Sheep Violently Impregnated By ‘Sperminator’ Machine
Female sheep raised for their wool may be repeatedly violated by being forcibly impregnated through artificial insemination in the “Sperminator” (yes, that’s its real name!), a machine used to increase workers’ efficiency. A video of this procedure caused widespread outrage:
Sheep may be impregnated with the help of this “sperminator” machine –this is VILE. 😡 pic.twitter.com/ToDY7Ea7gZ
— PETA UK (@PETAUK) 10 April 2019
The footage shows workers forcing sheep into a mechanical rotating trap before dumping them onto a rack, strapping them to it, angling them upside down, and forcibly inserting semen into the uterus.
Artificial Insemination Is Involuntary and Terrifying for Sheep
Whether or not a Sperminator is used to speed up the process, artificial insemination is common in the wool industry, and the entire experience is terrifying and invasive for sheep. Two weeks in advance, workers “prepare” the female sheep by inserting a sponge containing progesterone into her vagina, which they extract a couple of days before the insemination. During the insemination itself, they inject her with another hormone before poking a long metal rod through an incision in her abdomen to insert semen directly into the uterus.
As prey animals, sheep are terrified by being handled – let alone restrained in rotating racks. Unlike humans who undergo fertility treatment, they can’t give their consent to being artificially inseminated.
To collect semen from a male sheep, the farmer may masturbate him by hand or insert an electric probe into his anus and give his prostate an electric shock to make him ejaculate – which can also be severely painful.
The Wool Industry Is Hell for Sheep
One PETA video exposé after another has shown farmworkers hole-punching lambs’ ears, chopping off their tails, and castrating them without any pain relief. The footage has also shown workers deliberately stamping on sheep and even throwing them.
Many sheep are shorn bloody, and some are so stressed by the experience that they die on the shearing floor. Heat exhaustion, lack of shelter from the elements, starvation, disease, and neglect kill many others.
Once those who survive this trauma are no longer deemed profitable by farmers, they’re sent to the abattoir. There, workers cut their throats, sometimes while they’re still conscious.
Sheep are gentle, sensitive individuals who are emotionally complex and highly intelligent. They’re not here for us to wear or eat them – they’re not here for us to use at all.
You Can Help Stop This Abuse
The best way to help sheep like those seen above is not to buy wool. It’s easy! If a tag has “wool” listed on it, leave the item on the shelf and instead choose from one of the many animal-free materials available.
Click below to call on boohoo to stand by its initial, compassionate decision to become the first global fashion brand to ban wool:
