Hollywood star Brad Pitt and Bill Maher come out fighting against big-box chain Costco slamming them for selling cage-reared chickens and their eggs
- Pitt sent a letter to the chief executive of the big-box chain Craig Jelinek
- He asked the company to stop selling eggs produced in this way
- Pitt said caged birds suffer atrophy of their muscles being cooped up
- Maher blasted the company in an editorial in The New York Times
Hollywood star Brad Pitt and Bill Maher have come out fighting against retail giant Costco - saying the store contributes to animal cruelty by selling eggs from caged hens.
Pitt sent a letter to Craig Jelinek, the chief executive of the big-box chain Thursday asking the company to stop selling eggs produced this way.
His letter to Jelinek said caged birds suffer atrophy of their muscles and bones from years of immobility, adding that the cages have been banned in California and much of Europe.
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Fight: Hollywood star Brad Pitt, left, and Bill Maher, right, have come out fighting against retail giant Costco - saying the store contributes to animal cruelty by selling eggs from caged hens
Correspondence: Pitt sent a letter to Craig Jelinek, right, the chief executive of the big-box chain Thursday asking the company to stop selling eggs produced this way
Letter: Pitt wrote that caged birds suffer atrophy of their muscles and bones from years of immobility, adding that the cages have been banned in California and much of Europe
'As you know, these birds producing eggs for your shelves are crammed five or more into cages that are not large enough for even one hen to spread her wings,' Pitt writes.
Maher took aim at the company in an editorial published last week by The New York Times.
'Multiple investigations into battery cages document animals with deteriorated spinal cords, some who have become paralyzed and then mummified in their cages,' Maher wrote.
'Imagine cramming five cats or dogs into tiny cages, hundreds of thousands in each shed, for their entire lives.
'That would warrant cruelty charges, of course. But when the egg industry does it to hens, it's considered business as usual.'
Both commended Costco for its other animal-welfare efforts and called on the company to make good on its 2007 promise to move toward uncaging its egg-laying hens.
Eggs: 'As you know, these birds producing eggs for your shelves are crammed five or more into cages that are not large enough for even one hen to spread her wings,' Pitt wrote
Pitt and Maher each spoke out on behalf of Farm Sanctuary, an organization that advocates against the mistreatment of animals and factory farming.
Costco said in June statement that there are 'vigorous debates about animal welfare and laying hens.'
'Some, such as the Humane Society, advocate that hens be 'cage free,' and not confined in cages. Some advocate that cages are safer for hens,' the statement reads.
The statement acknowledges that Costco's sales of organic/cage-free eggs have increased 'more than twentyfold' over the past nine years.
The company did not elaborate, nor specifically address the celebrity complaints.
Costco said it is 'committed to the ethical treatment of animals' and its code of ethics is part of the company mission statement.
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