to find this out before the video was placed on the air?

It is unfortunate to see videos like these, but if they are not made and shown to the public, the farm gets away with it. I grew up surrounded by family farms, and these hardworking folks knew that their cows were their livelihood. They would no sooner beat and kick one of their cows than they would one of their kids. If you have any concerns, talk to a local farmer and ask questions. The good ones (most Ohio family farmers) will want you to see how they operate, and let you know that the occasional bad apple is out there and they do not approve of them at all but giving up our traditional diet is going to hurt more than it will help. We as consumers need to help weed out the bad and support the good.

Cases of abuse are widespread and well-documented and the abuse is not an isolated incident. Any time someone turns on the video camera, they can find abuse because it is standard industry practice–and for a very good reason. Abusing animals adds a large percentage to the profits of factory farmers. The more animals are crammed into smaller spaces, moved quicker through assembly lines, and treated as machines instead of the creatures they are, the more money they make. That’s why the tail-docking, castration, debeaking and overcrowding are standard practices. It’s cheaper that way.

Last year several spokespersons for the egg industry admitted that grinding live chicks up in a wood-chipper-like machine was standard practice. That they can advocate this sincerely and with a straight face tells us about the depths of their inhumanity.

Christian conservative Matthew Scully, deputy director of presidential speech writing for George W. Bush, had this to say in his book Dominion.

“In its current form…the AWA [Animal Welfare Act] is a collection of hollow injunctions, broad loopholes, and light penalties when there are any at all…” and “…the persistent animal-welfare questions of our day center on institutional cruelties—on the vast and systematic mistreatment of animals that most of us never see.”

When conservatives like Scully begin writing books about the cruelty, people should pay attention. The right-wing is not usually willing to denounce lucrative business practices even when they entail gross abuse– of animals, the environment, or anything else.

Calling MFA co-abusers has to be the most ignorant and cruel things said in these responses so far. Anyone who buys animal products are the real co-abusers. People have a responsibility to know what is happening at the other end of their dollar, and you can’t know unless you raise the farm animal yourself. Organizations like Mercy for Animals speak for animals because they have no voice, doing what they do is million times more commendable than what most people do- just go with the status quo and ignore the elephant in the room. Less than a year ago I was oblivious to the cruelty involved in raising and killing animals for food, but now that I am awake to my compassion and realize that we don’t need to take from defenseless animals (especially for nutrition!), I no longer support these industries in any way.

I know this video will cause the same changes in the lives of many viewers, and that gives me hope.

Calling MFA co-abusers has to be the most ignorant and cruel things said in these responses so far. Anyone who buys animal products are the real co-abusers. People have a responsibility to know what is happening at the other end of their dollar, and you can’t know unless you raise the farm animal yourself. Organizations like Mercy for Animals speak for animals because they have no voice, doing what they do is million times more commendable than what most people do- just go with the status quo and ignore the elephant in the room. Less than a year ago I was oblivious to the cruelty involved in raising and killing animals for food, but now that I am awake to my compassion and realize that we don’t need to take from defenseless animals (especially for nutrition!), I no longer support these industries in any way.

I know this video will cause the same changes in the lives of many viewers, and that gives me hope.

The video is very difficult to watch. Farmers abhor such abuse, and are universally speaking against it. I know hundreds of farmers and have been on many of their farms. None of them treats their animals like that. I grew up on a farm, and my dad called every cow by name. The farm is bigger today, just as stores are bigger, schools are bigger and organizations are bigger. In order to stay in business, you must have economy of scale. But today’s livestock farmers still treat their animals with tender loving care.

Walt, abuse is NOT standard industry practice. Go visit some farms and you’ll see. Abusing animals would DECREASE the profits of farmers. But that’s not why the vast majority of farmers treat their animals with TLC; they do it because it’s the right thing to do. Often, farmers are caring for their animals when they would rather be caring for their own kids.

The video raises a lot of questions. Why did MFA hold onto the video for so long before releasing it? They could have prevented further abuse. The excuses Runkle gives are flimsy; if they were true, he would not have released the video at all. If MFA has other examples of abuse, why are they not releasing them? Could it be political reasons having to do with HSUS initiative in Ohio? Why does the criminal speak directly to the camera? It’s awfully good quality for a hidden-camera video. Is it staged? Was he paid to abuse the animals to make a shocking video aimed at promoting veganism?

The legal system is doing its work. One doesn’t have to turn to veganism to punish all farmers. Let the legal system enforce the laws that are in place and let me continue drinking my favorite beverage, milk.

Farmers are not abuser–ABUSERS are abusers and should be punished. Each year nurses abuse patients and parents abuse their childre, but we surely don’t advocate getting rid of hospitals and families! Just punish the evil ones.

