The Animal Liberation Front recently took credit for the February 27, 2003 break-in at the Merial Select Laboratory in Maryland which resulted in the theft of more than 100 chickens.
According to an anonymous release from the thieves,
In the midst of a snowstorm, we made our way to the anima housing units. Using crowbars and boltcutters, we bypassed the alarmed doors by prying and cutting our way through the window panes and wire mesh. After crawling into several barns, we loaded 115 baby chickens into carriers and brought them to safety. They have been taken to temporary housing to live in a period of isolation to ensure that the possible diseases they have been infected with do not spread to others. Afterwards they will be moved to permanent homes to live freely.
Merial Select Laboratories develops vaccines for animal diseases, which is why the thieves mention isolating the chickens. Whether these folks have the skills to effectively isolate the animals to ensure no diseases are spread is highly unlikely.
The thieves added that they targeted Merial Select because they believe it is a customer of Huntingdon Life Sciences saying that, “Any friend of HLS is an enemy of the ALF. We know who their clients are. We are out there, and you’re next.”
Source:
Anonymous ALF communique. Animal Defense League of New Jersey, March 6, 2003.