Think Outside the Crate Campaign


	Farm Sanctuary

Nationwide, about one million calves raised for veal and six million breeding sows (female pigs) suffer nearly their entire lives inside tiny crates so small the animals can't even turn around.

Veal factory farmers separate calves from their mothers within the first few days of birth and cram them into individual crates or stalls, tethered by their necks. Inside these enclosures, the calves can barely move. The veal industry is a direct byproduct of the dairy industry and depends on it for survival.

Breeding sows suffer a similar fate. Throughout nearly their entire four-month pregnancies, the animals are confined inside individual metal gestation crates barely bigger than their own bodies, unable to perform many of their natural behaviors.

Due to animal welfare concerns, the entire European Union has already banned both veal crates and gestation crates, effective 2007 and 2013, respectively. Yet, in the United States, the use of these abusive crates remains customary practice.

For both calves and pigs, intensive confinement in crates causes painful and severe welfare problems. The HSUS is working to end the cruelty inherent in veal and gestation crate confinement:

In Legislatures and on Ballots

The HSUS was the primary force behind several bans on these extreme confinement practices. Such victories include:

2002: Florida voters ban gestation crates by a 55-45 vote.
2006: Arizona voters ban both gestation crates and veal crates by a 62-38 vote.
2007: Oregon legislature bans gestation crates.
2008: Colorado legislature bans both gestation crates and veal crates.
2008: California voters ban gestation crates, veal crates and battery cages by a 63.5-36.5 vote.
2009: Maine legislature bans both veal crates and gestation crates.
2009: Michigan legislature bans veal crates, gestation crates and battery cages.

With Corporations, Restaurants and Institutions

Already, restaurant and grocery chains like Burger King, Wendy's, McDonald's, Chipotle, Quiznos and Whole Foods are using pork from pigs not confined in crates. Chipotle, a nationwide Mexican restaurant chain, refuses to use pork from crates pigs, with their CEO Steve Ells stating, "Until you see factory farming, it's not part of your thinking," he said. "As soon as I was exposed to that, I knew I didn't want to be a part of that. And I certainly didn't want my success to be part of that exploitation." Another giant in the food industry, Wolfgang Puck , ended his use of veal from crated calves and pork from crated sows.

In January 2007, Smithfield, the nation's largest pork producer, made a landmark announcement: that it will phase out the confinement of pigs over the next decade. The decision came after Arizona and Florida voters approved measures to outlaw the crates. In February 2007, Cargill, the nation's eighth biggest pig producer, sent a letter to The HSUS stating that it has been transitioning away from gestation crates in its operations and that more than half of its sows are no longer confined in them.

Also in January 2007, two of the country's largest veal producers committed to phasing out the use of tiny crates to confine veal calves. Strauss Veal, the leading U.S. veal producer, and Marcho Farms both pledged to convert their operations to crate-free group housing systems within two to three years.

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See the Video

Thinking Outside the Crate

Confinement by Crate

Farm Animal Legislation

Pigs Photo Gallery

An HSUS Report: Welfare Issues with Gestation Crates for Pregnant Sows

The Welfare of Intensively Confined Animals in Battery Cages, Gestation Crates, and Veal Crates

An HSUS Report: The Welfare of Animals in the Veal Industry

Scientists and Experts on Gestation Crates and Sow Welfare