Costco Chickens Reportedly Caged With Feces and Corpses Must be Freed

Target: W. Craig Jelinek, CEO of Costco

Goal: Encourage Costco to abide by Nebraska’s animal welfare legislation and to stop allegedly abusing millions of helpless birds.

An undercover investigation of Costco’s chicken-processing plant in 2021 reportedly revealed that millions of animals were found living in horrendous conditions, despite Costco’s pledge to ensure the welfare and proper handling of all animals used in consumer-driven products. According to footage taken at the plant, chickens were forced to live in extremely overcrowded sheds, covered with feces and piles of rotting chickens and chicks. These birds–specifically bred to grow upwards of twice their normal size–were apparently struggling to walk or even stand under their unnatural weights, and reportedly suffered from open sores, injuries, and organ failure. Disabled and deformed birds seemingly had no way to access food or water, and died slow, agonizing deaths due to starvation and illness.

Costco is an American multinational retail chain praised for its affordable prices and extensive inventory of groceries, electronics, furniture, clothing, and more. Costco is also one of the largest– if not the largest– retailer of rotisserie chicken in the world, with each rotisserie chicken costing consumers a mere $4.99. To keep up with the high demand for rotisserie chicken and to save money on processing costs– 35 cents per bird, to be exact– Costco opened its own poultry factory back in 2019. Now, Costco is under fire for the alleged gross mistreatment of chickens in this very factory.

If these allegations against Costco are confirmed to be true, the corporation is in direct violation of Nebraska legislation. Costco now potentially faces a Class IIA felony, for multiple occurrences of apparent neglect against animals resulting in injury and premature death. Sign this petition to encourage Costco to stop seemingly abusing the tens of millions of chickens that pass through its poultry plant.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear CEO Jelinek,

The Costco poultry farm has come under fire for recent allegations of severe mistreatment to the millions of birds that are housed and produced there. According to an undercover investigation, chickens on your very farms are forced to live in overcrowded sheds, where they walk among their own feces and discarded piles of rotting chickens and chicks. These birds are unnaturally large– upwards of twice the size that they should be. In turn, birds apparently struggle to walk or even stand, and suffer from extreme chronic and joint pains. Many of the birds were reportedly covered with open wounds, while others still were injured or suffering from organ failure. Disabled birds were apparently left without access to food, water, or veterinary care, and died slow, agonizing deaths from illness, injury, and starvation.

By seemingly neglecting these animals and allowing them to suffer at your very hands you are directly violating Nebraska legislation. You claim to be committed to the welfare and proper handling of all animals used in the production of your products, but your alleged actions suggest otherwise. We are asking you, Mr. Jelinek, to please improve the welfare standards of the millions of chickens at your facility. Is all this apparent abuse really worth the profit?

Sincerely,

[Your Name here]

Photo Credit: Preston Keres