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| The McCruelty Unhappy Meal. Photo: PETA |
The animal rights organization lifted its moratorium on the McCruelty Campaign this year and since June has distributed Chicken McCruelty Unhappy Meals to McDonald's customers outside about a dozen restaurants around the country.
"McDonald's markets its food to children by packaging it in brightly colored boxes with toys," Lindsay Rajt, a spokeswoman for PETA, tells Slashfood. "But most kids really love animals, and if they knew that McDonald's suppliers were breaking the wings and legs of gentle animals like chickens, I think that you'd have to drag kids into McDonald's kicking and screaming."
The campaign, though, has parents "hatin' it."
A PETA protest of a McDonald's in Albany, N.Y., upset parents on Thursday, WXXA-TV reports.
"I don't want my son to be around something like this," parent Stephanie Gipson told the station. "This is not fair for a child."
But Rajt says children have seen worse things than PETA's Unhappy Meal, which comes "stained with blood" and containing a bloody rubber chicken, a cutout of a knife-wielding Ronald McDonald, photos of mutilated animals and a Chicken McCruelty T-shirt.
"Kids deserve to be told the truth and we really do need to give them credit," she says. "The bottom line is that they've really seen much worse in movies and videogames, and we all know that kids empathize with animals."
McDonald's told Slashfood that it expects the humane treatment of animals from its suppliers.
Our goal has always been to lead the industry by bringing about improvements in animal welfare including rigorous, ongoing audits of our suppliers' facilities.
"McDonald's works with leading independent animal welfare experts and makes decisions based upon science to promote continuous improvement in animal welfare as part of our broader sustainable supply chain initiatives," Bob Langert, McDonald's vice president of corporate social responsibility, says in a statement to Slashfood.
"McDonald's continues to support our chicken suppliers' use of both controlled atmosphere stunning (CAS) and electrical stunning. There is no conclusive scientific consensus that one practice is better than the other, however, we recognize that in either method, good management practices are critical," he says. "It is also important to note that in the U.S., there are no large-scale chicken producers that currently use the CAS method, therefore demands to purchase chickens from this method to meet McDonald's supply needs are not viable."
PETA says it worked with McDonald's behind the scenes from 2000 to February 2009 before it re-instituted its McCruelty campaign. A PETA protest was expected Friday afternoon at a restaurant in South Burlington, Vt.
8-07-2009 @2:44PM eagle12687 said... According to the Bible it is okay to eat animals.
Genesis 9:2-3 "And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things." Who am I to argue with God?
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8-07-2009 @2:48PM Kisa said... This is just wrong. Peta has no rite to do this. It's bad enough that most people are afraid of clowns and they have to go and increase the number?
I don't approve of animal cruelty but I also don't approve of PETA's methods. I honestly think that they don't really care about animal rights. Anyone hear how PETA wanted a zoo in Russia to kill a baby polar bear they saved after the mother rejected it. They told the zoo that saving it was wrong beacause in the wild it would have died and that the zoo was messing up the balance of nature by saving it.
Aren't animal rights acvivists suppose to care about animals being saved? PETA needs to stop doing whatever it is they are doing. All I ever hear about them is all the crazy nutjob stuff they do. Has PETA ever actually done some sort of good in the world?
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9-17-2009 @4:10PM John Alvarez said... This really shows where peta's true motivations are, and really hurts their message (or better, their claimed message) more than it helps it. Their whole claim to fame is that they have compassion and empathy for the pain and suffering of other living things right? So, it shows how much empathy and compassion they really have by terrifying innocent little children of their own species (whom I would think they should have much more compassion for) to make a point. This was obviously done for the media coverage that it was sure to get, and for no other reason. Technically, by doing this, peta is no better than the "evil animal abusers" that they protest against. As a matter of fact, I think it makes them worse. I mean think about it, peta's argument is that McDonalds, or any other person or company that uses animlas for food, skins, testing, etc, does so without any consideration for the pain, terror, and suffering caused to those creatures right? Well, isn't that what peta just did with these innocent children. And believe me, I, and I think most people out there, hold children in much higher regard and importance than animals. I have no problem with peta telling, or showing adults their point, by reasonable, or if necessary, more drastic (but peaceful) means. But, this is ridiculous, I think the people involved in this should be charged with some form of harassment, or maybe even abuse of children.
