Petition Tag - chickens

Green practices sweep the nation and our individual communities, yet we have found that there is at least one useful practice that is not allowed in Pinellas Park, backyard poultry keeping.

Backyard poultry keeping is not permitted for residentially zoned properties in Pinellas Park even though it is allowed in other cities in Pinellas County. Even the keeping of potbellies pigs is allowed but not the raising of the much more environmentally friendly and productive chicken.

We believe that allowing backyard poultry in Pinellas park will promote individual sustainability practices and public welfare without sacrificing the safety or health of the citizens in our county.

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Green practices sweep the nation and our individual communities, yet we have found that there is at least one useful practice that is not allowed in Hillsborough County, backyard poultry keeping.

Backyard poultry keeping is not permitted for residentially zoned properties in the unincorporated portions of Hillsborough County even though it is allowed in the Cities. Backyard Bee Keeping is even allowed but not the raising of the much safer chicken.

We believe that allowing backyard poultry in Hillsborough County will promote individual sustainability practices and public welfare without sacrificing the safety or health of the citizens in our county.

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Sample of Chicken Laws:

Charlottesville, VA: As many as you want.
Corvallis, OR. Unlimited chickens allowed. No roosters. Chickens must be penned.
Mountain View, CA: Up to 4 hens without a permit. Keep 25 ft. from residences. Within 25 ft. is o.k. with written consent from residences. No roosters.
Austin, TX. Up to 10 fowl per household, but keep in enclosure that's 50 ft. away from neighbors.
Downey, CA. Up to five chickens allowed per lot.
Colorado Springs, CO. A property may have a maximum of 10 fowl (chickens, ducks, etc.) requiring at least four square feet of coop area and adequate outdoor space. No roosters permitted within the city limits.

...and many, many more!

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We are requesting that our City Council amend the current city code and allow the people of Rigby Idaho to keep up to 6 chickens.

This change to the city code would add many benefits to the city of Rigby and it's citizens.

1. Health benefits: Chicken eggs are a great source of protein. Families with chickens also have a better understanding of where their food comes from and will be able to healthfully feed their family at a lower cost to themselves. Neighbors of families with chickens will benefit too from extra eggs.

2. Yard benefits: Chickens eat garden pests, and their waste is an excellent fertilizer.

3. Community benefits: A city that allows chickens are helping its' residents be more self-sufficient. This attitude of self-sufficiency increases pride in one's home, family and the community overall. A city with a progressive attitude towards local sustainability is a city many can be proud to call home and others will want to live in.

Many cities are changing their codes to allow chickens. Some examples are: Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston Texas, Topeka Kansas, Denver Colorado, New York City, New York, Las Vegas, Nevada, Los Angeles California and Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Misconceptions about chickens and their impact on a community:

1. Chickens are too loud. Actually, chickens are quieter than dogs or even songbirds. The exception of course are roosters. We propose that the keeping of roosters be prohibited once an owner knows if a chick is a rooster.

2. Cleanliness: There could be concerns that chickens are smelly or dirty. We propose that the number of chickens allowed be limited to 6 and that each chicken must have a minimum of space (4 feet per chicken) in a clean enclosed henhouse with a fully fenced outdoor enclosure. Chickens who are not crowded and who have a clean henhouse and outdoor space do not smell bad.

3. Cost to the city: There may be concerns that people won't care for their chickens and the city will have to pay to dispose of unkempt chickens. By limiting the number of hens allowed, those who want chickens paying for a license through the city and a city compliance officer who is allowed to regularly inspect henhouses. If any chickens are not being cared for the city (by use of their compliance officer or other authorized agent) will have the authority to cite owners for lack of care. Then only those who truly want to be responsible stewards of their chickens will own them in the city.

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I need 500,000 signatures to get our government to listen. I need you to listen.

