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Animal Welfare: Setting The Record Straight
PETA – a radical extremist group whose agenda is to promote a vegetarian lifestyle -- makes claims about KFC which are not true, and deliberately attempts to mislead consumers about KFC’s animal welfare standards.
PETA supporters want a vegetarian world. There's nothing wrong with being a vegetarian, but we're proud to serve the world's most famous fried chicken and we support our customers’ preference to eat meat – a preference that represents the viewpoint of the majority of Americans.
The Truth About KFC and Animal Welfare
The truth is that KFC is committed to the well being and humane treatment of chickens. We're proud of our responsible, industry-leading animal welfare guidelines. We buy our chickens from the same trusted brands that consumers buy from in local supermarkets and that other restaurants purchase from.
We don't own or operate any poultry farms or facilities, but we require all of our suppliers to follow welfare guidelines developed by KFC with leading experts on our Animal Welfare Advisory Council.
On the very rare occasion that an employee of a supplier violates our standards, KFC demands quick action from our suppliers.
Working With Animal Welfare Experts
KFC has taken a leadership position in the area of poultry welfare. KFC's Animal Welfare Advisory Council consists of highly regarded experts in the field, including some of the nation's most respected authorities in the areas of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Poultry Physiology and Poultry Science.
The Council provides KFC with information, advice and direction based on relevant data and scientific research, and has been a key factor in formulating our animal welfare program. The Council works directly with KFC senior management.
Members of the Council have animal welfare credentials that are second to none and include some of the most knowledgeable poultry experts in the industry. We are proud to partner with our suppliers who share our commitment to the humane treatment and well-being of chickens.
The Bottom Line
When you visit KFC, you can enjoy the Colonel's Original Recipe™ while being confident of KFC's commitment to animal welfare.
The list below includes some of the false, misleading or inaccurate claims made by supporters of radical extremist groups whose agenda is to promote a vegetarian lifestyle. KFC is pleased to set the record straight by providing the truth behind these claims.
Setting the Record Straight
Claim: "KFC suppliers cram birds by the tens of thousands into excrement-filled sheds that stink of ammonia fumes.”
Most chickens raised for KFC suppliers are raised by family farmers in a few chicken houses on their farms. Most farmers utilize the most modern, state-of-the-art facilities, which provide a computer-controlled environment, protection from predators and greatly reduce the possibility of disease.
KFC suppliers, KFC and the National Chicken Council have standards for stocking density to ensure birds have sufficient space and are healthy. Specially designed poultry housing is engineered with the birds' comfort and health in mind. Modern air exchange units in newer facilities can exchange all of the air in the building every few minutes to ensure an environment that is conducive to health and comfort.
The cleanliness of these facilities and the health of the birds are top priorities for the farmers. The floors of chicken houses are typically covered with clean pine shavings or rice hulls to ensure the health of the birds.
Claim: "Birds are bred and drugged to grow so large that they can't even walk."
This is false. KFC suppliers do not use growth hormones on poultry. Our suppliers work with primary breeders who provide poultry specifically selected with health and well being in mind.
Claim: "Birds' wings and legs often break because workers carelessly shove them into transport crates and shackles."
Because the welfare of the chickens raised for consumption is a top priority for suppliers, tremendous care is taken to ensure the health and safety of these birds during handling and transportation. It is important to note that any injury to a bird lessens its value to the supplier. Any bird that is crippled is culled and represents a loss to the farmer. So in addition to our suppliers' concern about humane treatment of poultry, there is also an economic incentive to ensure the humane treatment and health of chickens.
Claim: "At slaughter, the birds' throats are slit and they are dropped into tanks of scalding-hot water -- often while they are still conscious and able to feel pain."
This statement is inaccurate and misleading. Prior to slaughter, birds are stunned so they are insensible to pain. The effectiveness of the stunning equipment is a top priority for KFC suppliers, and backup measures are in place so that the process works as intended. Chickens are stunned and killed before they are introduced into the defeathering tanks. To say that birds are introduced into the defeathering tanks "often while they are still conscious" is inaccurate.
Slaughter practices are monitored by the USDA.
For an accurate description of the industry’s stunning and slaughter process, visit the site of the National Chicken Council: http://www.nationalchickencouncil.com/aboutIndustry/detail.cfm?id=11
Claim: "Chickens raised for KFC are painfully 'debeaked.'"
This is false. No broiler chickens raised by KFC suppliers are debeaked.
Claim: "Birds raised for KFC are treated with drugs and antibiotics."
The health of chickens is a top priority for breeders and processors. Antibiotics are used judiciously to treat illnesses only as required, and only at the direction of a veterinarian. Any use of antibiotics is stopped long before chickens are ever processed for food. This is exactly the same process used when treating illnesses for other animals bred for food, such as beef cattle. Growth hormones are never used in broiler chickens.
Claim: "It would be illegal to abuse dogs, cats, pigs or cows in these ways."
All poultry slaughter facilities are under USDA jurisdiction with an on-site USDA vet. KFC suppliers are required to adhere to all laws related to the slaughter of chickens. Every slaughter facility is required to submit to both announced and unannounced audits by KFC to check that they are meeting KFC's animal welfare standards. In addition, the USDA has an inspector on site at every slaughter facility.
Claim: "KFC's own animal welfare advisors have asked the company to take steps to eliminate these abuses, but KFC refuses to do so."
KFC has taken an industry leadership position in the area of animal welfare, and meets regularly with its Animal Welfare Advisory Council. The Council is made up of some of the most highly regarded experts in the field, and KFC works closely with them. The makeup of KFC's AWAC is determined by KFC, not by radical organizations that have an agenda other than the welfare of animals raised for food.
It is important to note that the “steps” referred to by PETA did not represent the collective viewpoint of the entire Animal Welfare Advisory Council, but rather the opinions of a few individual members. To read more about our Animal Welfare Advisory Council, click here.
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