Imagine being hung upside down, shocked into paralysis, having your throat cut, then drowned in hot water...while you’re conscious. That’s the stuff of nightmares, and it’s the tragic reality for billions of birds each year. These animals have virtually no protection from the worst slaughter abuses.
Nearly all animals killed for food in the U.S. are chickens and turkeys—more than nine billion each year. They're shackled upside down, paralyzed by electrified water and dragged over mechanical throat-cutting blades ... all while conscious. Millions of birds each year miss the blades and drown in tanks of scalding water.
This occurs because the U.S. Department of Agriculture exempts birds from its enforcement of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, which requires that farm animals be insensible to pain before they’re shackled and killed. The HSUS is working with retailers to help move companies that slaughter birds toward a less cruel system.
News & Events
-
November 9, 2009
Eating Animals
Novelist Jonathan Safran Foer has written a non-fiction book about factory farming called Eating Animals.
-
November 2, 2009
More Video of Abused Calves at Vermont Slaughter Plant
USDA inspector, plant co-owner shown in video of calf abuse
-
October 30, 2009
Abused Calves at Vermont Slaughter Plant
Shocking cruelty to veal calves at a Vermont slaughter plant caught on video by HSUS investigator.
-
October 26, 2009
Article Points to Human and Animal Welfare Costs of Long-Distance Farm Animal Transport
A chapter in the upcoming book Handbook of Disease Outbreaks: Prevention, Detection and Control implicates the long-distance transport of farm animals in the spread of human and animal diseases. Dr. Michael Greger, director of public health and animal agriculture for The HSUS, co-authored the chapter.
Our Victories
-
November 20, 2009
Progress for Egg-Laying Hens
Summarizes the progress made for egg-laying hens since the No Battery Eggs campaign began in 2005.
-
November 5, 2009
Au Bon Pain Hatches Cage-Free Egg Policy in Mass.
Boston-based ABP Corporation — which operates the Au Bon Pain restaurant chain — announced a cage-free egg policy for its Massachusetts locations. Beginning this week, its restaurants throughout the state will only use shell (whole) eggs from hens not confined in cages. The HSUS applauds the company for moving away from using eggs from hens confined in tiny battery cages.
-
September 1, 2009
Educated Food Choices Coming to Campus
Back to school month is introducing students to a lot more meat-free cafeteria eating
-
June 25, 2009
Red Robin Moves Forward on Animal Welfare
Burger chain Red Robin made an animal-friendly commitment to move away from using battery-cage eggs.









