WASHINGTON — Today, the nation's largest animal protection organization announced that Dartmouth College has become the 80th university in the United States to implement a more humane policy for the eggs it uses. Dartmouth is switching to cage-free shell eggs in its dining halls, a move that The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) praised as an important step for animal welfare.
Dartmouth Dining Services has chosen to eliminate the use of shell eggs from caged birds from its student dining facilities, effective immediately. In one ten-week term, the university uses approximately 64,800 eggs.
"Dartmouth College believes in the importance of social responsibility and animal welfare, so we are proud to use cage-free eggs in our dining facilities," stated Tucker Rossiter, Director of Dartmouth Dining Services. "In addition, we are pleased that we are using a local source for cage-free eggs."
Dartmouth joins a growing list of schools refusing to use eggs from caged birds. Dozens of other colleges and universities have eliminated or are phasing out the use of eggs from caged hens, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of New Hampshire, University of Connecticut, Tufts University, Georgetown University, University of Rochester, and American University.
The colleges and universities join several major grocery chains that have implemented similar policies. Companies such as Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, Jimbo's Naturally, and Earth Fare eliminated their sales of battery cage eggs. Trader Joe's converted all of its brand eggs to cage-free. And food service provider Bon Appétit began phasing in exclusively cage-free eggs for all of its 190 cafés.
"Dartmouth's switch to cage-free eggs is a positive statement that animal welfare is an important part of social responsibility," commented Paul Shapiro, Factory Farming Campaign manager for The HSUS. "We applaud Dartmouth's support for improved animal welfare practices, and we encourage other schools to follow its example."
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 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 www.hsus.org.
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