Sep26
Victory! Hardee's and Carl's Jr. Make Big Changes
Posted at 01:39 PM | Permalink
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Comments (45)
After more than a year of discussions with PETA, CKE Restaurants (the parent company of Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr.) has announced a new animal welfare program that will phase in cage-free eggs, and begin sourcing pork from suppliers that don’t use cruel gestation crates for pregnant pigs. The plan also gives consideration to poultry suppliers that are willing to use controlled-atmosphere killing, which is the most humane form of slaughter available.
Here's what Hardee's spokesman Jeff Mochal said about the change:
"We take the animal welfare concerns very seriously. When you meet with PETA they make a pretty good case. We want to stay consistent with where the industry is at now and where it's heading."
This is another victory for farmed animals, and it is a sign that there is a major upheaval in the industry, with many of the biggest players (with the notable exception of KFC, which is still decades behind) making significant improvements in their animal welfare standards in response to pressure from the animal protection community and compassionate consumers. In just the past year, Smithfield Foods, Maple Leaf Foods, and Cargill Meat Solutions took steps to phase out gestation crates for pigs, and Burger King and Wendy's restaurants made similar changes affecting millions of animals.
I make these points whenever we have a victory like this, but I want to really emphasize them this time:
- Yes, this is a victory for animals. It means that millions upon millions of pigs and chickens will be spared some of the worst tortures that they currently suffer, and it is a sign that with hard work, we can effect change for the better.
- No, this doesn't mean that our work is anywhere near finished. It just means that our work is effective, and that we have an incentive to work harder and push for more change.
- Torturing animals less in factory farms is always a good thing, but the best thing that you can do if you want to help animals is to go vegan.
Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to get these improvements at Hardees and Carls Jr.! And thanks to CKE Restaurants for helping to encourage such significant changes in their suppliers, and the industry at large.
TAGGED:
carl's jr hardees animal welfare cke
Comments
Great job PETA!
However, I will continue to boycott Smithfield Foods because of the way they treat minority and immigrant workers in their plants.
I also think that in order to save all animals, that everyone needs to go vegan.
Posted by: Brandon Harris | September 26, 2007 02:31 PM
Poco a poco, as they say in Spanish. Little by little.
THANK YOU, CKE.
Posted by: Steve | September 26, 2007 03:19 PM
Poco a poco, as they say in Spanish. Little by little.
THANK YOU, CKE.
I think this type of victory speaks very highly of our PETA negotiators. When they sit down at the table with corporate leaders, suit-and-tie people, they actually come across as rational and professional. We aren't total kooks! This becomes apparent any time PETA sends representatives to tv interviews or press briefings. Good work!
Posted by: Steve | September 26, 2007 03:25 PM
CKE Restaurants is moving in the right direction. That's good to hear.
Now KFC, on the other hand, isn't. Not only are the folks at KFC ignoring our pleas to get their act together, but the cruel company is working on aligning itself with celebs like Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.
Per Access Hollywood, Anthony recently admitted that he harbors a major KFC addiction, saying, "I can't eat anything else after a concert."
KFC president Gregg Dedrick publicly extended an open invitation to the couple that read:
"We would like to offer you, your entourage and a few VIP guests an 'all access' pass to the KFC location of your choice. You have a bucketful of choices for 'after party' locations because KFC has more than 5,500 restaurants across the country. Hearing about your fondness for KFC was music to our ears, so just name the time and the place and we'll open our doors to you for a post-concert feast."
As she told Access Hollywood recently, "People were like, 'What about the [tour] bus, Jennifer, was that hard?' I'm like, 'No. The Kentucky Fried Chicken was the killer.' "
KFC, A KILLER? That's right!
Posted by: Veronica Soto | September 26, 2007 03:26 PM
CKE Restaurants is moving in the right direction. That's good to hear.
Now KFC, on the other hand, isn't. Not only are the folks at KFC ignoring our pleas to get their act together, but the cruel company is working on aligning itself with celebs like Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.
Per Access Hollywood, Anthony recently admitted that he harbors a major KFC addiction, saying, "I can't eat anything else after a concert."