Every year 3.5 billion animals are abused then slaughtered at slaughterhouses. Every cow is kept constantly pregnant to produce milk. The cow is gentically manipulated to produce ten times the amount of milk her calf needs. This puts her in unbearable pain. I wish to make genetic manipulation to be made illegal.

I wish to make cutting parts of animals off before they are dead illegal. I wish to create a law that states all slaughterhouses must have CCTV 24/7 and yearly inspections. This is to make slaughterhouses more humane before they are killed.

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We would like you to change the Ottawa Bylaw: http://ottawa.ca/residents/bylaw/a_z/acc_en.html
to allow hens in rural Ottawa; a few backyard chickens cannot be louder or dirtier than dogs if properly cared for.

A good opportunity for all to get in touch with our rural roots and teach children where the food comes from.

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To many the appointment of a Commissioner for Animal Affairs may appear to be radical, in much the same way as the abolition of slavery and the recognition of gender equality has at other points in history. There is a common link that exists between the subjects of animal protection and the subjects of these other social justice movements; their legal status as property and the fact that they are all sentient beings.

The time has come for us to shift our perspective on animals and view them as beings capable of feeling pain, rather that just as a source of food, entertainment or research.

The primary role of a Commissioner for Animal Welfare would be:
• to provide independent oversight of the existing federal legal framework,
• to promote the interests of animals as sentient beings,
• to investigate ways in which animals and humans can better coexist,
• to promote and monitor the overall safety, welfare and well-being of animals and to monitor the trends in complaints made on behalf of animals,
• to conduct special inquiries into issues affecting animals,
• to make recommendations to government and non-government agencies on legislation, policies, practices and services affecting animals,
• to promote the provision of information and advice to educate all members of society,
• to conduct, promote and monitor research and training on issues affecting animals,
• to conduct, promote and monitor public awareness activities on issues affecting animals

As a society we have embraced climate change, sustainability and biodiversity, but we must not overlook the importance of looking after the welfare and survival of our fellow beings with which we share the planet. The role of a Commissioner for Animal Welfare is a significant step towards expressing our genuine concern.

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Green practices sweep the nation and our individual communities, yet we have found that there is at least one useful practice that is not allowed in Pinellas County, backyard poultry keeping. Backyard poultry keeping is not permitted for residentially zoned properties in the unincorporated portions of Pinellas County even if they have addresses in communities that do allow backyard poultry such as St. Petersburg, Largo, Gulfport, Bellaire and Dunedin.

Thirty percent of single family households in Pinellas County have the legal right to keep backyard poultry for their own use. We believe that this right should be extended to all Pinellas County residents by amending the zoning ordinances that prohibit this practice.

We believe that allowing backyard poultry in Pinellas County will promote individual sustainability practices and public welfare without sacrificing the safety or health of the citizens in our county.

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This petition relates to the keeping of backyard ducks, chickens and any other type of fowl in Cambridge, MA. It's authors wish to show the city that there is widespread opposition to residents, tenants and homeowners raising or keeping fowl on residential property within Cambridge city limits whether for food or as pets.

We are Cambridge voters, homeowners, residents, tenants and sympathizers who wish to show the city and the members of the city council who are currently trying to enact measures that will ultimately change zoning and ordinances to permit fowl to be housed and raised within Cambridge city limits that we are steadfast in our opposition against fowl (chickens, ducks, turkeys etc.) being housed or raised on residential property in this densely populated urban setting which is Cambridge, MA for numerous and individual reasons not limited to health, odor, property and nuisance issues.

The facts are, there has been no public vote or poll of homeowners and residents by the city as to whether fowl being housed and raised in Cambridge is acceptable to the majority of the over 100,000 residents who live here.

The voice of the public at large was never heard in regards to housing or raising fowl on residential properties within Cambridge city limits. Instead, members of the city council are forging ahead with their personal agendas to try and force upon city residents the acceptance of fowl on residential properties without having first determined or taken into consideration the number of homeowners and residents who are not in favor of their actions. There has been no media coverage, announcements or polls by the City of Cambridge asking the over 100,000 residents and homeowners how they feel regarding this issue.

