‘Why did you stop her?’ Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard divide viewers after cutting off an animal rights campaigner as she discussed the slaughter of chickens
Good Morning Britain hosts Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard were forced into action on Thursday after an animal rights campaigner graphically described the slaughter of battery hens.
A faction of viewers almost choked on their cornflakes after PETA animal rights spokesperson Dr. Carys Bennett bluntly detailed the manner in which chickens are prepared for human consumption during a live interview at 8:30am.
But her descriptive language prompted audible gasps from the presenting team, with its principal hosts cutting in as they discussed a new bill that enables any animal with a vertebrae to legally feel emotions such as joy and sadness.
Cutting in: Good Morning Britain hosts Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard were forced into action on Thursday after animal rights campaigner Carys Bennett graphically described the slaughter of battery hens
Appearing on the show remotely from her Leicester home, Bennett said: ‘Billions of chickens are killed a year in the UK, their life is just a living hell.
‘They’re killed at just six weeks old having suffered a super-sized body; they’re so heavy their legs break beneath them. They’re crammed into crates breaking their wings in the process.’
She added: ‘They’re shipped off to the slaughterhouse, hung upside down, electrocuted, and their throats are slit.’
Candid: The PETA animal rights spokesperson bluntly detailed the manner in which chickens are prepared for human consumption during a live interview at 8:30am
Moving on: Ben and Susanna cut in as they discussed a new bill that enables any animal with a vertebrae to legally feel emotions such as joy and sadness
With Bennett demanding how the process can justifiably continue, Susanna and Ben quickly diverted attention to farmer Gareth Wyn Jones, who was on hand to offer a contrasting opinion from his own home in North Wales.
The interaction prompted a mixed response from viewers, with some defending the activist’s right to free speech while others expressed unhappiness with her choice of words.
Taking to Twitter, one raged: ‘Why did you stop her telling your viewers the truth???? The meat industry is disgusting.’
Your turn: With Bennett demanding how the process can justifiably continue, Susanna and Ben quickly diverted attention to farmer Gareth Wyn Jones, who joined in the debate
While a second wrote: ‘Obviously a twisted farmer is going to say to eat innocent defenceless animals because they sell them for GREED.’
Hitting out at Bennett, another commented: ‘Nice…. Does this woman know young children are watching?? Throats being slit, oh dear.’
While a fourth added: ‘Calm down, this is all a bit much for 8.30 in the morning!’
Mixed opinion: The interaction prompted a mixed response from viewers, with some defending the activist’s right to free speech while others expressed unhappiness with her choice of words
The new Animal Sentience Bill, part of a Government drive to raise welfare standards, will give any animal with a spine the legal right to the same feelings experienced by humans.
However Bennett insists that it should be extended spineless beings such as octopus and lobster, which she says have developed brains and nervous systems and endure enormous suffering after being caught.
As well as the Animal Sentience Bill, an Animals Abroad Bill will ban the import of animal hunting trophies, while a Kept Animals Bill prevents live animal exports and stops families from acquiring primates as pets.
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