KFC president Gregg Dedrick publicly extended an open invitation to the couple that read:
"We would like to offer you, your entourage and a few VIP guests an 'all access' pass to the KFC location of your choice. You have a bucketful of choices for 'after party' locations because KFC has more than 5,500 restaurants across the country. Hearing about your fondness for KFC was music to our ears, so just name the time and the place and we'll open our doors to you for a post-concert feast."
As she told Access Hollywood recently, "People were like, 'What about the [tour] bus, Jennifer, was that hard?' I'm like, 'No. The Kentucky Fried Chicken was the killer.' "
KFC, A KILLER? That's right!
Posted by: Veronica Soto | September 26, 2007 03:28 PM
I like your #3.
Posted by: Ana | September 26, 2007 03:30 PM
These companies need to listen to us, the consumer
We care about animals! We care about humane issues!
Posted by: kelly | September 26, 2007 06:55 PM
I am glad to hear this news. I expect it will make the quality of their food better as well. Most of you don't eat meat, but it is well established amongst discriminatory omnivores that meat from stressed animals is not as tasty. Thanks Peta for ramrodding this.
Posted by: Christopher Cochran MD | September 26, 2007 09:42 PM
why is it fast food will go-cruelty free, but not offer vegan burgers?..
Posted by: gary fair | September 26, 2007 11:03 PM
i love these victory stories... just when it seems that there's no hope...these come along to boost you. Thank God...i needed it today
Posted by: Russell | September 27, 2007 12:19 AM
" but the best thing that you can do if you want to help animals is to go vegan."
Care to explain how going vegan would help an animal?
"but not offer vegan burgers?.."
Because there's no viable market for them because they taste like yuck.
Posted by: Mars | September 27, 2007 07:44 AM
Good for PETA! This is what keeps me a member. No, it's not an ideal solution (that would be if everyone went vegan) but to get the big companies to make more humane choices is a big step.
Posted by: Susannah S | September 27, 2007 08:53 AM
gary, how many vegans actually visit such establishments? I didn't think they would be happy having their vegeburgers cooked on the same hotplate as a meat patty and fried egg. Or can you get that special taste without the guilt.
Posted by: rojo | September 27, 2007 09:56 AM
To: All
Re: "Christopher Cochran, M.D."
As a lot of us might be aware, Dr.(?)C., has become quite controversial on this forum. Perhaps that is because he has a need to "seek attention." Due to his last response to me under the heading: "Rob Zombie does not eat flesh," Dr.(?) has finally prompted me to pass on some general insights about him since I actually was educated and worked in the med. profession. (nothing great, definitely not bragging, nevertheless I am quite familiar with the med.pro., as anyone else would be with their related fields or jobs - and anyone can choose to believe me or not)
The reason why I always put (?) after "Dr." when addressing him is because I neither confirm nor deny that he is actually a doctor. That is "consistent with" the most deeply ingrained rule of the med. pro.: NEVER ASSUME. (the slightest assumption could be cause for the greatest mistake) Ingrained rules, along with common every day words and phrases that are frequently used in the med. pro., are commonly carried over into one's life otherwise. My point to this is that Dr.(?)C. has continually made a lot of assumptions about the people he was addressing on this forum, including myself. For some examples: he assumed that I live in an urban area, and he assumed others on this forum are less educated than him. (not having any known facts to support his comments) Meanwhile, he can't come to the conclusion if he has 3 or 4 degrees.
I have worked with the most excellent physicians, to the mediocre, to ones who shouldn't even have the title of "M.D." in the same sentence with their names. I am not going to assume how busy Dr.(?) should be with his patients(?), but I can fairly say that the most dedicated doctors I know wouldn't have a minute to spare to sit behind their computers for the reason of attempting to insult a/r's activists, nor any other groups or orgs. If anything, they would be doing research on their computers, especially since medical science involves continuous learning.
I do have more insights, however I realize that this has become very lengthy. So I will end with this: I consider ANY doctor who "assumes" about anything to be dangerous to his/her patients, and to me, that nullifies any "expertise" that Dr.(?)C. claimed he intended on providing to this forum.
