PUPILS in year 7 at St Bede's RC High School, Blackburn, have been studying the subject of cruelty to animals. Some pupils were so moved by their findings that they wanted to bring the subject to public attention by writing to us.

I AM writing to express my opinion about cruelty to animals.

At St Bede's School, Blackburn, pupils in my class have been looking at, and doing some research on the subject. We have been finding out a lot of important facts.

Whales, elephants, bears and many other animals, including seals, are being killed for medicines and ivory. We should stop this. It is wrong. It's all because of selfish, cruel, greedy people, who just want to make money.

Soon, if this cruelty carries on, elephants and other animals are going to become extinct. We must remember that extinction is forever.

We must also think about future generations, Maybe if this selfish behaviour continues our children and grandchildren won't be able to see such lovely creatures.

EMMA D'IPPOLITO

I AM writing this letter to express my concern about how little we are told about animal cruelty.

Every country in the world has some form of animal cruelty going on, a lot of which we don't know about, but need to know if any sort of action is to be taken.

I recently watched a video showing the inhumane way in which battery hens are treated. They are put into overcrowded cages far too small for any freedom, and left to lay egg after egg.

These appalling conditions often leave the hens' feet deformed and with brittle bones which often break or splinter, leaving the bird in excruciating pain. This life of terrible suffering usually ends in slaughter. A simple way of helping these birds may be to purchase free range eggs.

Of course there are hundreds of other cases of animal cruelty going on in the world, but only if we know about them can we help.

REBECCA CHENERY

I WISH to express concern on animal cruelty. Recently I have been studying the issue of cruelty to animals and I find myself appalled at what I have learned.

I do think more people should know about the ill treatment some animals are suffering.

All over the world animals are subjected to torture. Hens are genetically selected to produce eggs and are kept in the most horrific conditions. Ducks are also genetically selected to put weight on as fast as possible. Some die of starvation and/or dehydration, kept in such conditions, and when you look at the evidence it is easy to see why.

Ducks should be kept near water so that they can freely swim, but the video we saw showed them kept in windowless sheds where the only water to be found was in a small, narrow container.

I am writing this letter so that people may think before ordering duck or think before buying a turkey etc.

Scientists have proved that you can get just as much nutrition from not eating meat as you can from eating meat. Maybe it makes sense to be vegetarian.

JENNIFER MARIE FEARNLEY

I HAVE seen a video on factory farming and I was disgusted at what I saw. The chickens are kept in the minimum space possible, they can hardly move. The bottom of the cages make the chickens' feet become deformed.

At the best they are bored and at the worst they are very miserable. Instead of pecking the ground like they would do if they were free, they peck each other's feathers out. Their bones are so brittle that they break under stress.

The birds are treated as egg laying machines that can't feel anything. But they are living creatures that can feel pain.

Some of the chickens and other factory farmed birds are pumped full of antibiotics to stop them getting ill. Some of the chickens get so fat they can't move because their legs are unable to carry the weight.

This also happens to other birds, like ducks and turkeys. When the turkeys go for slaughter at eight weeks, some of them weigh the same as an average nine year old child.

If cats and dogs were kept in these conditions their owners would be prosecuted, so why don't the owners of the factory farms get prosecuted?

PAUL WARDLE

Teachers check out the facts

TEACHERS writing our maths motivation material came on a fact-finding tour of newspaper production at our head office and printing plant.

Mary-Ann Johnson from Pleckgate High School, Blackburn, and Judith Mallett, a teacher at St James CE Primary School, Clitheroe, are taking part in a placement funded by the Teacher Placement Service at East Lancs Education Business Partnerships. Their ideas will be incorporated in a set of photocopiable worksheets plus a supplement designed to improve numeracy in young people by linking it to real life maths.

Schools will receive information by the summer term on how to obtain the pack through our NIE project - or for more details now, ring Rita Shaw on 01254 678678, ext 255, fax no 01254 680429.

OUR Newspapers in Education project is a partnership between our newspaper and ELTEC (East Lancs Training and Enterprise Council) to give pupils and teachers a better understanding of business and industry and, in particular, of the newspaper industry. For more information on any aspect of the scheme, please contact Rita Shaw, NIE co-ordinator, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, High Street, Blackburn BB1 1HT.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.