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8-07-2009 @2:46PM steven said... PETA rocks!
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8-07-2009 @2:47PM Brandi P said... Our world is violent and scary enough do we need people who are trying to make it humane for animals to live on the planet, suddenly making it inhumane for people and young children too?
Why dont you all sit back and watch some of these truths behind peta.
[Copy and paste into your URL]
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=penn+and+teller+peta&search_type=&aq=3&oq=Penn+and+teller
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8-07-2009 @2:48PM jodi said... I would be suing PETA for intentional emotional distress. First off I would be in Jail because I would have knocked out anyone who came up to my kid like that in Self Defense. These people need to be reigned in.. these are not adults they are doing this to.. They are KIDS and without parents permission. They should actually be in Jail
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8-07-2009 @2:48PM Spike said... people eating tasty animals....all day long :)
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8-10-2009 @12:47PM Jeff said... Kooky liberal freaks with too much time on their hands. Animals are a source of global warming, so we need to eat as many of them as we can. Why don't these morons think of it like that?
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8-07-2009 @2:50PM noveggies said...
down with PETA. Come join my new group PETP. People for ethical treatment of plants. These damn vegans are killing all of my oxygen producing friends
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8-10-2009 @12:47PM Jeff said... Burlington, Vermont....what do you expect from those freaks?
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8-07-2009 @2:52PM angela said... PETA
People for Eating of Tasty Animals
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8-07-2009 @2:52PM mary said... Some of you might be right. It all comes down to each one of you personally.It might be true that these living creatures are on this earth which is not ours by the way, for us to consume but what makes it alright to kill them by the thousands and torture them while you are at it.How would you like to be sentenced to death and people breaking your arms and legs before you die.After two thousand years we have not learn anything.For those of you that call yourselves christians is another way of cruxifiction. We as animals that can think we need to tone down the violence in this world. There is nothing wrong with teaching your kids the truth about how this poor living things get to your table. They are our future they might be able to come with a better way to get food to our table in a more humane way and not be so wastefull.For the person that buys meat to throw it away that is sinful.We are lucky we were born in this country.Think about those poor unfortunate people that live in other parts of the world and can't afford to eat anything.Perhaps your money will be put to better use if you donate it to a charity that feeds children. Do you have any or are you planning to .
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8-07-2009 @2:53PM Ron said... PETA, like many other groups, such as MADD, are trying to make others buy into their tunnel vision way of thinking. I have had PETA people threaten my life, real or not. They spend all their money on trying to change laws, but do nothing to improve habitat, etc. The primary reason why their are more wild animals in are country today are because of the efforts of hunters and many wildlife groups, not PETA>
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8-07-2009 @2:53PM LasVegasX said... Ok, look, this is how I see it. If you're a vegetarian, then more power to you. It's your descision to eat only vegetables, but you cannot force your opinion on those who are happy with eating meat. As for the chickens being killed, think about it, if humanity was all vegetarian, then there would be problems with the chicken population. There are, at my best guess, 100-1000 more chickens to every single human in comparison. The chickens would be slaughtered anyways, I'm not saying that people should demonstrate cruelty towards them, but they are raised for the purpose of slaughter and consumption. The PETA needs to back off.
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8-07-2009 @3:29PM Jim said... I think we should boycott the idiots that fund PETA Hollywood losers and their followers.
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8-07-2009 @2:54PM SemperFi61 said... Please, oh please, let one PETA protester approach me and my daughter as we're leaving Mickey D's....I would GLADLY show him (or her) some REAL animal abuse (of the human kind)!!!
Semper Fi.
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8-07-2009 @2:54PM MarchOfTheFireAnts said... I don't approve of PETA. Not at all. Especially since they kill animals rather than save them. They are so extremist that they would rather kill the animals themselves than see "them suffer", which is a direct contradiction of their entire "organization".
