An important decision was taken by the EU Appeals Committee on 24 May 2023, to continue to open a petition aimed at ending the breeding of fast growing chickens.
The petition filed by Animal Equality, accompanied by key evidence from an investigation in Northern Italy, exposes the cruel treatment of chickens that are unable to walk, eat or drink due to their heavy bodies. their anomalies. Our discovery made a strong case for the need to end this practice.
Message from Matteo Cupi, Vice President of Europe
Can I be honest with you?
Sometimes, fighting for animals is like riding a roller coaster.
Just like a roller coaster, we always start from the bottom up. When Animal Equality investigators entered an industrial farm in Northern Italy, they found dead chickens with their legs spread wide. They cannot walk because their bodies are too heavy.
Organ failure, trauma and disease are rampant. Decomposing corpses were trampled by other chickens.
But, like a roller coaster, the top is bound to come. This time, higher peak than I have ever seen before.
Perhaps you remember from the previous news that Animal Equality recently filed a petition with the EU Commission—a part of the European Parliament responsible for making laws.
The petition we present calls for an end to the raising of fast-growing chickens.
We have also sued 27 European Union countries for violating European law. These laws recognize the need to protect basic animal welfare.
The commission not only accepted the petition, acknowledging the practice as an issue, but also promised to evaluate it.
Then the unthinkable happened.
On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, the EU Appeals Committee met with a very important task: to decide whether to keep the petition open or to close it forever. Of course, I immediately went to Brussels to join the conversation and speak directly to the Commission.
In this one-on-one discussion, the EU Commission tried to mitigate the problem by allowing each European country to create its own animal protection legislation.
With the support of five Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), we have shown that European laws protecting chickens already exist but they are simply not enforced.
The Committee on Motions then publishes its decision.
It keeps petitions open.
In the end, billions of domestic animals were heard at the highest levels of government. We’ve reached the top of the roller coaster, and that’s where the excitement really begins.
Over the next few months, Animal Equality will continue to monitor the progress of the petition. We will remind the European Union that current animal welfare laws must be enforced and that there is no humane way to breed fast-growing chickens.
Animal Equality will also continue to educate people about benefits of eating plants. By simply replacing meat, dairy, and eggs with flavored plant-based proteins, consumers can save animals from immediate suffering.
CHOOSE LOVE
Chickens are emotionally complex animals, capable of empathizing and forming special bonds with their fellow human beings. Protect these sensitive and social animals by choosing plant-based alternatives.
As we accomplish these goals, there will be turning points on the journey ahead. We can even feel butterflies in our stomachs. But you and I will feel accomplished when we buckle up at the end of the ride.
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for the thrill.
Best regards,
Matteo Cupi, Vice President of Europe
Let the industry know you stand behind animals and stand against this abuse! Join our End Factory Farming campaign by signing our petition today.
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