Everyone should realize that the more difficult and costly so-called animal rights activists make it for small-scale family operated farms, the more animals will be kept in large impersonal facilities that hire folks to do the day-to-day handling. When an owner-operator lives and works his own farm and knows his herd, there is a care and an accountability that can be lacking among hirelings in a large corporate facility. (This is not to castigate the hundreds of good folk who work for farmers.)
I raise cattle and know several folks who do, and we are caring for them even if we are sick, or it’s a holiday, or the weather is terrible. We care for them before seeing to our own comfort. It’s not just a 9-to-5 that you drive away from in the evening. So please don’t accuse us of being abusers. Or try raising your own food!

You care for the animals so much that they end up dead? I hope you don’t care for your family that much.

One way to support healthy farms is to support organic. It is incredibly important, especially when farm animals are involved. I have been vegan and am working towards that diet again. However, I think it is more helpful to encourage people to change for the right reasons, not because they are being judged for what they eat. If you want blame anyone for all the excessive Western meat-eating, lay it at the door of the Old Testament. It was OK for Jews to eat various kinds of meat, and avoid others. That said, one of the worst offenders of animal cruelty is the world’s biggest slaughterhouse in the world, in Iowa:
“Just weeks before the High Holy Days, when demand for kosher food is at its peak, the kosher industry has been thrown into flux by criminal charges against what was, until recently, the largest supplier of kosher meat in America.

“Agriprocessors and its owners, Aaron and Sholom Rubashkin, were charged with more than 9,000 counts of child labor violations by the Iowa Attorney General. Aaron Rubashkin, 82, along with his sons and daughters, built Agriprocessors into the dominant player in both the kosher beef and poultry markets. But the company has struggled since an immigration raid at its Postville, Iowa, plant in May in which nearly 400 of its employees were arrested….The New York-based owners of the plant, which is still operating at reduced capacity, also have been prosecuted for alleged violations of civil rights and labor laws….” (Another link: http://www.forward.com/articles/14169/)

Article above was also linked to this website-http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_14600.cfm.

Other links:

Federal Inspectors Say Slaughterhouses Are Selling Contaminated MeatD.C., Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky … made since author Upton Sinclair documented grisly slaughterhouse …
http://www.organicconsumers.org/toxic/inspection.cfm

Video Reveals Violations of Laws, Abuse of Cows at SlaughterhouseJan 30, 2008 … Reveals Violations of Laws, Abuse of Cows at Slaughterhouse from Common Dreams. … Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana …
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_9995.cfm

In a world where meat comes package neatly in a square tray, burgers are from a drive through and some have never seen or touched livestock in their lives, why not bring on the meat?

Here is the truth. We are fat and unhealthy because of our diets. Gluttony has brought about gluttony. Cut down on the demand for cheap and plentiful meat and we will not see these kinds of abuses. We will not have obesity, clogged arteries, hypertension, etc.

Lets all live healthier lives and end the animal abuse brought about by animal production farming. Four ounces of protein a day. Middle of the road solution, Got it?

This is a pathetic act. It is simple folks become a vegan animal products cause suffering to the animals and humans.

If you want to do something about this crime against the innocent and be part of the solution here you go.

CALL 1.THE USDA 2. OHIO STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, 3.congressman.

We all know this animal will get nothing but a wrist slap so if we want to
slam dunk him, somehow find out with businesses he works with, so we can together ruin his business.

WHAT CAN YOU DO:

1. Write negative review about conklin farms in ohio on google.

2. cbcnews.ca , cnn.com , msnbc.com, foxnews.com, FIND THE CONTACT US SECITON AND FOWARD THE VIDEO .

3. OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE (get your church group, your school to call them).

3a. UNION COUNTY OHIO HAS A D.A, and he is on Facebook and Twitter.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marysville-OH/Office-of-the-Union-Cou…

http://www.co.union.oh.us

http://twitter.com/UCProsecutor

I just find it very hard to see this was a surprise. We are often given warning signs long before the sh!t hits the fan…wake up. It is usually when we have been pounded out from listening to that little voice inside us that this kind of stuff goes on and everyone is “surprised”. I’ve seen farmers, they know their spreads inside and out. I feel the owner is in some way very much part of the problem (and he knows it—why did he call in the shieff’s staff to protect him the next day). Protesters?! He should welcome them if he is as much “surprised and outraged”. Basically, he was caught. I think the Dairy industry needs, itself, to crack down on this kind of crap, covering it up or white washing it only makes the industry look self-serving and guilty. I’ve seen good farms and I’ve seen bad (you just know who the bad ones are). Frankly, I’ve found alcoholism plays a part in almost all the the bad ones.

MFA Did an excellent job, they had to get the goods on these creeps and any one who thinks that they should be considered less than abusers should have their names on the list and those who think that I should be a carnivore and a dairy user should have their name on the list.!I walk right by the meat counter and now i will not use dairy.!Read my comment on Conklin Dairy Farms Inc -In section 7 – I want to fix the abusers. I speak up for the abused that cannot speak for themselves.10,000 cheers for MFA

BOYCOTT ALL FARMS AND ANYTHING FARM RELATED.

PERIOD.

All you farmers claiming you take care of your livestock etc etc. BOTTOM LINE IS if you left the doors open would they stick around?

GAME. SET. MATCH.

