In just the last few months, factory farms “roasted” more than seven million hens alive to stop the spread of the latest resurgence of avian influenza. My heart is breaking just saying those words, and I know yours is, too.
When you and I look at the photo above, we see smart, social, sentient beings, suffering in an unimaginable world. Corporations see products for cheap, convenient exploitation and disposal.
Since 2022, factory farms have been killing sheds full of chickens or other farmed animals using a brutal process that involves shutting off ventilation and pumping in heat or carbon dioxide. Why? Because it’s a cheap way to kill entire flocks to prevent the spread of avian influenza. It’s called ventilation shutdown plus (VSD+). Death can take hours as the animals slowly die of heat stroke and eventual organ failure.
The fact that factory farms will kill animals this way—simply because it’s cheap—exemplifies everything that’s wrong with the industrialized food system. Your gift today fuels our powerful campaigns to reform that broken system in the new year.
What your gift helps make possible: Enacting and defending critical animal protection laws for chickens, cows, pigs, and other farmed animals. Securing cage-free commitments from the world’s largest and most influential corporations, and making sure companies actually follow through on their promises to animals.
Equipping the next generation of global advocates through grants and other resources for the Open Wing Alliance. And mobilizing thousands of current advocates when those who profit from animal cruelty dare to doubt our commitment.
I know that, like me, you’re an optimist—even if you don’t necessarily feel like one all the time. Because only the truly optimistic can show up for animals like you do every day in the face of mind-blowing cruelty. Thank you for showing up and standing by our side.
Cheers to getting even louder in 2026!
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Dan Shannon
CEO |
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