In Defense of Animals (IDA)
May 2015
Photo Credit:
Rabbit
Advocacy Network
Whole Foods Stubbornly Clings to Promoting Rabbits as Food
Rabbit flesh is not in demand, despite claims by Whole Foods, so it remains a mystery why they are pushing so hard to try to create a demand that isn't there. Thankfully Sprouts, another similar grocery chain, ditched rabbit flesh after listening to its customers. Maybe Whole Foods can learn a thing or two from Sprouts.
Whole Foods has a lot of clout, and if rabbit flesh takes a foothold in test markets, it could go mainstream, which doesn't sit well with the founders of Rabbit Advocacy Network or us here at IDA, as we encourage a vegan lifestyle to end as much animal suffering as possible. We don't want new animal species associated as "food animals" when we are trying already so hard to get all other species out of that category.
Who's next for dinner at Whole Foods? Your dog? Your cat? As long as he or she is raised "humanely?" Please note; there is NOTHING humane about having your life end as you are hung upside down and you have your throat slit, whether you are a rabbit or any other animal. Please pledge to go vegan today. And tell Whole Foods to take rabbit flesh off the shelves.
Sign an online petition here to John Mackey - Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market, Inc.
AND/OR better yet, make direct contact:
Whole Foods corporate phone number: (512) 477-4455
Send an
email to Whole Foods Customer Service
Whole Foods Stubbornly Clings to Promoting Rabbits as Food
It's not a happy anniversary for countless slaughtered rabbits, as we come
up on the one year anniversary of Whole Foods pilot program offering rabbit
flesh for human consumption. As more Americans eat less flesh, Whole Foods
is actually actively trying to create a market for more various forms of
animals to suffer for their meat cases — as in one of the top five animal
companions: bunnies.
The fifth largest grocery chain in the nation began offering rabbits as food
last summer in select markets claiming a so-called demand for these popular
family pets. While Whole Foods asserts it has high standards for animal
welfare, it’s falling short and leaving many shoppers and animal welfare
organizations questioning its so called humane ethics.
According to an amazing NBC recent expose, the latest USDA findings are
quite shocking. USDA inspection reports depicted rabbits in typical
abhorrent factory farming conditions. Rabbits were reported "dead on
arrival" or "dead in the yard." In varying instances rabbits had no access
to water. Rabbits as young as 8 to 10 weeks old died from stress or on the
way to being slaughtered. Rabbit meat was also incorrectly "labeled as USDA
inspected" when it was not, and the list goes on.
More unsettling is that Whole Foods receives its rabbits from Iowa Rabbit in
Iowa, one of six states with an "ag-gag" law making it a crime for anyone to
take undercover photos or videos of what goes on behind closed doors. This
makes it easy for factory farmers to get away with unspeakable horrors.
Rabbit flesh is not in demand, despite claims by Whole Foods, so it remains
a mystery why they are pushing so hard to try to create a demand that isn't
there. Thankfully Sprouts, another similar grocery chain, ditched rabbit
flesh after listening to its customers. Maybe Whole Foods can learn a thing
or two from Sprouts.
Whole Foods has a lot of clout, and if rabbit flesh takes a foothold in test
markets, it could go mainstream, which doesn't sit well with the founders of
Rabbit Advocacy Network or us here at IDA, as we encourage a vegan lifestyle
to end as much animal suffering as possible. We don't want new animal
species associated as "food animals" when we are trying already so hard to
get all other species out of that category.
Who's next for dinner at Whole Foods? Your dog? Your cat? As long as he or
she is raised "humanely?" Please note; there is NOTHING humane about having
your life end as you are hung upside down and you have your throat slit,
whether you are a rabbit or any other animal. Please pledge to go vegan
today. And tell Whole Foods to take rabbit flesh off the shelves.
Here are some talking points to get you started:
Thank you for everything you do for animals!
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