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The Other Death Toll at Chinese Slaughterhouse

“China fire kills 120” … “More than 112 dead at China fire” … “Disaster kills 119 at China slaughterhouse.”

There were hundreds more reports of this disaster worldwide. And, as always, one fact or figure missing in all of them: The death toll was not 112 or 119 or 120. It was at least a million.

The chickens.

But of course the chickens who died in this horrendous fire don’t even get counted. They don’t even count.

As ever, it’s all about us. A hundred and twenty dead humans is a catastrophe. A million chickens … not even a factoid.

More from the major media:

“The disaster is a major loss of face for a country which seeks to project a global image of a modern, rising power.” – Chicago Tribune

“The narrow exits have added difficulties to the rescue work [of the workers].” – CNN

“The fire broke out in a factory building where chickens were being dismembered … [the plant] produces 67,000 tons of processed chicken per year”  – Xinhua.

“Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top leaders ordered that no effort be spared to rescue and treat [human] survivors.”  – Associated Press.

“The plant’s administrative city, Dehui, claims it can produce 250 million broiler chickens a year.”  – Grist.

And while we’ll see hundreds of photos of humans distraught over what happened to their fellow humans . . .

china-chiecken-factory-fire-060413

. . . we’re unlikely to see a photo of anyone distraught over what happened to a million chickens.

That’s a shame because chickens are among the sweetest, smartest and gentlest of creatures:

chickens-upc-1

Check out some of their stories at Karen Davis’s United Poultry Concerns.