PETA and Safeway in the News

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http://www.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2006/02/13/daily21.html?t

 

Safeway forms committee on humane practices

 

David Goll

In a move described by

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals as " groundbreaking, " officials of

Safeway Inc. have agreed to form a committee to look into some animal welfare issues. Brian Dowling, a Safeway (NYSE: SWY) spokesman, said Wednesday the

committee would consist of both company employees and outside experts,

including Temple Grandin, a professor at Colorado State University who

is a noted authority on humane slaughter methods of farm animals.

 

PETA, an animal welfare advocacy group that has 192 shares of Safeway

stock, has lobbied Safeway officials to promote a method of

slaughtering birds called controlled-atmosphere killing, commonly

called CAK. They announced they would withdraw a proposal to gain

shareholder support for Safeway to support CAK.

 

The CAK method includes slowly replacing the oxygen birds are breathing

with an inert, nonpoisonous gas like argon and nitrogen that puts the

animals to " sleep. " PETA said current slaughter methods often include

hanging birds upside down by their legs, which can result in broken

bones, running their heads through electrified water giving them severe

shocks and slitting their throats.

 

Dowling, who noted the company does not operate any poultry-processing

facilities of its own, said Pleasanton-based Safeway would contact its

vendors who supply it with poultry products to " suggest " they adopt CAK

techniques. He also said the company would post its animal welfare

policies on its Web site.

PETA officials expressed their satisfaction with Safeway's decision.

 

" Controlled-atmosphere killing will save Safeway money, help workers

and save chickens from a horribly cruel death, " said Bruce Friedrich,

PETA's factory farming campaign director, in a statement. " We're

thrilled that Safeway is taking a leadership role in eliminating some

of the worst abuses of chickens at slaughter. "

 

dgoll | 925-598-1436

-- M. Mello " Until we have the courage to recognize

cruelty for what it is--whether its victim is human or animal--we

cannot expect things to be much better in this world... We cannot have

peace among men whose hearts delight in killing any living creature. By

every act that glorifies or even tolerates such moronic delight in

killing we set back the progress of humanity. " --Rachel Carson