His Holiness the Dalai Lama advocates humane treatment of hens

Thursday, September 02 2010 @ 11:03 pm BST

Dharamshala: His Holiness the Dalai Lama has expressed deep concern over the cruelty of confining egg-laying hens in tiny cages in factories and appealed to people to switch to cage-free eggs.

“The abuse we inflict on hens has always been particularly disturbing to me, and I have always been particularly concerned toward how these animals are treated in industrial food production. I was troubled to learn from my friends at the humane society of the United States about the practice of confining egg laying hens in tiny cages,” His Holiness the Dalai Lama said in an appeal letter posted on the website of the Humane Society International.

The animal rights group has launched a campaign against the practice of factory-style egg farming in which birds are cramped into cages.

“In these cages, birds cannot engage in their natural behaviours such as spreading their wings, laying eggs in a nesting area, perching, stretching at the ground, and even standing on a solid surface. Each hen has less space to live in than the very sheet of paper I have written this letter on,” His Holiness said.

“Turning these defenceless animals into egg-producing machines with no consideration for their welfare whatsoever is a degradation of our own humanity. Switching to cage free eggs would reduce the suffering of these animals,” he said.

“Tibetans have a rich history of protecting the most vulnerable in society and opposing cruelty, which is why it is natural for me to encourage the change to cage free eggs. Following in this tradition, I hope compassion and kindness will prevail in this serious matter,” he added.

Countries like Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Norway have already banned battery cages that confine hens. Other countries, including those in the European Union are phasing out battery cages and there would be a total ban by 2012, IANS reported.

In the US, while states like Michigan and California have passed similar laws to sell cage-free eggs by 2015, agriculture leaders in Ohio have agreed to a moratorium on the construction of new cage facilities.

source tibet.net