Posted by: Ariel | September 27, 2007 11:33 AM
Great news PETA!
Keep fighting the GOOD FIGHT!!
Patty
Posted by: patty | September 27, 2007 11:50 AM
Vegan Burgers? Cause they're worried we as consumers may just like it and prefer it over eating animals! What kind of uproar would that bring! Try it CKE!!
Posted by: Carla | September 27, 2007 12:01 PM
What was the deal? To what did PETA agree? There are very serious concerns here.
Posted by: Albert Kaplan | September 27, 2007 01:17 PM
There are some very good vegie burgers, like by Mornigstar Farms, which if not all vegan, still are much better.
Peta should offer to cook some samples for the executives and show them how the veggie burgers really do taste good.
The restuarants could do what happens many places where they have samples with toothpicks in them for people to take and try, like with ketchup.
I think a good case can be made to the executives to offer veggie burgers if Peta makes a lunch for the execs and gives them samples and recipes.
Also, it is environmentally friendly and compassionate, which the restuartants can use to help sell and make business, since the animal holocaust is the top environmental enemy!
Those execs know they would not like to die the way those animals are killed, and they can be shown that the reports on how the animals affect the environment and shown how to make advertise so that people who care about global warming and other polution (sewage, etc.) and about animal cruelty will go try the veggie burger, stop in for a sample and stuff.
Worth a try!
Posted by: stoptorture | September 27, 2007 02:23 PM
There are some very good vegie burgers, like by Morningstar Farms, which if not all vegan, still are much better.
Peta should offer to cook some samples for the executives and show them how the veggie burgers really do taste good.
The restuarants could do what happens many places where they have samples with toothpicks in them for people to take and try, like with ketchup.
I think a good case can be made to the executives to offer veggie burgers if Peta makes a lunch for the execs and gives them samples and recipes.
Also, it is environmentally friendly and compassionate, which the restuartants can use to help sell and make business, since the animal holocaust is the top environmental enemy!
Those execs know they would not like to die the way those animals are killed, and they can be shown that the reports on how the animals affect the environment and shown how to make advertise so that people who care about global warming and other polution (sewage, etc.) and about animal cruelty will go try the veggie burger, stop in for a sample and stuff.
Worth a try!
Posted by: stoptorture | September 27, 2007 02:23 PM
They could start in some select stores as a trial program at least.
Posted by: stoptorture | September 27, 2007 02:25 PM
Mars, you have been on these blogs for several months now. You know exactly why veganism helps animals, so do not bother asking a question just for the sake of having something (useless) to say.
Posted by: Michele | September 27, 2007 02:35 PM
Ariel
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTELLIGENT AND INSIGHTFUL COMMENTS September 27 11:33 a.m. I have friends that are medical DR's and have dated a few and NONE of them had the copious amount of time cochran has to spend on an AR blog in order to make cruel comments about the next variety of species that he will kill/murder. I do not believe he is a doctor; he is a lonely, friend-less cowardly hunter who enjoys killing animals. Responding to his comments are a waste of time. His petty comments about animal advocates ("angry herbivores" "your ilk" etc.) just lack both professionalism and maturity. He is pathetic and it is most beneficial not to respond to his useless comments.
Ariel, keep fighting the good fight!
Posted by: Ana | September 27, 2007 04:07 PM
The original Boca Burger is a delicious vegan burger!
Posted by: Ana | September 27, 2007 04:08 PM
I have to admit, I tried Burger King's "BK Veggie" once, and I bit down on something hard the first bite. I don't know if they just didn't cook it right or what, but it tasted awful. And that was the rare occasion I could get one...every other time I requested it I was told they were "out." Finally the cashier said they didn't even carry it, despite it being on the menu, and that the only BK in town that carried it was the one in the student union on campus, because "they figured university-types were more into that stuff." I really think BK just puts the veggie burger on their menu as a "feel-good" thing, because they A. don't want to sell it, and B. know no self-respecting vegan would ever give BK business.
I'll take my grilled-at-home Boca Burgers, thank you very much! And remember...for every bean burrito you buy at Taco Bell, a third of that goes into KFC's pocket!
