The Vancouver Humane Society works to educate the public on a variety of animal protection issues. These include everything from spaying & neutering pets to supporting the adoption of stiffer penalties for animal abuse at both the provincial and federal levels.

 

We also raise awareness about animal cruelty on factory farms, in the entertainment industry (rodeos, circuses, zoos, etc.) and in the exotic animal trade. We help local municipalities implement bylaws and polices when our input is requested.

 

The goal of Chicken OUT! is to improve the quality of life for the millions of egg-laying hens that are raised in battery cages in Canada. Our objective is to increase public awareness of the suffering that caged hens endure so that individuals and organizations can make informed decisions about their egg purchases. We encourage individuals and organizations to purchase eggs produced in higher-welfare systems, such as certified organic, free-range and cage-free environments. With a shift in consumer demand to cage-free eggs, government and the agricultural industry will be encouraged to adopt more humane housing environments and thus improve the welfare of hens. VHS would like to see the province of BC, and Canada, follow the examples set by many European countries in ending the inhumane practice of battery cages.

 

Why Egg Laying Hens?
Many people ask us why VHS decided to focus on egg-laying hens and not other farm animals. Our reasoning has to do with the number of animals suffering, and the length of time they suffer.

 

In Canada, close to 700 million farm animals are slaughtered EVERY year for food. Of those, 650 million are poultry, primarily chickens. Of those chickens, 26 million are egg-laying hens. Although in terms of numbers more “broiler” or meat chickens are slaughtered than egg-laying hens, egg-laying hens are confined in tiny cages for 12-18 months, whereas broiler chickens are slaughtered after 40 days. The egg-laying hen thus suffers for a longer duration, and because she is in a cage, she doesn’t even have the “freedom” of the albeit densely populated free-run barn of broiler chickens.

 

But there is much more to us, too! Visit the Vancouver Humane Society website to find out more.