There is no way to “humanely” kill something. People are ignorant for even thinking there is a way to do this. Killing anything isn’t humane. Bottom Line.

Don’t let these farmers scared of making $$$ off you tell you differently.

Without us giving them money so they can hurt cows (yes even milking them as often as they do causes harm) they won’t have a pot to @%* in.

This obviously scares them which is why you get the “oh it’s not all dairy farms don’t single us out too” responses.

We as vegetarians and people with a higher level intelligence and balls (most meat eaters won’t even slaughter their own animals or go to a slaughter house but when it’s all pretty int he store they can buy it) are sick of you fools hurting animals for your own gain.

It’s 2010 if I am alive and healthy not eating meat or dairy, you can be as well.

Don’t buy into the BS free your mind think outside the box.

I was talking to someone who eats meat and they are now vegetarian, she said: I didn’t know where meat came from all I knew is it came from the grocery store.

Free. Your. Mind.

Eating meat laced with fear and sorrow, can’t be good for you.

Funny thing is, had this man done this to humans with babies involved etc. everyone would be even more outraged and he would prolly be killed or in jail for the rest of his life, but adult cows and calves are ok.

If that cow was your brother or sister or mother or father. How would you feel right now? My point exactly.

SCREW ALL FARMS AND UNITE IN MAKING THEM A L L CHOOSE A NEW PROFESSION.

At-a-boy, Brian!! You tell them!! Boycott all us farmers and starve to death!!! I really cant think of any food products farmers havent been a part with, maybe presevatives-, but Hey-who needs to eat?? And-heck-who needs medications, clothing, consumer products, ect.?? They are farmer related also!! Stop the murder of soybeans and the outright killing of vegetables!! Farmers will have to get a new profession-after everyone starves.

The owner was the one in the video who was kicking the downed cow

Why is he not being charged?
CJ

I watched the whole video and Millie Jo (The cow in the video under abuse ) whose head was trapped in a holding vise was being whacked in the face with a crowbar and she put forward her left hoof in a plea for mercy and received a whack on left foot, so she had to withdraw her foot and Billy Joe just kept on whacking away in her face with the crowbar. I fought the kamakazis in ww2 but I don’t want to fight in another war for people like Billy Joe Gregg Jr. I saw all this in the video. There is something wrong with America,I think it stinks of cruelty. Lenny909

Follow up comment. I am a vegetarian and now that I have seen this video I am NON DAIRY I will not buy any dairy. Yesterday I asked a waitress to remove the cheese from the surface of the onion soup that I just bought so she brought me another soup without the cheese. THANK YOU Lenny909

Millie Jo’s head was trapped in a vise like situation and her nostrils were caught in a forceps like clamp and so she could not move, she could only stay put because of this imprisonment and Billy Joe Gregg Jr used a metal rod to beat on her face and head repeatedly like three whacks per second,and Millie Jo moaned loud and long and as hard as she could.Now, it is Billy Joe’s Gregg’s turn to moan and loudly, and long, and long,because as I see it he can’t go to jail,and he can’t get out.!!Think about it .!!Lenny909

One disturbing comment I’ve seen amoung dairy producers is that this is one incident (perhaps isolated??). The cow was in distress, others not hear this on the farm??? No one responded?
All I can say to dairy farmers, if this is isolated, what are YOU going to do about this situation now? What about the other dairy producers in Ohio? or New York State (ie. whillet farm). Just let it go, it is just one guy, one farm??? Abuse and dysfunction go on because we ignore it. Please help to enact legislation in your states to put these abusers in jail.

You vegans ought to come here to Seneca/Sandusky/Ottawa county and see the great green tomato harvest in August, September, and early October. The big chemical spray rigs, the undocumented farm workers of different origens working at different sides of the fields because they don’t get along. Big semi trucks speeding down county roads with no regard. 25 workers packed into the back of rent-a-vans. Getting your corn fields crapped in. We put our livestock under lock and key at night because they do come up missing. Goats, young calves are the most vulnerable. Drugs, vice, you name it. Tomatoes are picked green, sized, put on a semi, gassed, shipped to the big city, and come off the truck red. Enjoy your vegetables!

We show registered cattle all over the country. My Dad was a fighting Seabee in WW2, mom was a rosie the riveter (12hr/day, 7 days/week), my uncle a survivor of Bataan, and another a radio operator on a ship. These people never ever put up to stand to see any kind of abuse, to people, or livestock. When I was young my father and uncle stopped a man at a show who was about to start beating his heifer. It got ugly. The man was upset because he did not win. My father, mom and uncles would never have stood silent watching someone abuse a calf, cow, or another human. Or even begin to do so. So don’t lump all livestock farmers into the same ring as the video shows. It would disgrace what they stood for all their lives.

Any human who tortures or mistreats or neglects an animal causing pain and suffering, dismemberment and/or death, participates in authorized or un-authorized research, with or without federal funding, withholds food & water and/or medical care is guilty of animal cruelty, an offense punishable to the absolute maximum permitted by law.