Posted by: BullyDawg | September 27, 2007 05:31 PM
"Mars, you have been on these blogs for several months now. You know exactly why veganism helps animals, so do not bother asking a question just for the sake of having something (useless) to say."
Veganism end result is the extinction of animal species that are now used as food,fur,leather.ect.. It is fact that once an animal becomes "useless" to humans then that animal specie dwindles and dies.It may not have been so in the past but the fact today is that humans have destroyed critical animal habitat and without human intervention/protection the animal cannot exist on it's own.The other fact is that intervention/protection costs money and only hunters/meat eaters give the biggest economic boosts to these animals.
Posted by: Mars | September 27, 2007 06:11 PM
I have found "Lick's" veggie burgers at my local grocery store here in Eastern Ontario. They taste great, and they have a "kid" sized one which is half the size of their regular burger (therefore half the calories, fat, etc) yet it is still filling enough.
I also love the Harvey's veggie burgers (I think that might be a Canadian chain only) - they were voted to be the best fast-food veggie burgers in the country. I know meat eaters who eat these veggie burgers because they taste delicious and are really low in fat!
More and more restaurants and grocery stores are responding to the increased demand for veg foods, and these companies are realizing that even their omnivorous consumers are increasingly expecting to have options that include meat from animals that were subjected to more humane conditions than they have been in the past.
As a vegan, I only support the elimination of factory farming, however I am also a realist, and recognize that this is yet another victory for animal rights.
Mars, you are clearly from another planet (a planet of LOSERS). Yeah, we better save the animals just so we can kill them - that's such a GREAT reason to preserve a species. Sometimes I think you are really just a silly 12 year old boy who has nothing better to do but to think of increasingly moronic comments just to get a reaction. Yes, you obviously got a reaction out of me, but what you cannot see/hear is that I am not upset, but am laughing at you! And I am pretty sure that the other animal lovers on this site are also amused by your specious comments. Thanks for the humorous interlude :)
Posted by: Michele | September 27, 2007 09:57 PM
mars
We have read/heard the same old mundane propaganda crap ad nauseum. Try to be a little more original.
"....biggest economic boosts to these animals", you mean slaughtered animals get high salaries? Veganism leads to ahimsa.
Posted by: Ana | September 28, 2007 09:00 AM
Mars,
You said, "It is fact that once an animal becomes "useless" to humans then that animal specie dwindles and dies."
Examples, please.
Posted by: Mike Quinoa | September 28, 2007 11:41 AM
Yikes ana, talk about assumptions. Ariel, I am just getting down to your level. Animal activists make assumptions and generalizations about people like me all the time. You are making assumptions about physicians. You are neither a physician or a hunter, yet you and all the people who find your comments INTELLIGENT and INSIGHTFUL, have made and continue to make assumptions about me. Being from a rural area of the South, we get very used to bigotry and prejudice from those not from our area.
You seem to be no exception. If the best you can do is to make assumptions based on my spending of my free time, then
you don't have much evidence or argument to stand on. I mentioned before, I am in between hunting seasons, so I have a little extra free time.
The common misconception that physicians must work like dogs is false. The doctors who work like that, in general, have no hobbies. I know many physicians who are in their offices on Friday evening. They must not have anything they do for fun, or they can't stand their wife or husband, or both. I work as hard as I want to and make a great living for my family, and I still have time to chat with new friends on this blog.
Posted by: Christopher Cochran MD | September 28, 2007 11:46 AM
Ana,
I thank YOU for taking the time to read my comments and replying to me - and for saying what I would like to say - that I don't believe he is an actual M.D. (if he is, he is definitely not professional.) Even after years of being out of commission, it is still ingrained in me not to assume anything. His very first comments were filled with assumptions (and thereafter), as well as false speculations, so that peaked my interest in his claims and credibility.
You are right about your social relationships with doctors. One does not have to be particularly involved in the med. field in order to know that REAL professional doctors couldn't be bothered - nor have the time - to be nonsensical like Cochran. Anyway, I agree with your total perception of him. And I am certainly not going to waste my time responding to him. However, he will make the decision for me if he wants me to continue with more insights about him, pending any further nonsensical comments from him.
