ASPCA Supports Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act

<p>Ballot Measure to End Extreme Confinement of Egg-Laying Hens</p>
February 22, 2011
NEW YORK--The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that it is joining the growing list of animal welfare, family farming, food safety, and environmental groups in support of the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act to end the extreme confinement of egg-laying hens in Washington.

About six million egg-laying hens in Washington spend their entire lives inside cages where each hen has less space than a sheet of paper. The modest measure would prevent one of the worst factory farm abuses: the extreme confinement of egg-laying hens in small cages where the animals can barely move for their entire lives. It would require that egg-laying hens have enough room to turn around and extend their wings and that eggs sold in the state are produced in compliance with this humane standard.

If approved by voters, the measure would take effect in 2018, giving producers more than six years to transition to more humane housing systems.

For more information about this ballot measure, please visit www.humanewa.com. For more information about the ASPCA, please visit www.aspca.org.