Restaurants across Australia and New Zealand are being encouraged to sign on to a new set of standards that aims to provide better welfare for chickens raised for meat.
The New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCE) has established The Better Chicken Commitment, a set of welfare standards prohibiting the use of abnormally fast-growing poultry breeds killed at just six weeks old in favour of healthier breeds that grow naturally. It also ensures that the chickens have more space, natural lights, enrichments, and “less suffering” at slaughter.
SPCE consulted the non-profit global organisation, World Animal Protection (WAP), in developing the new chicken welfare standards, together with Animals Aotearoa and The Humane League, and is supported by nine national and global animal welfare organisations.
Rochelle Flood, campaigns manager for WAP in Australia and New Zealand, said this is a huge opportunity for the region to step up and raise the bar for chicken welfare.
“Right now, millions of chickens are suffering from chronic pain and organ failure, often unable to move freely, collapsing under the weight of their unnaturally large bodies,” she said
“Compassionate consumers deserve a higher welfare choice at the checkout, and it’s time for the industry to align with consumer expectations.”