Since he chose not to intelligently learn about a/r's - as I politely suggested to him several times - then there are at least two things he should have learned about a/r's activists:
1. we do not get offended.
2. we do not back down.
He has a right to his own beliefs - pathetic though they are - but again, your description of him says it all, and I fully agree.
And, Ana, I caught the jist of one of your comments to another nonsensical poster, Mars, asking him if he originated from Uranus. (ur anus) That was too funny! : )
Posted by: Ariel | September 28, 2007 12:47 PM
Posted before, but will try again:
Mars, you said:
"It is fact that once an animal becomes "useless" to humans then that animal specie dwindles and dies."
Examples, please.
Posted by: Mike Quinoa | September 29, 2007 01:12 PM
"that's such a GREAT reason to preserve a species. "
Fact remains that if an animal is to survive then that animal must be useful to humans in one form or another.In the case of food animals, cows for example. What other use would make it worth someones time and effort to keep a cow? A cow is expensive to raise and maintain so keeping one as a "pet", which PETA opposes,is impractical and not very likely.
"Examples, please."
No problem. Rhinos and elephants where in serious trouble as they where not worth much to AR types.Not many of you would travel to see them let alone help fund habitat for them.Hunters that pay tens of thousands of dollars per animal to hunt is what saved those animals.Those Countries then had funds to buy habitat, provide protection and food for the the remaining animals.Left to the devices of the non-consumption types then those animals would have become extinct.
Posted by: Mars | September 29, 2007 02:18 PM
To: ALL
Re: "Christopher Cochran, M.D." part 2, per his decision, 9-28-07 (please refer)
Notice how C. conveys some of his initial comments with "absolutes." That is not consistent with physicians' thinking, who undeniably must consider their patients as individuals, not en masse.
He is not able to quote any prejudiced or bigoted comments from me because there is nothing to quote, yet he alluded to me being a bigot and prejudice, basing it on his location, and I suppose, previous experiences.
He alluded to another false accusation: "If the best you can do is make assumptions based on my free time..."
There are no mandatory laws requiring that physicians must work like dogs, therefore, it is not necessarily a "common misconception" but more so an awareness, which is based on knowledge about their dedication, professionalism, need, and/or specialty, such as surgery.
In total, my initial comments about C. brought attention to his blatant assumptions in his comments to the a/r's activists on this forum, which "assumptions" are neither consistent with nor acceptable in the med. field. Neither is thinking in "absolutes" or "alluding." If that were to be so, then physicians would be spending the majority of their time in court.
"...CHAT with my new friends on this blog"? (more like attempting to belittle, degrade, insult.) With that, he maintained a consistency with conveying the same attitude about his "peers."(?)
Applying this to an animal rights' blog site - as fellow a/r's have activists commented - in essence, it is disturbing to know for anyone who is supposed to have such compassion for living beings, that it comes to a halt with the innocent animals.
Posted by: Ariel | September 29, 2007 04:55 PM
Living beings? MD does not mean he's an animal vet. Nor does being an animal vet mean that person does not hunt or eat meat.
Animals are not be innocent any more then they can be guilty. Those are legal terms and animals cannot be held legaly liable for anything they do or don't do.
Posted by: Mars | October 1, 2007 07:36 AM
Mars said,
"Rhinos and elephants where in serious trouble as they where not worth much to AR types."
Where is your proof of this?
Mars, you said:
"It is fact that once an animal becomes "useless" to humans then that animal specie dwindles and dies."
That sounds like quite an absolutist statement, and all you can come up with are 2 questionable examples?
Posted by: Mike Quinoa | October 1, 2007 12:14 PM
Mars' statement holds truth. In African countries that have outlawed hunting, the wildlife populations are in peril. Mostly due to landowners using the land for economic reasons that aren't compatible with large herbivores. Safari hunting supports game wardens, habitat restructuring and wildlife flourishes as a result. Not many people will pay tens of thousands of dollars to ride in a jeep and take pictures of elephants, so lots more jeep trips with photographers means more damage to the environment. It is a complicated issue.
