WASHINGTON - The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the nation’s largest animal protection organization with 9 million members and constituents, today announced another success in the effort to combat the inhumane treatment of animals on farms. In cooperation with Aramark, food service provider for the Universityof Rochesterin New York, the institution has agreed to eliminate the use and sale of eggs from caged birds, effective September 26, 2005. University of Rochester currently serves approximately 1,050 pounds of eggs each week.
Assistant Food Service Director Mark Watkins states, “Students have made clear their concern regarding animal welfare, so we have worked with them to exclusively purchase eggs from cage-free hens.”
In the United States, approximately 95 percent of eggs sold come from hens confined in barren “battery cages,” wire enclosures so small the birds can’t even spread their wings or engage in many other natural behaviors, such as nesting, foraging, perching, and dust bathing. The cages are stacked one on top of another inside huge warehouses on factory farms. Each bird is afforded less space than a single sheet of paper on which to live, leading to extremely high levels of stress and frustration.
The HSUS advised the University of Rochester students and provided information on egg producers who do not use cruel battery cages. Regarding the institution’s leadership role in animal welfare via its adoption of a cage-free policy, The HSUS Factory Farming Campaign Manager Paul Shapiro asserts, “The University of Rochester and Aramark have taken a bold step by phasing out the sale of eggs from caged birds, and we applaud their efforts to help reduce animal suffering and encourage other schools to follow suit.”
University of Rochester junior Kathryn Pelka initiated the process. She remarked, “Batterycages for egg-laying hens are so abusive, we knew that our school wouldn’t want to be associated with them. By offering only cage-free eggs, Aramark and the Universityof Rochesterhave set the stage for helping countless animals and set a positive example.”
The Humane Society of the United Statesis the nation’s largest animal protection organization with over 9 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals and equine protection, 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 Washingtonand has field representatives across the country. On the web at hsus.org.
