Nation's Largest Animal Protection Organization Asks White House to Put the Chicken Before the Egg

WASHINGTON — The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has sent a letter to the White House asking that officials in charge of the annual Easter Egg Roll and egg hunt consider a more humane option: cage-free eggs. The nation's largest animal protection group contends that the standard battery cages that intensively confine most egg-laying hens are cruel and inhumane.

The White House Easter Egg Roll is the largest public event that the White House holds each year, attracting thousands of attendees. Geared toward young children, the Egg Roll uses approximately 11,000 eggs for the roll races and egg hunt. The White House provides another 4,000 eggs for children to dye.

The letter asks Sara Armstrong, director of the White House Visitors Office and the coordinator of the event, to simply use cage-free eggs instead of abusive battery cage eggs for the festivities.

"Caged egg-laying hens are among the most abused animals in the world of factory farming today," explains The HSUS factory farming campaign manager Paul Shapiro in the letter. "Simply by using cage-free eggs, the White House can teach kindness and compassion to American children—and the nation as a whole."

Approximately 95 percent of the nation's nearly 300 million egg-laying hens are confined in tiny, filthy wire battery cages. These barren cages provide each hen with less space than a sheet of letter-sized paper in which to live her entire life, leading to extremely high levels of stress and frustration. The birds are unable even to spread their wings, let alone engage in other important natural behaviors such as nesting, foraging, perching, and dust bathing.

In response to consumer demand for more humane products, several major retailers —including Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, and Trader Joe's— have either eliminated or greatly reduced their reliance on eggs from caged hens. More than 75 colleges and universities have done the same, including Georgetown University, American University, and University of New Hampshire. Many of these schools are served by Bon Appétit Management Company, which is a nationwide food service company that implemented a phase-out of eggs from caged birds.

-30-

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with 9.5 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, animals in research and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy, and field work. The non-profit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. On the web at hsus.org.