Hen 'liberation' disputed

PROVO — An internationally known animal activist group says it conducted an early morning raid at a Spanish Fork egg farm Nov. 1 and liberated 102 hens from a "living hell."

The Animal Liberation Front — a group that the Homeland Security Administration classifies as a terrorist organization — has posted a report on a Web site describing its break-in at Shepherd's Egg Farm.

"We moved quickly to remove as many birds as we could," states the posting on a Web site that acts as a liaison between the organization and the press. The posting first appeared five days following the claimed break-in.

Farm operators are puzzled by ALF's claim. Workers have never noticed or reported any damage to farm sheds or missing hens. The farm first learned of the alleged theft from news reporters, spokesman Mitch Head said.

Photographs posted on ALF's Web site described as being taken during the heist are vague and could be from anywhere, Head said.

"It's hard to tell one chicken from another," he said.

In a statement Tuesday, the group said the animals were held in cruel conditions and have since been treated by a veterinarian and given away.

"They will all live out their full life span here instead of being killed when no longer profitable," the statement said.

Still, the company plans to file a report with local police and the FBI.

The posting has generated a sense of fear in at least one family member who was adamant about not being named during a Thursday interview. "This terrorist group — that's all they are ... but I'm afraid this stupid group is going to torch our place."

Her fear may be legitimate:

"These groups will never stop," said Camille Hankins, who is not a member of the ALF but speaks as a press officer on their behalf. "They'll probably be back to cause as much financial and economic harm to this farm as possible."

Hankins spoke to the Deseret Morning News Thursday from New York.

The group posted photos of their hen escapade on the Internet site along with video footage.

The Shepherd family doesn't believe the group took 102 hens.

The ALF credo claims they do no harm to animals or people. But buildings, machinery and property are targets.

"They (groups like ALF) have burned down many buildings, caused millions of dollars worth of damage but have never killed a single person," said Hankins. "They haven't even hurt anybody to my knowledge."

In 2002 congressional testimony, the FBI estimated different sects of the group had committed 600 criminal acts in six years.