This week, Mercy For Animals and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), with pro bono support from Richman Law & Policy, called on attorney general offices across the country to investigate Costco. Specifically, the groups aim to determine whether Costco’s claims about the treatment of chickens in the company’s supply chain are misleading to consumers.
Mercy For Animals’ investigation into a Costco supplier earlier this year revealed injured and mangled birds, including chicks, with exposed organs, broken bones, and twisted necks and beaks. Packed into overcrowded warehouses, chickens were forced to live for weeks in their own waste. Bred for unnaturally rapid growth, many were unable to stand. Others suffered from open wounds or had died from apparent organ failure.
The cruelty captured in the footage stands in stark contrast to Costco’s claim that the company is “committed to maintaining the highest standards of animal welfare, humane processes and ethical conduct.”
In response to the Mercy For Animals investigation, more than 116,000 people have signed an ASPCA petition asking Costco to ban the cruelest practices in the company’s supply chain. The founder of the Costco rotisserie chicken Facebook page has also joined Mercy For Animals in calling out Costco for the way their chickens are mistreated.
If you live in California; Colorado; Michigan; New York State; Pennsylvania; Washington, D.C.; or Washington State, you can take action for Costco chickens by telling your attorney general that you support the request that they investigate Costco for possibly deceptive trade practices.
No matter where you live, you can help reduce suffering for farmed animals by choosing more plant-based foods. Download our free veg starter guide to learn how.