With the intensity of a wildfire, an illness spread at one factory farm and killed about 900 animals in a single day.

A new Mercy For Animals investigation in Mexico documented this tragedy along with the torment of animals and the dire threat animal agriculture poses to human health.

Our investigator documented hens forced to live in dirty, disease-ridden environments, among rats and maggot-infested manure.

Dead hens were left to rot in cages with birds still laying eggs for human consumption.

We've seen how quickly a new virus can spread around the world, infecting millions and leading to a global catastrophe.

We need to face another truth: Factory farms can be the perfect breeding ground for diseases that can spread to humans.

Dense populations, high stress, unsanitary conditions, and unnatural food make it easy for viruses to cross species and infect humans.

Industrial animal agriculture threatens to cause future epidemics.

Right now China, India, and the Philippines are grappling with avian flu outbreaks.

Some avian flu viruses are far deadlier than novel coronavirus. H5N1, which is currently circulating in chicken farms, has a human mortality rate of about 60 percent.

Humanity is falling more and more out of sync with this planet we collectively call home. We cannot live like this forever.

And we need your help.

Join us in creating a safe and sustainable food system.