(photo credit: flickr.com/photos/waytru)
Sonic will begin phasing-in cage-free eggs and acquiring pork from facilities that do not confine breeding pigs in gestation crates. Additionally the corporation, which operates 3,500 restaurants in more than 40 states, will encourage chicken suppliers to switch to a more humane way of slaughtering the animals.
The restaurant chain's decision to adopt the new policy came as a result of nearly a year of behind the scenes meetings with animal rights organization, PETA.
"By starting to use eggs from hens not confined in cruel battery cages and pork from pigs not crammed into tiny gestation crates, Sonic has taken an important first step forward for animal welfare," said Paul Shapiro, senior director of The HSUS' factory farming campaign. "We applaud Sonic for beginning to address animal welfare and look forward to further progress from the company."
Recently HSUS was credited with helping House of Blues develop a cage-free egg policy. The groundbreaking initiative will have a large impact as the live music restaurant uses more than 2 million eggs each year.
The Humane Society, which is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, provides the following facts:
-About 95 percent of egg-laying hens and 70 percent of breeding sows in the United States are confined in cages and crates so small the animals can barely move for their entire lives. Extensive scientific research confirms this causes suffering.
-Controlled-atmosphere killing has been shown to reduce suffering during poultry slaughter, and it is currently used to slaughter roughly 75 percent of turkeys and 35 percent of chickens in the United Kingdom. Seven U.S. turkey slaughterhouses use the method.
Related story: Sonic’s new animal welfare policy implemented after meetings with PETA
