In 2004, Bay Area Vegetarians joined organizations throughout the United States and abroad in supporting People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' campaign against KFC's inhumane practices and calling for welfare reforms.

Over 750,000,000 chickens raised for KFC endure egregious and unnecessary abuses. Last year, PETA released a disturbing video taken by an undercover investigator in a KFC supplier slaughterhouse. Employees were deliberately kicking, stomping on, and slamming live chickens against a wall, spitting tobacco into their eyes, and ripping their heads and beaks off with their bare hands. Previously, a former employee of another top KFC supplier came forward with accounts of employees using "dry ice bombs" to blow chickens apart, snapping their legs for fun, and intentionally scalding them to death in feather removal tanks. These abuses are in addition to KFC suppliers’ routine practices of callously shackling chickens upside down, often breaking their legs in the process, and slitting the throats of conscious birds.

KFC has so far refused to implement comprehensive guidelines developed by its own animal welfare panelists to prevent these and other abuses. Until it does, compassionate people everywhere are protesting and choosing to steer clear of the Colonel.

Joe Hinkle, PETA's KFC Campaigns Coordinator, noted this past December, "Despite same-store-sales growth at Pizza Hut and Taco Bell (both Yum! Brands restaurants) and Chick-Fil-A (a KFC competitor), KFC’s same-store sales for the last four-week period were down 7%. It is not a coincidence that the only one with negative sales growth is the same one struggling with an international boycott!"

With thanks to BAV volunteers and our friends at Progressive Animal Rights Alliance (http://www.geocities.com/animal_rights_alliance/home.html) in Santa Cruz, we have monthly protests in Pacifica and Santa Cruz, and occasionally in SF. Demonstrators become living billboards, carrying signs about "Broken Wings and Legs", "Beaks Cut Off", and "Boycott KFC". In Pacifica, on busy Highway 1, over 2000 cars carrying at least that many people see our message. Many people wave and honk to show their support while others are more enthusiastic in their gestures.

Readers can watch the video and learn more about the KFC campaign at http://www.KentuckyFriedCruelty.com

We encourage other concerned citizens to join us in our protest by eating compassionately and choosing plant-based foods, and letting your friends and family know about the cruelty at KFC. Please contact Bay Area Vegetarians if you'd like to join us and stick up for the chickens. You can find the dates of upcoming KFC protests on our event calendar
http://www.BayAreaVeg.org/events.php

More Resources:

Free Vegetarian Restaurant Guide for the SF Bay Area, check out
http://www.bayareaveg.org/freeguide.htm

Free Veg Starter Kit or DVD
http://www.goveg.com/feat/chewonthis/order.asp