In late 2017, McDonald’s issued a public relations statement outlining a vague eight-point plan designed to mislead consumers about rampant animal cruelty throughout its chicken supply chain. Unfortunately, the statement fell far short of ending the most pressing animal cruelty concerns—like using breeds of birds who grow so large they can barely support their own weight, and cramming chickens into dark sheds where the air is so thick with ammonia, simply breathing can cause lung failure.
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And remember, the only way to stop the needless suffering of chickens and other farmed animals is to stop eating them. For helpful tips on leaving chickens and other animals off your plate, please visit TheGreenPlate.com.
Now, six of the nation’s largest animal protection groups—Mercy For Animals, Animal Equality, The Humane League, Compassion in World Farming, World Animal Protection, and Compassion Over Killing—have united to demand McDonald’s, via an open letter in The New York Times, clearly and explicitly ban the worst abuses endured by birds in its supply chain.
Want to be part of this important effort? Take action now.
The coalition will also organize grassroots outreach events, online and on the ground, to show McDonald’s that its customers won’t stand for the blatant abuse it allows its suppliers to inflict on animals killed for McNuggets and chicken sandwiches.
Chickens in McDonald’s supply chain are bred to grow unnaturally large incredibly fast. According to University of Arkansas researchers, if humans grew at a rate similar to that of commercially bred chickens, a six-pound newborn would weigh 660 pounds after just two months. When these baby birds are killed at just six weeks old, they are still developing—but their bodies can’t take the strain. Many chickens suffer heart attacks, debilitating deformities, and broken legs, which buckle under the weight of the birds’ enormous bodies. To make matters worse, they’re crowded in dark, filthy warehouses where they can’t engage in many basic natural behaviors.
The torture McDonald’s allows its chicken suppliers to get away with is unacceptable and out of step with both consumer demand and business trends. A recent survey found that four out of five Americans agreed that these horrific abuses should be banned. Additionally, more than 100 major food brands—like Burger King, Jack in the Box, Sonic, and Subway—have already committed to implementing specific animal welfare policies that will end these cruelties in their supply chains by 2024. But McDonald’s continues to drag its feet on these issues.
Disgusted by McDonald’s lack of compassion? Take action at The Truth About McDonald’s Chicken.
After that, consider joining the thousands of people taking one-minute daily actions to help millions of animals—become a Hen Hero today.