This RSPCA Tweet Shows Why the Egg Industry Can Never Be ‘Humane’
In a tweet that’s been shared across the country, the RSPCA recently stated that it permits “the use of gas and maceration [grinding] for the killing of day old chicks” in the egg industry as part of its “RSPCA Assured” scheme. The reason these day-old chicks are being killed is that they’re male – meaning they can’t lay eggs and therefore don’t produce any profit for the industry.
We permit both the use of gas and maceration for the killing of day old chicks. Done correctly, both methods can offer an effective and humane kill and our welfare standards set strict parameters stating how both of these methods must be carried out to ensure this is the case.
— RSPCA (England & Wales) (@RSPCA_official) May 7, 2018
The fact that asphyxiating baby animals in a gas chamber or throwing them alive into a high-speed grinder is considered “humane” demonstrates that labels such as this one are often meaningless – they might make consumers feel better about their purchases, but they do little to nothing to prevent animals from suffering. The meat, egg, and dairy industries are inherently inhumane, as they operate by treating animals as commodities rather than living, feeling beings.
Countless animals endure miserable lives and horrific deaths on UK farms every year. Cows on dairy farms are repeatedly impregnated, and their babies are torn away from them so that their milk can be taken and sold. Pigs’ tails are routinely cut off and their sensitive teeth ground down – often without painkillers – and chickens on factory farms often lose their feathers because of the stress of their extreme confinement. All animals in these industries eventually endure a stressful journey to the abattoir, where they’re gassed or electrocuted or a bolt is fired into their heads – before their throats are finally slit.
What You Can Do
There’s no “humane” way to kill an animal who doesn’t want to die. The best thing you can do to avoid contributing to animal suffering is to go vegan. Order one of our free vegan starter kits for recipes, tips on making the switch, and much more!