In light of these facts, we are using this format and others to tell the city and it's council members that there are many of us who are NOT in favor of fowl being housed or raised on residential peoperty within our city limits and we do not want city ordinances or zoning changed to allow fowl on residential property. We the Cambridge voters, homeowners and residents stand firm on this issue.

Help up keep our city fowl free. Sign the petition! Send this petition site to your neighbors and friends. Display a "NIX THE CHICKS" sign in your yard or window. Gather the signatures of your neighbors and friends in opposition to fowl housed or raised on residential properties and send to the author.

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1. The keeping of chickens in the city supports a local, sustainable food system by providing an affordable, nutritious source of protein through fresh eggs.

2. The keeping of chickens also provides free, quality, nitrogen-rich fertilizer; chemical-free pest control; animal companionship and pleasure; weed control; and less noise, mess and expense than dogs and cats.

The purpose of this petition is to provide support for standards for the keeping of domesticated chickens. It is intended to enable residents to keep a small number of female chickens on a non-commercial basis while limiting the potential adverse impacts on the surrounding neighborhood.

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Everyone knows McDonald's would be so much better with dinosaur-shaped nuggets. Dinos > Random cutouts.

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This petition relates to the keeping of backyard ducks and chickens in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Its authors wish to show the city there is broad support for residents’ right to responsibly keep a reasonable number of birds on their property.

Some background on the birds: The ducks are named Potassium, Ferdinand, and Penelope, and the chickens are Henrietta and Francis. The breeds—Cayuga ducks and Wyandotte chickens—were specifically chosen because they are quiet and docile. During the day, they enjoy foraging for food in the yard; any slugs, bugs, or mice that they catch supplements their diet of vegetarian pellets. At night they sleep in a small wooden coop about the size of a refridgerator box. Each bird has a distinctive, lovable personality and is cared for a great deal. They are so healthy they’re still laying eggs in the middle of winter!

In the coming weeks we will be meeting with the city and our neighbors to ensure that we’re not in violation of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinances. Decisions made regarding our case may affect everyone who currently keeps or wants to keep chickens or ducks in Cambridge. We hope this petition will signal to the Cambridge City Council that we, the birds’ owners, are not alone in finding this issue important, and that these birds can be kept without negatively impacting the surrounding neighborhood.

Info about our birds accessible at http://savetheducks.org/
-Are they Smelly and Dirty? (And What About the Rats?)
-Duck and Chicken FAQ
-Photos of Baby Birds

Info about what other towns do accessible at
http://bit.ly/9hTKaH

Help us keep our birds! Sign the petition! Send it around! Come visit if you’re local! (Email us at cambridgebirds@gmail.com to set up a visit)

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On Saturday, October 17, countless people at the Alabama National Fair witnessed two baby chicks at the poultry exhibit in the area called "Grandpa's Farm" hatch out, their intestines coming out. The two chicks were each shaking and breathing heavily, suffering for over an hour as passerbys looked on in shock. The two baby chickens stumbled around, unable to move and at times they would fall over or even step on their own intestines. Mind you, for them to hatch like this is not normal, but a defect. Eventually, the two baby chicks died. The person working this exhibit was missing most of the time, but eventually came back to cover the glass case [with other eggs inside] with a yellow piece of fabric then walked away once more.

Also take into consideration that if freshly hatched chicks are left in this machine long enough, without someone monitoring them and able to place them in an area with feed and water, they will become dehydrated and die.

It has been reported that this incident has happened more than once in the time they were at the Alabama National Fair, which began October 9th and ends on October 18th.

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Henderson, KY is forcing an elderly woman on a fixed income to get rid of her pet chickens. The city council states that chickens can not be owned in the city limits unless you have more than 5 acres! There is no reason residents should not be allowed to keep some on there property.

