Animal abuse at the nation’s slaughterhouses, farms, and pet breeding operations is one of the main concerns of the Humane Society of the United States. So when the organization gets a tip, it sends in undercover investigators to document any cruelty or violations that may be occurring.
The woman in charge of those investigations is Mary Beth Sweetland, from West Rupert.
When I spoke with her recently, we discussed a case that many Vermonters will remember: the abuse of animals at the Bushway packing plant in Grand Isle, which the Humane Society exposed using undercover investigators.
(A warning to listeners, this interview includes disturbing descriptions of animal cruelty.)