COK Investigation Update: Pilgrim’s Responds, Calls Acts on Video “Unacceptable”

Late last month, CNN aired an exclusive, in-depth report breaking COK’s latest undercover video exposing shocking cruelty to chickens at a North Carolina factory farm that supplies Pilgrim’s, the second-largest chicken slaughterer in the world.

Our heartbreaking footage uncovers horrors that include birds genetically manipulated to grow so obese, they suffer from painful and debilitating leg deformities, sick or injured birds stuffed into buckets with decaying corpses of other chickens, and perhaps most gruesome – we documented unwanted birds intentionally buried alive in mass graves.

In the CNN report that aired on June 25, Pilgrim’s initial response to the video was that the company merely “retrained” the contract farmer “out of an abundance of caution.”

However, a few days after CNN’s story aired, reaching millions of viewers and generating additional media coverage, Pilgrim’s parent company – JBS USA – issued this statement:

“[T]he undercover video shows startling images of birds being mistreated. The actions in the video are unacceptable. Pilgrim’s has initiated an investigation, led by our Animal Welfare Steering Committee and suspended our relationship with the grower.”

All of COK’s evidence has been turned over to state and local authorities and we strongly believe that some acts caught on film, specifically birds being buried alive, violate North Carolina state law. It certainly would be a crime if a person buried cats or dogs alive. Unfortunately, so far no action has been taken.

Thankfully, each one of us can act now to help prevent this abuse simply by choosing to leave chickens – and all animals – off our plates. Visit ChickenIndustry.com today to view our video and get more details about how you can help

If the meat industry had its way, you wouldn’t be able to watch our video. Its lobbyists are desperately fighting to pass ag-gag laws aimed at criminalizing our undercover investigations. They want to stop our cameras from rolling so they can keep you in the dark.

That’s why our investigators need your support now more than ever.

And that’s also why it’s so important for you to watch and share our video. Thank you for speaking out for animals – and helping us demonstrate the power of compassion.