Thousands of California egg-laying hens who were scheduled to be gassed after years of suffering in cages are getting a new chance at life.
Thanks to an anonymous donor, 1,150 chickens will be flown across the country to New York to live out the rest of their lives in peace at various sanctuaries. An additional almost 2,000 rescued chickens will go to the California-based sanctuary Animal Place.
Chickens, especially those exploited for eggs, are some of the most abused animals on the planet. Kept for nearly their whole lives in battery cages with barely the space of an iPad, egg-laying hens do not have enough room to spread their wings, roost or do nearly anything that comes naturally to them.
In 2011, Mercy For Animals released footage from an undercover investigation into Sparboe Farms, the country’s fifth-largest egg producer. Our investigator documented workers burning off the beaks of chicks without painkillers, sadistically torturing animals, and throwing live birds into plastic bags and leaving them to suffocate.
The undercover footage was so shocking it garnered unprecedented media attention, airing on “Good Morning America,” “World News Tonight” and “20/20.” Additionally, colossal companies, including McDonald’s, Target, Sam’s Club and Supervalu, immediately cut their ties with Sparboe.
Thankfully, cutting eggs, dairy and meat out of our diets is both simple and healthy. And if you think you can’t bake without eggs, think again. Click here for a plethora of egg substitutes that will allow you to have your cruelty-free cake and eat it too!
