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Loading ...Student Leaders Sound Off: Just Say “Cage-Free, Please”
Brooklyn Law School students concerned about public health and animal welfare have a new reason to be proud of their school. Responding to growing student concerns, Brooklyn Law School recently joined the majority of university campuses offering cage-free eggs in their dining hall. Conventional eggs — produced by chickens crowded in barren wire “battery cages” — are still being offered, but students may now request cage-free eggs at no additional charge and take comfort knowing that their eggs were produced by hens with enough room to turn around, spread their wings, and stand on solid ground.
BLS’s Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) worked with dining hall staff to introduce the new menu item, and we commend the crew for taking a big step in the right direction.
Although cage-free doesn’t mean “cruelty free,” the difference is night and day.
“Confining hens in barren wire cages is one of the most inhumane abuses perpetrated to animals,” says Josh Balk, Outreach Director for the Humane Society of the United States. “Each of these hens gets less space than a single sheet of paper on which to live for their entire life.” Every time a student elects to substitute cage-free eggs, she will spare a hen about 72 hours of profound suffering in one of these battery cages.
Battery cage facilities currently comprise over 90% of the egg industry, but that number is quickly slipping as more consumers and food service providers transition to cage-free eggs, including 64% of college cafeterias [pdf]. Many students prefer cage-free eggs for their animal welfare benefits, noting that battery cages have already been banned in California, Michigan, and the European Union. Other students cite food safety concerns, such as the higher rates of salmonella associated with battery cage egg production.
For students who share these concerns but are not yet ready to transition to a healthy vegan diet, remember to say “cage-free, please” next time you find yourselves grabbing a quick pre-class breakfast. And don’t forget to thank the dining hall staff for making our school a healthier and more humane place to be.