In 2004, Bay Area Vegetarians joined organizations throughout the United States and abroad in supporting People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' campaign against KFC's inhumane practices and calling for welfare reforms. The campaign continued on Saturday, February 12, as several dozen animal rights activists protested at the Mission St. KFC.

Over 750,000,000 chickens raised for KFC (Yum! Brands) endure egregious and unnecessary abuses. Last year, PETA released a disturbing video taken by an undercover investigator in a KFC supplier slaughterhouse. Employees were deliberately kicking, stomping on, and slamming live chickens against a wall, spitting tobacco into their eyes, and ripping their heads and beaks off with their bare hands. Previously, a former employee of another top KFC supplier came forward with accounts of employees using "dry ice bombs" to blow chickens apart, snapping their legs for fun, and intentionally scalding them to death in feather removal tanks. These abuses are in addition to KFC suppliers’ routine practices of callously shackling chickens upside down, often breaking their legs in the process, and slitting the throats of conscious birds.

KFC has so far refused to implement comprehensive guidelines developed by its own animal welfare panelists to prevent these and other abuses. Until it does, compassionate people everywhere are protesting and choosing to steer clear of the Colonel.

Photos: [ 1 I 2 I 3 ]
Audio: KFC Protest in Santa Cruz

[ Progressive Animal Rights Alliance I KFC Demo in Santa Cruz - Oct 2004 I Giant KFC Protest in SF (2/5/05) I Kentucky Fried Cruelty ]