Hollywood Becomes Fourth Florida City to Oppose One of Factory Farming's Worst Abuses

Today, the Hollywood City Commission unanimously passed a resolution opposing one of the most notorious factory farming abuses: cramming egg-laying hens into tiny battery cages where they can barely move. 

The resolution states that the commission "opposes battery cage egg production, based on the inherent cruelty of confining egg-laying hens in battery cages," and further "encourages consumers of eggs not to purchase eggs produced by caged hens."

Hollywood Commissioner Cathleen Anderson introduced the resolution after working with city resident Robin Budin. Commissioner Anderson states, "I'm proud that Hollywood has joined other Florida cities in opposing the cruel confinement of hens in cages so small, they can hardly move for their entire lives."

"Hollywood's commissioners are leading by example on an important animal welfare issue: the deplorable confinement of egg-laying hens in battery cages," comments Paul Shapiro, senior director of The Humane Society of the United States' factory farming campaign. "This vote is further indication of increasing societal opposition to this type of animal abuse—the egg industry should heed the growing demand to end its use of battery cages."

Heather Veleanu, managing director for the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, states, "The Hollywood City Commission should be applauded for becoming the latest in a snowballing number of Florida cities that have cast their socially responsible vote against battery cages."

Facts

• Hollywood is the fourth Florida city (and eighth in the nation) to pass a resolution on battery cage confinement, joining West Palm Beach, Winter Springs and New Port Richey. Florida-based Burger King is even moving away from eggs from caged hens.
• U.S. factory farms confine approximately 280 million hens in barren battery cages that are so small, the birds can't even spread their wings. Each bird has less space than a single sheet of paper on which to live.
• There is a snowballing national movement against battery cages. Wolfgang Puck is ending his use of cage eggs. Several grocery chains, including Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, have stopped selling cage eggs. Companies such as AOL and Google have ended the use of cage eggs in their employee cafeterias.
• Cage-free hens generally have 250-300 percent more space per bird and are able to engage in more of their natural behaviors than are caged hens. While cage free hens may not be able to go outside, they are able to walk, spread their wings, and lay their eggs in nests—all behaviors permanently denied to hens confined in battery cages.

Timeline

• October 2007—Hollywood, Fla. becomes the eighth city to unanimously pass a bill condemning battery cages and encouraging egg consumers not to purchase eggs from caged hens.
• March 2007—Burger King announces that it has started phasing in the use of cage-free eggs in its North American locations.
• March 2007—Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck announces that he will no longer use cage eggs.
• September 2006—Ben & Jerry's announces that it will phase out the use of eggs from caged hens in all its ice creams.
• May 2005—Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace announce that they have ended sales of eggs from caged hens.
• November 2003—The Better Business Bureau rules that it is misleading to label eggs from battery-caged hens as "Animal Care Certified."

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization—backed by 10 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty—on the web at humanesociety.org.

The Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF) is a non-profit organization devoted to promoting respect and compassion for non-human animals. ARFF was founded in 1989 by a small group of dedicated volunteers, and has grown to more than 4,000 members.