Chickens are the most farmed land animal in the UK, with 1.1 billion raised and killed for meat every year. The Humane League UK argues that this is an unrivalled crisis in animal cruelty.
In the British Government’s animal welfare strategy, they committed to supporting “voluntary efforts to move away from the use of fast-growing meat chicken breeds.”
Disappeared
Connor Jackson, chief executive of Anima International, expressed his concern by stating: “Any other explanation is BS. Frankenchickens pose the most serious animal welfare problem in the UK.
“These commitments created hope to resolve these issues, and abandoning these commitments is letting down not only millions of animals but a nation of animal lovers.
“Their commitments might have disappeared from these companies’ websites, but the animal welfare crisis in their supply chain has not gone anywhere.”
Tragic
Frankenchickens account for over nine in 10 chickens raised for their meat in the UK. They are bred to grow extremely large, extremely quickly, growing from chick to slaughter weight in just 35 days on average. This unnatural growth rate maximizes profit but has severe welfare consequences, including muscle diseases, bone deformities, and burns from lying in their waste.
Williams added: “Businesses should never be allowed to self-regulate, particularly in matters as vital as the treatment of sentient beings. It’s foxes guarding the chicken coop.
“This cartel of cruelty has completely shirked their duty to animals, and are patting themselves on the back about it. This is a massive backslide for animal welfare, and a tragic victory for factory farming.”
Allen Simpson, the chief executive of UKHospitality, acknowledged the challenges faced by operators due to soaring consumer demand for chicken. He emphasized the need to ensure consistent and secure supply chains while improving welfare standards and reducing environmental impact.
Cruel
Lindsay Duncan, the UK farming manager at World Animal Protection, expressed concerns over the lack of improvements for millions of chickens confined on industrial farms. She highlighted the need to address fundamental issues in chicken welfare by moving away from fast-growing breeds.
Over 95% of UK chickens are bred to grow rapidly, causing immense suffering due to their inability to support their own body weight. The industry players’ backtracking on commitments shows a lack of responsibility and commitment to addressing cruel practices within their supply chain.
The UK Government must take action by banning fast-growing chicken breeds and halting the expansion of industrial chicken units across the country to ensure proper regulation.
The Ecologist has reached out to Nando’s, KFC, Wagamama, and Burger King for comment.
This Author
Brendan Montague is an editor of The Ecologist.
