California

920 Chickens Slaughtered in Break-In at Foster Farms: Police

Hundreds of chickens were killed after burglars broke into a Foster Farms facility in Caruthers, California, investigators said.

Fresno County police said the unknown suspects in the Sept. 20 break-in pulled back part of the facility's fence, entered a chicken shed, then slaughtered the animals with a golf club or other blunt object.

Foster Farms said the 920 chickens killed were worth about $5,000. Foster Farms is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

"The perpetrator committed an unconscionable act of animal cruelty,'' the company said in a statement. "This appears to be a random act of violence. It is the express policy of Foster Farms to treat its birds humanely and with compassion. Any intentional act to the contrary is unacceptable.''

Nothing was stolen from the facility, police said. Caruthers is about 17 miles southwest of Fresno.

The nonprofit Animal Defense League offered a $5,000 reward Wednesday for any information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators.

"While the chickens were slated for eventual slaughter at the factory farming facility, animal cruelty in the state of California is a serious criminal offense," ADL said in a statement.

Caruthers is about 17 miles southwest of Fresno. Anyone with any information relating to the massacre of the chickens should contact Deputy Chris Curtice at the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office at 559-600-3111.

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