Target: Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s U.S. President
Goal: Ban the use of gestation crates for pregnant pigs on McDonald’s supply farms.
Pigs are among the world’s most intelligent mammals. They are highly social, form close bonds with people and other animals, and possess strong maternal instincts. Still, pigs are subjected to gross mistreatment on factory farms each and every day. Female pigs, or sows, are viewed by the industry as “breeding machines” and are expected to produce upwards of 20-40 piglets a year, with little to no recovery time in between litters. To make matters worse, pregnant pigs are often confined to what is known as a gestation crate– a restrictive metal enclosure not large enough for pigs to even turn around in. These crates prohibit pigs from engaging in natural social behaviors and, in turn, cause severe physical and emotional duress. The stress combined with an overall lack of movement results in a series of health problems, such as tooth damage from excessive chewing and weakened joints. These problems typically go undiagnosed and pigs rarely receive proper treatment.
Though banned in several states and countries like the UK and Sweden, gestation crates are still entirely legal throughout much of the U.S. and are used by some of the nation’s largest and most powerful food corporations. Carl Icahn, a shareholder of the McDonald’s franchise, just recently lost his fight to improve the welfare standards of pigs on McDonald’s supply farms. Icahn claims that, although McDonald’s had previously committed to the banning the use of gestation crates for pregnant pigs by 2022, no such actions have been taken.
Sign this petition to urge the president of McDonald’s to follow through with their promised ban of gestation crates on McDonald’s supply farms.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear President Kempczinski,
Pigs on factory farms everywhere suffer from many sources of neglect, all in the name of human consumption. Female pigs, in particular, are heavily exploited by current industrial farming practices. Female pigs on factory farms are repeatedly artificially impregnated and are forced to reside in small metal chambers– known as gestation crates– throughout the duration of their pregnancies. These pigs, which bear the next generation of meat for yours’ and other companies, are unable to even turn around or walk much more than a few steps in these crates. They live atop their own filth and disease runs rampant among them due to their close confines. Oftentimes, these pigs will develop health problems, such as arthritis, as a result of their inability to move or use their joints. The lack of stimulation and socialization for these intelligent animals causes severe emotional stress, which typically also has physical ramifications– neither of which receive treatment.
We must do better to protect the mothers of our Earth. If big corporations, such as McDonald’s, make changes in gestation crate policies, perhaps others will follow in your footsteps. Several other countries and multiple states have already banned this cruel practice in an attempt to improve animal welfare standards on their own farms. So we are asking you, Mr. Kempczinski, to please follow through with your company’s promise to ban the use of gestation crates on McDonald’s supply farms once and for all. The pigs deserve better.
Sincerely,
[Your Name here]
Photo Credit: Humane Society
Simply put…despicable!!!
I couldn’t agree more! It’s shameful.
You kill and use pigs for your cheap menu items. Can’t you at least off them some amount of life before the end and a degree of comfort while they prepare and nurse their babies? McDonalds has come far in the last 50 years. Your fortune is due in part to these pigs. There is no kindness, understanding nor respect which you have shown pigs. I’m sure the same is true for chickens and other products offered by your company.
You make a lot of money from slaughtering pigs for human consumption. Why can you not make their short lives bearable with some comfort, decent food, fresh air and veterinary care?. Crate gestation is brutal and cruel, can you not abandon this method?
I am sure that if the public were to learn about these inhumane practices inflicted on pigs your business prosperity will most certainly decline.
This is why I strongly feel that these types of news articles should be put on the national news at night so every American can see it. A lot of people don’t see these petitions or Horror Stories online and they don’t know what goes on behind the scenes. Just like they put Blackfish on to show the abuse at SeaWorld, they need to show the abuse that goes on in factory farms around this country. Especially Dairy Farms, if people saw the filth and what happens to these cows over and over again to give them milk to drink. It is so abusive and cruel. And most of these pigs are sick, have tumors, stand in filth, and nothing is done about it. If People saw this they probably would never eat meat again.