Help Mable keep her chickens!! You can here her story by going to this link: http://www.14wfie.com/Global/story.asp?s=10513796

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Sample of Chicken Laws:

Corvallis, OR. Unlimited chickens allowed. No roosters. Chickens must be penned.
Mountain View, CA: Up to 4 hens without a permit. Keep 25 ft. from residences. Within 25 ft. is o.k. with written consent from residences. No roosters.
Austin, TX. Up to 10 fowl per household, but keep in enclosure that's 50 ft. away from neighbors.
Downey, CA. Up to five chickens allowed per lot.
Colorado Springs, CO. A property may have a maximum of 10 fowl (chickens, ducks, etc.) requiring at least four square feet of coop area and adequate outdoor space. No roosters permitted within the city limits.
Seattle, WA. Can have a total of three small animals; more if the lot is large. Municipal Code 23.44.048 says up to 3 domestic fowl may be kept on any lot.

...and many, many more!

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Allow goats and chickens to be kept as pets, permitting they are not roosters. Goats and chickens are a great way to teach kids responsibility, respect, and love for animals. Goats are just like dogs they can be walked and played with and are very loving and gentle.

Goats are less noisy than dogs I know from experience, and cleaner too. Pigs are already accepted in La mesa as pets. Goats and chickens used to be permitted in my neighborhood until it was annexed into the city.

Our chickens are quiet and provide eggs for our family. People should be able to keep a reasonable amount of animals on their private property as long as noise levels are kept within reason and are not a nuisance.

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I recently had the experience with rescued baby chicks who would have been destined to the slaughter house in months. The drugs had already gotten to them, and in a month 3 of the 8 we recieved have died. Two of broken necks, on had a boken leg and healed but disappeared. I have reason srongly to believe that my aunt, who hates animal rights, killed them purposely. Their necks had been fine until one weekend. She held them in extreme heat in the house and outside she left them in extreme cold, blamed me for their deaths as well.
Here are links to the stories:
1.)
~*~If You Care About Chickens- The Story of Symphony~*~

2.)
~*~DEEP REGRET~*~

3.)
~*~ANOTHER Regret~*~

4.)
~*~BABY CHICKEN NEWS!~*~

5.)
~*~Once More, A REGRET~*~

I have been through an emotional roller coaster loving these little ones and it goes to show the hardships chicken factory farms cause. It has ade me sick to the point I will not eat.

If you show support for these babies and other chickens on factory farms please show sympathy. I will edit soon and post pictures.

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Every day, thousands of chickens are tortured and slaughtered, just so people can eat at Kentucky Fried Chicken.

These chickens are stuffed in tiny cages, and given chemicals that make them grow so huge that they can't even walk. Then they are strapped upside down and put it in an acid bath that immobilizes them. Most avoid that in their struggle. Then their necks and wings are broken, and all this time they can feel it. Then their heads are cut off.

And when they're not going through that, they are being beaten by workers. The workers stomp them and throw them against walls. All out of boredom. This is wrong. Help stop it.

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30 Billion chickens are kept in battery cages around the world every year. 10% will die in their tiny squalid cages from neglet and starvation, and this is just the recorded deaths.

A factory farmed chicken spends its life in darkness, fed growth hormones that make its full life cycle last only 3 months. Imagine going from a baby to 80 years old in 3 months, well that's what happens to chickens. We are not against people eating chickens, we are against chickens being factory farmed.

We want chickens to be kept free range where they have plenty of space to roam around and to not be pumped full of chemicals and growth hormones. Every signature really does help. Please sign.

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Please support the Gergen Family Chickens. For the past 8 months these 6 chickens have lived a stress free life on a hobby farm in southern Minnesota. Recently, there has been pressure to eliminate the chicken flock (names of the accused will not be listed).

We, the MFC (merchandisers for chickens) believe that our feathered friends have a right to live out the remainder of their natural life.

