BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Some local agriculture teachers and 4-H leaders said they're unhappy with the way animals are handled at the kern county fair.
A Kern Valley High agriculture teacher said nearly 100 pigs were together in a pen without adequate care as they waited to be taken away to be slaughtered.
"Fights broke out. there were some pigs injured and things like that, but more importantly the public and the students that raise these animals were exposed to something that didn't need to happen," said Emily Keverline, Kern Valley High School agriculture instructor:
Fair organizers said they kept the pigs together to make things eaiser on the animals. They also said they were unaware of a large fight between the pigs.
Kern County Fair CEO Mike Olcott said he is generally happy with the way things were handled during the livestock auction.
"There was a lot of water out there. they were kept cool. when i walked out there most were sleeping. a few incidents of them getting up and walking around and riled and then my team members were taking care of that," said Olcott.
Fair organizers said they will look more into issues concerning animals at the fair.
They also said they haven't directly received any complaints from participants about the handling of the pigs.