"PETA’s “Animal Record” report for 2008, filed with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, shows that the animal rights group killed 95 percent of the dogs and cats in its care last year. During all of 2008, PETA found adoptive homes for just seven pets."
If you take for example, this article:
http://www.peta.org/campaigns/ar-nokillshelters.asp
in which PETA published about no kill shelters, you would find it quite the contradiction. I think they probably wrote this just to make themselves look better when it came out that they have giant freezers where the house the bodies of cats, dogs, etc that they "save" until they can cremate them. They have a 32 Million Dollar budget, but would rather spend it on "educating the public" rather than "saving animals". They think euthanasia is better than killing an animal to feed a starving child. Somehow I think that's a load of crap.
I'm all for animal rights, but anyone who is a true animal rights activist should realize that PETA is just ridiculous and inhumane TO ANIMALS, as well as TO PEOPLE.
It's also more expensive to be a vegetarian than to just eat as others do. Maybe they should re-direct their efforts AND their 32 million dollar budget to a better effort, such as making vegan food cheaper or something like that, instead of using fear to force things upon others.
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8-07-2009 @2:56PM ashleyist said... What about all the veggies that die without a voice?
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8-07-2009 @2:57PM JASpan718 said... It's true what happens in slaughterhouses is cruel, inhumane and should be stopped. It's terrible that there is not only enough supervision but most often the gov't looks the other way through it all for the sake of commerce. (Surprisingly, this includes KOSHER slaughter as well)
It's true, I believe, that children, EVERYONE should know exactly what they put in their mouths, from where it comes, and how it gets there, from farm to slaughterhouse to plate.
I also believe PETA is a detriment to it's own cause. Their extreme tactics and lack of sensitivity or common sense at all, are the reason they really don't get the right message across. The reason, many just go the other way when they see PETA coming!!
Has anyone seen the DVD called Earthlings? It's narrated by Joaquin Phoenix. Or Food, Inc, which is still playing in theaters? We should really take a look. Then simply decide for ourselves, SANS the dirty looks or innuendos, what we want to eat or not.
It's the industry that needs to be FORCED to make positive changes. Extreme changes. The way things are right now, not only is the most horrendous abuse of animals, (pets, entertainment and experimentation, included) taking place every single day, but the other side of that is that the conditions in which the slaughtering of "food animals" is occurring, is a very large reason for diseases we encounter everyday. (hence the most recent beef recall)
PETA, step back and take a look at how you express your concerns. If you're seen in a less violent and extremist light, maybe more people would actually listen rather than turn away??
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8-07-2009 @3:07PM lehner pala said... LMAO!!! That's just too funny!!
So how old are these kids, they better be younger than 10 for all these people to be getting ticked off about all this. Because that Rajt is right, kids these days see more gory things at home when watching tv, video games and movies....and "thats not fair to the kids"? what bull crap...whats not fair is when the kids are not even allowed to make their own choice on what they want to eat, what is not fair is parents who are filled to the brim with idiocy and ignorance forcing there kids to eat that crap...i mean honestly? has anyone seen HOW FAT, FAT FAT, FAAAT!!! these kids are getting these days, and parents are making and letting their kids eat such foods? Maybe FATNESS is a goal for alot of parents for their kids, along with early heart attacks, high blood pressure and lets not forget all the herbicides and insecticides and growth hormones and preservatives that inside these meats when they get eaten, and lets not dare tell our youth that killing millions of animals a year for money..our only true god is this country..is wrong, and not to mention how much of that food these fast food joints waste every single day, week, month and year, and then not to even mention how much of that meat we buy in stores gets wasted at home, because we don't eat everything on our plates, but yet we loves that pie and cake afterwords though, and again we shouldn't dare inform how much of that store meat gets wasted in the store....So oh dear god lets not dare tell our youth how much many lives of so many animals are killed in vain and are wasted and die for no other F-ing reason except for MONEY!!!! so yes if the kids are 10 and older..PETA SHOULD BE USING MORE GRAPHIC WAYS OF INFORMING!!!
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