Posted by: Christopher Cochran MD | October 1, 2007 04:40 PM
The proof is history, go read it.
You asked for examples and you got them. You did not ask for a specific number of examples.There are plenty more, go check out the endangered species list and see who funds the recovery efforts as an example.You will not find PETA,HSUS or any AR group providing funds to save these animals.
Posted by: Mars | October 1, 2007 05:05 PM
I think Mars believes that elephants and rhinos are not "worth" that much to animal rights people because he does not see huge news stories about them like the Mick Vick story from this summer. I am pretty sure that animal rights people have tried helping these other animals, for example working toward stopping the illegal trade of ivory from elephant's tusks. Just because it is not on PETA's blog does not mean it's an unimportant issue.
I wonder how Mars would explain how dinosaurs and other prehistoric species managed to live for so many millions of years without humans to keep them alive?
Posted by: Michele | October 1, 2007 06:17 PM
The word innocent, while certainly having a legal meaning, also means:
"Uncorrupted by evil, malice, or wrongdoing; sinless: an innocent child."
The word guilty, while also having a legal meaning, also means:
"Responsible for... a reprehensible act; deserving of blame; culpable: guilty of cheating; the guilty party." and "Suffering from or prompted by a sense of guilt"
Humans have the brain capacity to KNOW when they are doing something wrong. Humans should know better than to kill innocent animals. Non-humans do not kill their prey out of malice, it is instinctual and is their way of surviving. Humans DO NOT need to kill non-humans to survive (and do not just say we do because you think so - it is pretty obvious, with so many vegetarians and vegans out there who somehow manage to still be alive [and healthy] after 1, 5, 10, 15, 30+ years).
Posted by: Michele | October 1, 2007 08:33 PM
Mars said, "The proof is history, go read it."
Uh, can you be a little more specific?
How about a link?
"You asked for examples and you got them. You did not ask for a specific number of examples."
Okay, give me ten. Since you opined, ""It is fact that once an animal becomes "useless" to humans then that animal species dwindles and dies", there should be countless examples.
Posted by: Mike Quinoa | October 2, 2007 02:28 PM
so michele where are those pre-historic creatures now?:)
Posted by: rojo | October 3, 2007 07:27 AM
" for example working toward stopping the illegal trade of ivory from elephant's tusks. "
It was already made illegal by hunters long before AR was even a thought.The US Fish and Wildlife Custom Inspectors are the responsible agency in the U.S..
"I think Mars believes that elephants and rhinos are not "worth" that much to animal rights people because he does not see huge news stories about them like the Mick Vick story from this summer. "
How many of you pay $20,000. to go see them?
"The former farmers have imported elephant, lion, buffalo, panther and rhino.
Trophies in demand
They earn their living from two sorts of tourist. The first comes to see the animals, and to film them. But the others are hunters, foreigners willing to pay huge sums to bag a trophy.
There are too many elephants in southern Africa for their own good
If you thought big game hunting was a throw-back to colonial Africa, think again. It is big business. And its supporters say the money it generates helps to protect Africa's wildlife - sacrificing a few individuals to save whole species.
Hunting can also pump money into the local economy, giving people a reason to protect their animals. The Campfire Project in Zimbabwe says that for local people "the issue is survival, not conservation".
But once they see animals attracting high-spending visitors, so long as a share of the money comes to them they will take care of the wildlife."
Posted by: Mars | October 3, 2007 08:06 AM
Michele, your definitions are on the mark. Every one of them refers to a legal sense of responsibility or lack of.To be innocent a being must also have the capability of being guilty otherwise they are neither.
Too bad that the fact that meat eaters live very long lives and hold the records for longevity mess up your vegan potential.
Posted by: Mars | October 4, 2007 08:11 AM
Go PETA-- maybe some day, we'll all eat as close to vegan as possible! Save the planet!
Posted by: Jennifer M | November 18, 2007 01:18 PM
I WORK AT A CKE RESTURANT, SO THIS IS GREAT TO FIND OUT.
Posted by: CAT & JOSH | September 26, 2008 03:44 PM