Page 92 - Vegan Life - Issue 59 (February 2020)

The foul truth

Animal Justice Project campaigner, Ayrton Cooper, dispels the myths behind
‘free-range’ chicken farming

n 2019, Animal Justice Project to strength over the last 18 months with continue exploiting and killing chickens,
launched our flagship campaign, The the creation of our Lifeline Campaign and all animals.
IFoul Truth, which reflects the work and the launch of The Foul Truth. With We undertook an extensive three
that we do and our stance towards animal campaigns from other groups promoting month investigation at two of these such
exploitation. We take an abolitionist welfare improvements, such as space facilities. We followed the life cycle of
approach towards any animal abuse; adjustments and selecting diferent these ‘lucky’ chickens and saw all parts
we do not ask for better welfare in our chicken breeds to farm, we wanted to of their life — from entering the shed as
campaigns, we ask for an end to the cruel say no to all animal exploitation. Only by day old chicks, to being rounded up for
and needless exploitation. These ethics ending this exploitation can we truly be slaughter by catching teams. Our exposé
guide the work that we do. kind to animals and be happy with our was hard-hitting and ran in many national
Animal Justice Project was founded work. This attitude formed the basis of media outlets, including the Daily Mail,
in December 2014, and since then, our The Foul Truth campaign. the Daily Mirror and the Independent,
team has remained small, but our work among others. We launched our
for the animals has continued to grow. The foul truth campaign outside the National Egg and
We began as a group campaigning for the With many investigations already Poultry Awards in London with around 60
rights of animals which are needlessly exposing the cruelty behind factory- volunteer activists. It was a great way to
experimented on in laboratories with farmed broiler chickens, we chose to take our findings — on huge TV screens
our Cures Not Cruelty and Campus shine a light on chickens which are — directly to the industry bosses which
Without Cruelty campaigns, focussing referred to as ‘free-range’, RSPCA Assured, are ultimately responsible for the
on experiments at universities. These Red Tractor approved and ‘higher chickens’ sufering.
account for around half of all experiments welfare’. These chickens live in standards
in the UK. We have campaigned all which are considered to be the highest The better chicken commitment
around the UK at British universities to possible in the UK and are actively What we found on those farms will stay
urge them to stop torturing animals. promoted by other groups. We wanted to with us forever. From day old chicks being
Since then, our vegan arm of Animal show that ‘free-range’ is another façade thrown from crates and stood on, to the
Justice Project has grown from strength brought to you by welfarists that want to countless times we saw purposeful and ›

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