The problem isn’t that these workers are being especially cruel, per se. The deeper problem is that this is considered business-as-usual. Beating sheep to get them to stay still while shearing them is standard and accepted practice. Whenever an animal is put into a business production model, exploitation is inevitable and worsens as the demands for their hairs, skins, and flesh increases. The needs of any living creature can not be met when it is believed that their sole purpose is to make the biggest profit at the least expense. And in this case, most workers are paid by volume, not by the hour, so accidents and viciousness are frequent.

Read more Not Just a Haircut: The Reality of Wool