Extra Blog: Animal Welfare

Kroger Provides Update on Animal Welfare

No author stated Published:  PR Newswire. June 4, 2012

Article found:http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DA-SORT&inPS=true&prodId=GPS&userGroupName=hatterslib&tabID=T004&searchId=R1&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=3&contentSet=GALE%7CA291867226&&docId=GALE|A291867226&docType=GALE&role=SUIC

                                                                                Picture: This picture shows what some animals have to deal with every day just so their owners can get more money.  With these living conditions many of the chicken die prematurely and have many diseases.

Picture Link: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=8026&picture=chicken-coop

Summary:  Kroger Co. set new regulations towards the crates that contain the pregnant sows. The idea of gestation crate-free housing is found to be more humane by the company and is trying to work the whole pork industry towards using them. This is one of the many acts that The Kroger Company has done towards animal welfare. Many of the transitions that the Kroger Company tells the chains to participate take several years. Kroger is a large grocery retailer and supports causes such as hunger relief and school communities. The Kroger Company show that they care about many causes and care about what they do.

Opinion/ Reflection: The fact that the Kroger Company is not just thinking about getting the most money but thinking about the conditions that these animals are living in is unexpected. So many factory farms just shove a bunch of animals into a crowded area and do not care about them getting diseases. What the Kroger Company is participating in is great and many more large companies should be contributing to the cause as well. If the idea of humane environments for animals on a farm is more accepted, consumers will be more likely to purchase products from those companies. Then the other companies will have to either switch to humane environments or go out of business.

Questions:

1. Do you think that what the Kroger Company is doing will catch on?

2. Do you think that if companies pay more attention to humane environments they will make more money?
3. What are some examples of making a farm more suitable for animals? At least 3.
4. What are some ways that a farmer can make an envirometn for an animal inhumane? At least 2.