North Conway, NH – June 23, 2014 – Defying the well-established value of ahimsā (non-harming) that has been a central teaching for yoga practitioners for millennia, Be Well Studios, a Yoga and healing center is joining with The Local Grocer to sponsor a Permaculture class on how to “process” or slaughter chickens, scheduled for June 28^th at Mountain Flower Farm in North Conway, NH. Laura Slitt, a The Local Grocer shopper and animal advocate, sent a respectful email to the owners asking that they cancel the needless killing of the birds pointing out that it is not “peaceful, natural or holistic.” Slitt contacted United Poultry Concerns and Free From Harm, national animal advocacy organizations, to assist her when she did not receive a response from the owners. Instead, Slitt was issued a restraining order signed by Heather Chase, a co-owner of the farm, yoga studio and grocery store.

“As a polite and loyal customer, I sent a thoughtful email to the owners and asked them to reconsider the slaughter of these young birds,” Slitt said. “I was shocked when a policeman showed up with a restraining order.”

United Poultry Concerns Founder and President Karen Davis, PhD said, “Distressingly, we are seeing do-it-yourself slaughtering classes more frequently, but when they are connected to a spiritual center of the community, it is particularly disturbing.” Davis said that for Be Well Studios to condone the killing of these chickens would be himsā (causing harm) and contrary to the very nature of Yogic tradition. “Those chickens don’t want to die, and it is not necessary to kill them,” she added.

Throat cutting, the most common method used by backyard, do-it-yourself slaughter hobbyists, is not a quick or painless death. The neck is full of pain receptors and other nerve endings, and it can take many minutes of intense suffering for the birds to bleed out while in a frightened state of agony and anxiety.

A change.org petition with over 3,000 signatures was launched by United Poultry Concerns and Free from Harm. The groups are asking the owners of Be Well Studios and The Local Grocer to cancel the chicken killing class and spare the birds on their farm. They are also asking their supporters and the large yoga community to contact the owners and speak up on behalf of the chickens.

For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.upc-online.org or Facebook.

Here is the contact info where you can call/write to ask for the class to be canceled.
Owners of The Local Grocer, Be Well Studios and Mountain Flower Farm (where the killing will take place).

Heather Chase:
Co-owner of The Local Grocer, Be Well Studios and Mountain Flower Farm
heather@nhlocalgrocer.com

Russell Van Deursen:
Co-owner of The Local Grocer, Be Well Studios and Mountain Flower Farm
russ@mtnFlowerFarm.com

The Local Grocer:
Tel. 603-356-6068