Animal Rights International

Bringing the issue to ARAMARK's front door

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:39:11 -0500

Last week, in partnership with The Humane League of Philadelphia, we began talking directly to ARAMARK employees about the food service company's lack of animal welfare standards. ARAMARK headquarters is on a public sidewalk in downtown Philadelphia - so we found it easy to approach employees with our leaflets and ask if they wanted information.

The news camera from ABC 6 Action News drew interest from both employees and passersby. Most employees were shocked or sickened to learn about the issue, even as they said that ARAMARK is a good company in general. Some weren't interested in learning more after seeing the sad picture of caged hens on the front of our leaflet, but none of the employees we spoke to argued that ARAMARK should continue to sell eggs from caged hens.

The reaction was so positive that we gave The Humane League more leaflets to hand out in the coming weeks. If you live in the Philadelphia area and can spend a morning at ARAMARK's headquarters, please contact the group, and sign up for our mailing list if you'd like to receive updates on this and other campaigns.

Asking ARAMARK to Phase Out Eggs From Caged Hens

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:10:22 -0500

Today we've gone public with a campaign at ARAMARKgocagefree.com, asking ARAMARK to stop buying eggs from caged hens.

ARAMARK, a major player in the food service industry, has lagged behind its competitors in the field of animal welfare, just as it becomes clearer that Americans reject the worst practices of the egg industry.

On Election Day, November 4th, Californians voted, 63% to 37%, to ban the battery cage for hens and require that all animals be able to stretch their limbs freely, something that hundreds of millions of hens in standard cages are unable to do.

ARI's President, Professor Peter Singer, said: "This historic California decision shows that, given a chance to vote, Americans decisively reject hen cages. A socially responsible corporation does not follow, it takes the lead in promoting more ethical ways of producing food. With leading competitors Compass Group and Bon Appetit agreeing to eliminate their use of eggs from caged hens, and with Californian voters banning the practice, the time is right for ARAMARK to change its policy."

We'll be at ARAMARK headquarters this morning, distributing leaflets and talking to ARAMARK employees about their company's social responsibility policy.

Proposition 2 Passes!

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:32:47 -0500

We have good news today out of California - voters there have passed Proposition 2 by incredible margins, 63 to 37%. Agribusinesses interests from all over the country contributed millions of dollars to the opposition. But Californians for Humane Farms ran a great campaign, and showed that even in the face of massive negative advertising, Americans support measures that promote farm animal welfare.

California's Proposition 2

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:59:33 -0500

This November 4 at the polls, Californians will have a chance to pass Proposition 2 to help farm animals. Millions of egg-laying hens, calves raised for veal, and breeding pigs in California are confined in tiny cages and crates where they can barely move an inch for nearly their whole lives. A YES vote on Prop 2 will phase out extreme confinement, and give them the room to turn around and spread their limbs.

If Californians pass Proposition 2, the results will be groundbreaking. ARI's President, Professor Peter Singer, has said: "It is no exaggeration to say that this is the most important popular vote for animals in the history of the United States. If we win it, the ramifications will be huge, not just for the 19 million hens, pigs and calves now in cages or crates in California, but for all animals in factory farms in the United States. It will demonstrate that given a chance to vote, Americans reject factory farming, and could spell the beginning of the end for these forms of cruel confinement in the U.S."

Animal Rights International has endorsed Proposition 2 and we're lending as much financial support we can as a 501(c)(3), joining other national organizations like The Humane Society of the United States and Farm Sanctuary, nearly 700 California veterinarians and the California Veterinary Medical Association, and many other groups.

Visit YESonProp2.com to join the campaign and vote YES! on Prop 2 this November.

On the Arrest of Austrian Animal Protectionists

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:40:57 -0500

We've been watching as ten animal protection campaigners were arrested and are now being held in Austria, at first without charges, and now with very generic charges of being part of a "criminal organization." The Austrian animal movement has been among the most effective in the world, in large part because activists there recognize the importance of peaceful tactics and incremental change. It's not hard to come to the conclusion that these arrests are politically motivated.

Many of the imprisoned activists are involved with VGT, the Association Against Animal Factories, and their site has up-to-date information on what's happening. One good run-down is the article: Police Repression against Animal Protection in Austria: A Summary, and don't miss this letter from Dr. Martin Balluch (one of the ten imprisoned) about his experiences.

The Canadian radio program Animal Voices has released a show about this crack-down, which includes a 2004 interview with Dr. Balluch. It's inspiring to hear his words on effective activism and pragmatism, but also interesting to hear him condemn the kinds of actions the Austrian government is trying to pin on him and his colleagues.

ARI's thoughts are with the Austrian activists, and we wish for their prompt release.

UPDATE: According to VGT, as of September 3rd, 2008, the Austrian government has released all of the imprisoned activists.

NYU Cage-Free Advertisement runs in the Washington Square News

Thu, 01 May 2008 15:24:16 -0500

ARI and the NYU student groups SALDF and SEAL have teamed up to run an ad today in NYU's Washington Square News. We've set up a web site at http://nyu.gocagefree.com/to solicit messages from the student body to Aramark's campus dining service.