Need to be free and graze
should be arrested put n jail cruelty to animals greedy bastards
The factory farm industry is disgusting and our government is disgusting for allowing these things to take place. Obviously these corporations are not doing what they need to do to protect the welfare of these animals. This is one of the reasons I became a vegan I feel very good about at least my part in protecting these animals.
Regardless of whether you are a vegetarian, animals should not be tirtured for food or any other process. Vote with yoyr dollars. Dont eat pirk from Smithfield and other factory farms. Look for meat from local farms that practice traditional agriculture where animals have healthy, natural lives and are slaughtered humanely. Yes- it is more expensive so maybe treat meat as a delicacy to be enjoyed less frequently, which is a healthier diet anyway. I personally have given up pork but if you do consume pork or any other meat, there are ways to ensure you are NOT supporting torture and horrifying abuse of these animals. How can anyone put a bite of flesh in his or her mouth that had resulted from torture?
Doesn’t matter the innocent that are raised are killed go vegan!
Gestation crates are just the beginning of a pig’s terrible journey to your plate. I’ve seen the videos of workers cutting out testicles of baby pigs. I say OUT because the organs haven’t descended yet. This is done with no sanitation and no anesthetic by a pork “factory” worker in front of its mother. The piglet is screaming, the mother is upset and if some intestines come out, they are stuffed back and duct taped!!! Never, ever eat pork unless it has the humanely raised sign on the package!
Humanely raise doesn’t matter they’re being killed. its like having your wife she loved you Humanely but stabbed you in your back, killed you after she made you a sandwich at home.
You people are pure Evil and Sadistic for doing this to those pigs I am outraged at this Cruelty!!! This Cruelty MUST BE STOPPED!!!!~~!
Zero tolerance for this abuse – stop eating bacon/pork – vote with your wallet
Yes! And free the pigs!!!
Go vegan stop all support on animal products.
This is fucking disgusting. And as long as there’s low life ppl willing to do this it won’t end. All animal suffering is because of scum.
Coincido contigo Julia, es horroroso!!! Y la justicia deberia aplicar todo el peso de la ley YA…
STOP ALL ANIMAL CRUELTY TOWARD PREGNANT PIGS AS WELL AS ALL OTHER PIGS AND ALL OTHER ANIMALS IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!
Correct!
This is so cruel and inhumane and unnecessary! These are highly intelligent animals and they should NOT BE IMPRISONED in these horrible crates like this. It is unconscionable and unacceptable.
Stop the cruelty
Stop the cruelty
Go vegan, banned all 100% animal products immediately.
Maybe members of the general public needs to go to the extreme by standing near drive thru’s at McDonald’s with a picture similar to that on this petition showing pigs in these torturous gestation crates that McDonald’s invests in. Maybe Chris Kempczinski needs to spend just 1 day in one of these gestation cages to see just how inhumane they really are. Only a Man of arrogance would completely ignore the suffering of these animals.
McDonald’s: As one of the world’s largest purchasers of pork products, you have a very POWERFUL VOICE for change. As both a shareholder, a consumer, a customer and a concerned animal advocate, I URGE YOU TO ACT, to HELP ABOLISH THE USE OF THESE BARBARIC DEVICES NOW.
Though it is unrealistic to think the entire population will choose a vegan lifestyle, everyone, vegan or not, should @ least demand that the poor animals destined for human consumption be treated with respect, and not suffer a miserable existence for their short time before their ultimate slaughter. They should be able to have an actual life, free to move around outdoors, and breathe the fresh air, not confined to a small crate where they can not even move. It is cruel, inhumane, and just plain despicable…it must come to an end.
When are we going to stop torturing farm animals? All animals feel pain, as well as love. These pigs are scared as well the inability to move. Why can’t their last breaths on earth be treated with compassion, not being kicked, punched. People have lost the capacity to be kind to animals as well as animals and this will be the end of life in the short run.
I think the owners of these farms hire people who can’t get honest jobs due to criminal records