Not only do these chickens produce eggs which add to the nutritional requirements of the Gergen diet, but they also provide countless hours of entertainment value for local children and merchandisers.

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June 13, 2006

I feel privileged to be the proud owner of a horse and cat. As a North Dakota pet owner, I've made the necessary commitment to provide adequate food, water, shelter, exercise, affection and attention for my pets. I feel that every person who makes the commitment to own a pet should accept the responsibilities that go along with that ownership.

Recently, a woman named Kim Lester from Grenora was charged with two counts of maltreatment of animals, both Class A misdemeanors. Only two counts - even though, according to an article that ran in the Williston Herald, authorities found eight horse carcasses and three dog carcasses in a pasture on the property.

Horses were so hungry they were eating their own feces. Many of the 84 horses, 50 dogs and 30 birds - turkeys and chickens - were confined to a very small space on the 330 acres of property, and had not received food or water for several days. Animal carcasses littered the ground. Chickens drank moldy water. See below.

-------------------------------------

Deputies uncover dead, neglected animals

By LeAnn Eckroth, Senior Staff Writer
Saturday, June 3, 2006 10:16 PM CDT

Animal carcasses littered the ground.

Horses were so hungry they were eating their own feces.

Dogs were chained up without food or water.

Authorities discovered the grisly scene this week in rural Grenora and arrested a woman for mistreating animals.

Kim Lester, 41, was released on 10 percent cash to apply toward $2,000 bond Friday on two counts of maltreatment of animals, both Class A misdemeanors.

Lester appeared Friday with her attorney Shane Peterson before Northwest District Judge Gerald Rustad on allegations of mistreatment of numerous horses, livestock and dogs on a farmstead about six miles southwest of Grenora.

According to a report released by the Williams County Sheriff's Office, many of the 84 horses, 50 dogs and 30 birds - turkeys and chickens - were confined to a very small space on the 330 acres of property, and had not received food or water for several days.

Rustad ordered Lester to remove all animals from her property within five days, and to notify law enforcement what is being done with the animals and where they are being placed. She must make arrangements for the animals' proper care.

According Williams County Deputy Verlan Kvande, who headed the investigation, 45 livestock, including horses and cows, were penned into a 50-by-60-foot area, and numerous dogs were staked out throughout the property, chained up without food or water or were confined in small animal carriers in other buildings on the farmstead. The other 40 livestock animals were found in an overgrazed pasture.

"There was one 8-by-10-foot shed with the doors and windows closed that had no ventilation," Kvande said. "It had half a dozen chickens and eight dogs in pet carrier cages. There was a horrendous smell of defecation, urination and chickens. There was no food or water for the dogs. There was some water for the chickens, but it was really moldy .... The smell was overpowering."

After receiving numerous reports about conditions of the farmstead from concerned citizens, authorities investigated and found enough probable cause to obtain a search warrant for the farm site.

"There were complaints of dead animals in the pasture and mistreatment of animals," said Kvande.

Executing the search warrant on Thursday, Williams County Sheriff deputies and North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation agents who investigated the scene reported finding eight horse carcasses and three dog carcasses in a pasture on the property.

Several animals were found to be in a small pen and unable to move around, or placed in small carriers in three structures on the property.

"A veterinarian who accompanied authorities in the investigation confirmed that there was evidence of neglect and malnourishment of the animals, and it was an extended ongoing pattern," said Lt. Earl Innis of the Williams County Sheriff's Office.

Animals also showed signs of possible staff infection, ringworm and sores, said the veterinarian.

Williams County State's Attorney Nicole Foster, who is prosecuting the case, described the farmstead and conditions of the animals a public health hazard.

"The horses were so hungry, they were eating their own feces," said Deputy Verlan Kvande, who headed the probe. "They had automated watering systems, but they had not been turned on."

During the investigation of the property, deputies and law officers tended to the animals, said Innis. They remained on the scene for over three hours.

