Animal Equality exposes rabbit slaughter in Mexico’s meat industry

• Animal Equality has released an investigation into Mexico’s rabbit meat industry, documenting extreme animal cruelty.
• Among the findings were overcrowding in cages, slaughter without stunning, and rabbits crying out in desperation before slaughter.
• Based on the findings, Animal Equality has filed complaints with the relevant authorities. 
• Previous investigations into the global rabbit meat industry have found similar cruelty in Italy and Spain. 

Animal Equality’s latest investigation, titled “Rabbits: Companions or meat?,” exposes extreme cruelty to rabbits raised for meat in Mexico. This investigation documented one rabbit farm in Querétaro and two in Mexico City.

The findings include: 

Overcrowding in battery cages: Rabbits, like other animals raised for meat, are kept in wire “battery” cages that injure their legs and prevent stretching. Overcrowding worsens the situation, with up to ten rabbits crammed into some cages.

Abuse and rough handling: Rabbits suffer abuse by handlers, leading to fear and distrust. They are violently moved to the slaughter area, weighed, and transferred between cages.

Slaughter without prior stunning: Rabbits are fully conscious as their throats are slit, causing them to bleed to death painfully. The disorganized slaughter process often leaves rabbits hanging for long periods, forcing them to witness each other’s suffering and anticipate their own fates.

Rabbits vocalizing distress: For the first time, it was documented that rabbits, usually silent animals, screamed and cried out in desperation before their deaths.

I trust that the cries of anguish from the rabbits will shake society in Mexico and mobilize them to take action, demanding the protection they deserve.

undercover investigator

Violations of Mexican law

The videos and images reveal violations of Mexican law, which regulates slaughter methods. Despite existing regulations, evidence shows frequent breaches. These include failure to stun rabbits before slaughter and rabbits left hanging beyond permitted times. 

Animal Equality has filed complaints with the relevant authorities but has not received a response.

A national and global concern

In Mexico, lenient regulations for rearing allow extreme confinement and mutilations without pain relief. Rabbits, like other farmed animals, are not protected by law during the breeding stage. Most legal complaints focus on transportation or slaughter, though these are often ignored and left unenforced.

While Mexico ranks 19th in global rabbit meat production, Animal Equality has documented similar cruelty to rabbis in Spain and Italy. Meanwhile, investigations into the global factory farming industry have uncovered cruelty in the United States, such as at a calf ranch connected to Babybel.

Combatting cruelty with plant-based alternatives

Rabbits, like the dogs and cats many of us live with, are sensitive and intelligent beings. Yet, in the meat industry, animals are only given value when their meat can be sold. Animal Equality continues to expose cruelty in the meat, dairy, and egg industries, with over [insert number] people signing our petition to end factory farming in the United States. 

Investigations like these have also led thousands to opt for plant-based alternatives. Choosing plant-based foods is a compassionate decision that impacts millions of animals and inspires others to do the same. Fortunately, plant-based living is becoming easier, and Love Veg is here to support you on this journey.