Pens cut open, birds released in Oregon

Posted by Peter | 2 comments

In yet another action in a busy summer, the Animal Liberation Front cuts open pens and releases five birds in Oregon.

In a communique received by Bite Back, the Animal Liberation Front took credit for cutting into two pens and releasing five wild birds near Corvallis, Oregon. The birds were held by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife as part of an exhibition at a state wildlife area. The birds released were 3 ringnecked pheasants, 1 white pheasant, and 1 mountain quail.

An ODF&W spokeswoman confirmed that someone did cut two cages and released birds from E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area. According to police, no birds left their pens and all five remain imprisoned at the exhibition.  (Its worth noting that in nearly every instance of an illegal animal rescue, the “victims” have attempted to downplay the success of the action.)

An attempt was made to free more birds from two additional pens. According to the ALF’s communique (posted below), this effort was aborted when a car arrived on the scene, forcing a premature departure.

Damage to property is estimated at $50.

Wildlife farms are the new fur farms

A small surge in wildlife farm raids has been seen the past two years, in ways reminiscent of fur farm raids in the mid-1990s (although not by number of actions). As with fur farms in the 90s, today we are seeing an emerging awareness that there are thousands of farms imprisoning animals that can be liberated directly into the wild.

According to the Wildlife Farm Database, thousands of these farms imprison animals including elk, woodchucks, bobcats, squirrels, ferrets, deer, pheasants, and many more species.

The ease of raiding wildlife farms was highlighted in this quote from the ALF’s communique:

“There are over 100 registered captive wildlife facilities in the state of Oregon that imprison pheasants, quail, mink, elk and other wild animals. These facilities generally contain little to no security, require little to no specialized skill set to raid, and hold animals which in many cases can be directly liberated into the wild. All it takes is a little determination and a $15 pair of bolt cutters to make animal liberation a reality.”

The communique

The Animal Liberation Front’s communique reads, in full:

“On the night of August 15th the masked liberators of the Animal Liberation Front carried out the rescue of wild pheasants and quail from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife game bird exhibition pens at the EE Wilson wildlife area (north of Corvallis). Wire cutting tools were used to completely cut open 2 of the game bird pens and partially cut open 2 others giving 3 ringnecked pheasants, 1 white pheasant, and 1 mountain quail a chance to escape into the surrounding wildlife area. If it wasn’t for a car pulling into a lot next the pens, forcing us to make a premature departure, the rest of the dozen or so birds would have been
given a chance at freedom as well. This action is no victory for those left behind.

The EE Wilson wildlife area was once home to an ODFW breeding program that bred pheasants mainly to be released to repopulate state hunting grounds. The ODFW discontinued this program in the late 1990’s, however they still keep a small number of birds on this site as a tourist attraction. It is sad and pathetic that these wild birds would have to spend their entire lives in a cage for any reason, let alone for something as trivial and frivolous as being put on display for the public.

There are over 100 registered captive wildlife facilities in the state of Oregon that imprison pheasants, quail, mink, elk and other wild animals. These facilities generally contain little to no security, require little to no specialized skill set to raid, and hold animals which in many cases can be directly liberated into the wild. All it takes is a little determination and a $15 pair of bolt cutters to make animal liberation a reality.

In solidarity with anarchist prisoners Marie Mason and Eric Mcdavid. For the silent ones and all those on the run.

For freedom and dignity,
Animal Liberation Front”