Lester was also ordered not to board or possess animals while the court case continues, and the court order also includes a search clause of Lester's property that allows authorities to check for other animals.

"To my knowledge, she has made contacts with humane societies around the state to find shelter for the animals," Kvande said.

If convicted, Lester could face a maximum sentence of two years in prison and $4,000 in fines.

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June 6, 2006

Deputies uncover dead, neglected animals
By LeAnn Eckroth, Senior Staff Writer

Animal carcasses littered the ground.

Horses were so hungry they were eating their own feces.

Dogs were chained up without food or water.

Authorities discovered the grisly scene this week in rural Grenora and arrested a woman for mistreating animals.

Kim Lester, 41, was released on 10 percent cash to apply toward $2,000 bond Friday on two counts of maltreatment of animals, both Class A misdemeanors.

Lester appeared Friday with her attorney Shane Peterson before Northwest District Judge Gerald Rustad on allegations of mistreatment of numerous horses, livestock and dogs on a farmstead about six miles southwest of Grenora.

According to a report released by the Williams County Sheriff's Office, many of the 84 horses, 50 dogs and 30 birds - turkeys and chickens - were confined to a very small space on the 330 acres of property, and had not received food or water for several days.

Rustad ordered Lester to remove all animals from her property within five days, and to notify law enforcement what is being done with the animals and where they are being placed. She must make arrangements for the animals' proper care.

According Williams County Deputy Verlan Kvande, who headed the investigation, 45 livestock, including horses and cows, were penned into a 50-by-60-foot area, and numerous dogs were staked out throughout the property, chained up without food or water or were confined in small animal carriers in other buildings on the farmstead. The other 40 livestock animals were found in an overgrazed pasture.

"There was one 8-by-10-foot shed with the doors and windows closed that had no ventilation," Kvande said. "It had half a dozen chickens and eight dogs in pet carrier cages. There was a horrendous smell of defecation, urination and chickens. There was no food or water for the dogs. There was some water for the chickens, but it was really moldy .... The smell was overpowering."

After receiving numerous reports about conditions of the farmstead from concerned citizens, authorities investigated and found enough probable cause to obtain a search warrant for the farm site.

"There were complaints of dead animals in the pasture and mistreatment of animals," said Kvande.

Executing the search warrant on Thursday, Williams County Sheriff deputies and North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation agents who investigated the scene reported finding eight horse carcasses and three dog carcasses in a pasture on the property.

Several animals were found to be in a small pen and unable to move around, or placed in small carriers in three structures on the property.

"A veterinarian who accompanied authorities in the investigation confirmed that there was evidence of neglect and malnourishment of the animals, and it was an extended ongoing pattern," said Lt. Earl Innis of the Williams County Sheriff's Office.

Animals also showed signs of possible staff infection, ringworm and sores, said the veterinarian.

Williams County State's Attorney Nicole Foster, who is prosecuting the case, described the farmstead and conditions of the animals a public health hazard.

"The horses were so hungry, they were eating their own feces," said Deputy Verlan Kvande, who headed the probe. "They had automated watering systems, but they had not been turned on."

During the investigation of the property, deputies and law officers tended to the animals, said Innis. They remained on the scene for over three hours.

Lester was also ordered not to board or possess animals while the court case continues, and the court order also includes a search clause of Lester's property that allows authorities to check for other animals.

"To my knowledge, she has made contacts with humane societies around the state to find shelter for the animals," Kvande said.

If convicted, Lester could face a maximum sentence of two years in prison and $4,000 in fines.

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March 08, 2006

Every year over 850 million chicken suffer on KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) factory farms and in the slaughterhouses.

"Every time undercover investigators enter the facilities of KFC's suppliers, they find hideous abuse and suffering. At one KFC "Supplier of the Year" slaughterhouse in West Virginia, workers were caught tearing birds' heads off, ripping them apart, spitting tobacco into their eyes, spray painting their faces, and throwing them against walls—all while the birds were completely conscious and able to feel pain."

