The "McCruelty" campaign is back on track

Feb 20, 2009 15:03 GMT  ·  By
Despite knowing how the corporation kills the animals it uses for its so-called "food," many people continue to eat at McDonald's
   Despite knowing how the corporation kills the animals it uses for its so-called "food," many people continue to eat at McDonald's

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has resumed its protests against the McDonald's corporation, with its renowned McCruelty campaign, which blames the giant fast-food restaurant chain of killing the animals it uses for its products in inhuman ways, even though alternatives exist. The organization says that the corporation  will simply not hear of these new methods, even though that will most likely settle the dispute, while at the same time make the deaths of animals a lot easier.

“In the U.S., chickens killed by McDonald’s suppliers are slaughtered using an outdated method that results in extreme suffering. As the biggest seller of chicken meat in the US, McDonald’s has the responsibility – and the ability – to reduce this abuse by demanding that its US suppliers use a less cruel method of slaughter,” a statement on the PETA-owned McCruelty website reads.

Controlled Atmosphere Killing (CAK) is just one of the more humane methods of killing the large number of chicken and cattle McDonald's suppliers do away with every day. But when PETA brought this technique to the fast food company, it got no answer and was dismissed. The thing about CAK is that it wouldn't cost the corporation anything to demand its suppliers to introduce it. It's because of this carelessness that the animal welfare agency unleashed its rage on the large franchise.

PETA argues that, in the current economic crisis, a large demand coming from the public and directed to the fast food companies has prompted an increase in the latter's revenues. But the group also holds that if enough people asked for change and threatened not to use these restaurants anymore, they would prompt change faster than any court order could.

Because the inconvenient truth is that commodity now suppresses common sense and ethics in the fast food industry. And until people step up, restaurant chains such as McDonald's and KFC will continue their absurd behavior towards the creatures they kill.