Demler Brothers Egg Ranch site of a 2019 animal cruelty investigation
From Direct Action Everywhere
A large barn fire broke out Thursday, July 18, at Demler Brothers Egg Ranch, a factory egg farm in Ramona that confines approximately two million chickens and supplies eggs to Walmart, Smart & Final, and other chains.
Tens of thousands of birds inside the impacted barn burned to death, and animal rights activists who went to the scene were told there were no plans to evacuate birds in the remaining barns. Animal Services was not present at the scene.
Demler Brothers Egg Ranch was previously investigated by the San Diego chapter of the international animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE). DxE investigators found tens of thousands of animals in extreme confinement inside the facility, injured birds languishing in trash bins, and corpses on the floor.
In 2022, the San Diego Water Board fined Demler Brothers Egg Ranch for noncompliance of its wastewater and stormwater discharges and in 2023 they found evidence of pollution in a nearby creek due to this noncompliance.
“It is heartbreaking to see this barn on fire knowing that there are living, breathing birds inside burning to death who never got to experience a life outside of a cramped cage,” said Maggie Bellah, an organizer for the DxE San Diego chapter. “These are animals who can feel pain just as much as I can; they do not deserve to be treated as an expendable product. No one deserves to burn to death, unable to escape the flames because they are imprisoned in a cage.”
Birds inhale oxygen more efficiently than humans and other mammals due to their bodies’ ability to essentially inhale and exhale at the same time. This makes them highly sensitive to pollutants in the air, therefore the smoke from the fire may affect the chickens in the surrounding barns.
Factory farm fires are a common occurrence. Over the last decade, nearly 7 million farmed animals were killed in barn fires across the country according to the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), and just yesterday, millions of chickens burned to death in Marion County, Illinois. In 2023, 18,000 cows were killed in Texas in one of the deadliest fires involving cows on record.
“Animals are not prioritized in emergencies like this. Factory farms cram thousands or tens of thousands of animals into industrial sheds making emergency evacuation incredibly difficult,” said DxE Lead Organizer Almira Tanner. “We need to start treating these animals as the feeling beings we know they are, rather than as commodities that can be risked and sacrificed.”
Investigators with Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) enter farms, slaughterhouses, and other facilities to document abuses and rescue sick and injured animals. DxE’s investigatory work has been featured in The New York Times, WIRED, and Vox. DxE activists have been subjected to FBI raids and felony prosecutions for their investigative work. In 2022, DxE activists won the first-ever acquittal in an open rescue case. Visit DxE on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and at directactioneverywhere.com.
“We need to start treating these animals as the feeling beings we know they are, rather than as commodities that can be risked and sacrificed.”
Say what? As they fire off fireworks nightly from sea world. Animals and people be damned from pollutants. Heart disease and cancer for people eclipses this average yearly. And a bad actor is dumped on for a fire. Less animals equals less fires? Like they want their chickens to die? Don’t eat eggs. Don’t eat animals. Then mom and pop can’t sell omelets and burgers. They go out of business. Have to get unemployment and government assistance. Looking for affordable housing. End up bums at Mayor Todd’s mega shelter. Wind up eating burgers and omelets there. Trying to start a fried chicken stand.
what even is this rambling post? why are people allowed to run cafo’s and then put humanely raised on the cartons. cafos are inhumane and inhuman.
Thought I would be as nonsensical as the article who wants to treat all animals as pets. It’s blaming the egg ranch for the fire without proof. It’s a farm. Let’s hear what caused the fire first before judgement.
Wait til we cram more people in Hillcrest and Uni city with no fire and police upgrades. Then you can blame egg farmer Todd.
“knowing that there are living, breathing birds inside burning to death who never got to experience a life outside of a cramped cage”
Chris, the fire and the treatment are independent. Without the fire, on factory farms or c.a.f.o, the animals live in inhumane conditions. The point here is there is no genuine care or welfare for the animals. There are millions of worlds between where animals live inhumanely on factory farms and everybody is vegan. We as a society need to acknowledge what we are doing to these animals is cruel first.
Is there any word on what (or who) started the fire ? Aren’t animal rights activists known for taking extreme measures to get some attention to get their points across when the public seems to be ignoring them ?
c’mon, dude, even to suggest that they caused the fire is beyond redemption.
Contrary to that, a lot of animal rights organizations preach non-violence, including DXE – the publisher of this story. You cannot be against violence against animals and then commit violence against humans or non-human animals to get your point across. Let alone sacrificing thousands of animals to get attention. Lyle, if you do have documented sources where this has happened – it would be good to share.