Not only this, but they often suffer broken bones from being bred and drug to being top heavy, (and from being roughly handled by workers). They also suffer from painful debeaking. And there is just so much more that the chickens suffer from. And "because KFC is an industry leader and they buy and sell more chicken than any other corporation they have the ability to require their suppliers to implement some basic animal welfare standards."

We must stop this cruelty that is happening today world wide. Organizations like PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) are already asking KFC to eliminate the worst abuses that chickens suffer. But KFC isn't making any changes. So we need your help. Chickens are probably the most abused animals, and are treated horribly. There is no law against this abuse to chcikens, and we need to change that.

Please sign this petition, and know who your helping. And for more information on KFC cruelty, please visit: www.kentuckyfriedcruelty.com.
Thank-you, and God bless.

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January 12, 2006

Keep the seal hunt. It creates jobs and a stable economy in the north. Also it is a source of food for the people.

Studies show only 1 in 100 seals are killed inhumanly compared to chickens in the United Stats of America, the making of veal and fishing; the killing of the seal doesn't seem all that bad.

Also there has been steps taken to make the killing of seals even more humane. I find that the only reason people care is because seals are cuter than chickens or cows. If you are going to stop the seal hunt you should look at the whole picture and stand up for the other animals and try to remember the humans have to eat to and not just plants especially for developing children they need the vitamins and nutrients.

Also it is very hard to grow plants that far north. therefor it is my belief that the seal hunt should be continued.

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Chickens in slaughterhouses are put in cages at an angle so their legs and feet grow crooked. They are squashed up against more chickens that are dirty, carry Disease and some are even dead.

Yes, this is the chicken that goes in your freezer. BAN SLAUGHTERHOUSES!

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This petition was created on june 14, 2005. It is supposed to help show people how cruel and cold hearted kfc is.

Chickens raised for KFC are taken away from their families and stuffed into sheds with tens of thousands of other birds. (Think of how scared you'd be if you were locked inside a crowded room with thousands of people you didn't know!) The birds aren't allowed any fresh air or sunshine, and they can barely move (each chicken has to make do with a space smaller than one sheet of notebook paper).

Once they're fattened up, the birds are thrown into tiny crates and trucked to the slaughterhouse. Some chickens fall off the trucks and are left to die alongside the road. The frightened birds who make it to the slaughterhouse are killed when they are just 6 weeks old—still babies!

Chickens are probably the most abused animals on the face of the planet. They suffer any number of cruelties, including being left by the hundreds of thousands to starve to death, having their sensitive beaks seared off with hot blades, being crammed 11 birds to a tiny cage along with the decomposing corpses of other chickens, and dying in huge numbers from long journeys in extreme weather conditions.

Basically, any and all abuse is allowable when it comes to chickens, who are, in fact, remarkable animals with distinct personalities and intelligence that, if allowed to develop, is as advanced as that of cats and dogs. Most importantly, they feel pain, just as we do.Animals Routinely Sliced Open and Scalded While Still Conscious.

At slaughter, chickens are dumped from cages like so many rubber balls and then SNAPPED by their weakened and sometimes broken legs into metal shackles before their heads are passed through an electrically charged water bath that immobilizes them but often does not render them unconscious.

The workers who hang the animals must work so quickly (assembly-line style) that animals are frequently injured. When the water "baths" are set below the level required to kill them, as they often are, the animals (unless they have died from stress and abuse before they're even shackled) are alive, conscious, and bleeding to death after their throats are slit, and they enter the scalding tank ( scalding hot water for feather removal) still conscious.

Many of them flap about and thus miss both the immobilization bath and the automated and manual (human) neck-slicers and are still completely conscious when they are scalded to death.

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August 4, 2006

This petition is now closed. Thanks to all who signed.

January 11, 2004

The battery chickens may seem small and unsignificant but they were put on this earth with us therefore we should fight for their rights.

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