McDonald's and Animal Welfare: An Uphill Battle?

Several years ago, PETA launched a campaign against McDonalds.  In response, a barrage of columnists, radio DJs, and television personalities condemned the campaign for being too graphic.  Since the time that PETA launched that campaign, McDonalds Animal Welfare Council had laid down several new sets of guidelines regarding the well being of the animals they farm.  But what are they and will they be sufficient?

 

Among PETAs complaints were the living conditions for the laying hens that produce McDonalds eggs.  The hens, according to claims, are shoved into filthy warehouses with less space per bird than a standard sheet of paper.  They are also de-beaked without anesthesia an extremely painful process for the birds.  In response to PETAs claims, McDonalds sent letters to their egg suppliers outlining strict new guidelines regarding the welfare of the hens.  The hens are now required to have 50% more space and the practice of withholding food and water was banned completely.

 

The second major complaint PETA issued regarded the proper stunning of cows.  Federal standards require that every cow be fully stunned prior to their skinning and dismemberment. However, a McDonalds training video suggests that it is acceptable if one in every twenty cows is conscious during this process.  Additionally, one third of company suppliers reportedly failed announced audits twice in a row.  These audits could only be failed if more than five percent of animals were not properly stunned.

 

According to McDonalds CEO, Jack Greenberg, the company wants to take industry leadership in animal welfare.  The companys set of Animal Welfare Guiding Principles state that animals should be free from cruelty, abuse and neglect  But is McDonalds living up to these standards?  As for now, that question is up for debate.  The only thing thats for sure, says Steven Gross of PETA, is that these issues about how food animals are raised is here to stay.

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