Denny's Moves To End Use Of Gestation Crates For Its Pork

Denny's is the latest chain to announce it aims to stop the use of gestation crates for its pork products, saying it will work with its suppliers to end the practice.

The Humane Society, with which Denny's has worked for more than five years on animal welfare issues, welcomed the move. In a release, Denny's vice president Greg Linford said the effort was "best for our company, our guests, and our continued work to improve animal welfare." A timeline for ending the practice was not given.

Gestation crates are commonly used to confine mother pigs during their four-month pregnancies. The cages are so small, the animal is prevented from turning around. When the pigs give birth, they are often immediately re-impregnated, and the cycle begins again. Sometimes a pig will stay in the same position for years.

The restaurant chain now joins the ranks of other like-minded companies, including McDonald's, Burger King, Hormel, Safeway and others.

See which other food companies are pledging to end the use of gestation crates.

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• Dunkin' Donuts

  In September, Dunkin' Donuts announced that it plans to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/26/dunkin-donuts-cage-free-eggs-gestation_n_1916260.html?1348678200" target="_hplink">eliminate all gestation crates</a>, but has not set a timeline. It is also moving toward cage-free eggs.

• McDonald's

  At the end of May, the country's leading hamburger chain by sales announced a plan to eliminate its suppliers' use of gestation crates by 2022.

• Denny's

  On May 15, Denny's announced it would work with its suppliers to end the use of gestation crates for its pork products.

• Safeway

  In May, Safeway -- the country's second-largest grocery chain -- said it plans to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20120507/us-safeway-humane-pork/" target="_hplink">stop buying meat</a> from suppliers that use gestation crates.

• Burger King

  On April 23, Burger King pledged to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/25/burger-king-gestation-crates_n_1451703.html" target="_hplink">eliminate the use of pork from pigs raised in crates by 2017</a>. The company also pledged to offer entirely cage-free eggs by 2017.

• Wendy's

  In March, Wendy's announced it would work with its U.S. and Canadian pork suppliers to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/23/wendys-animal-treatment_n_1375724.html" target="_hplink">phase out the use of gestation crates</a>.

• Compass Group

  Also in March, Compass Group announced it would <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/going_green/2012/03/compass-group-will-end-contracts-with.html" target="_hplink">phase out the use of meat from pigs raised in gestation crates</a> by 2017. Compass Group runs dining operations at about 10,000 companies, hospitals, senior living centers, schools, colleges and universities, making it the largest food service company in the world.

• McDonald's

  McDonald's also announced in February its <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/mcdonalds-gestation-crates_n_1275942.html" target="_hplink">plan to stop using meat from pig raised in the crates</a> by 2017.

• Hormel, the maker of products like Spam, announced in February it <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/02/hormel-gestation-crates_n_1249707.html" target="_hplink">pledges to eliminate most gestation crates by 2017</a>.

• Bon Appétit Management Company

  Also in February, Bon Appetit announced it would <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-bon-appetit-gestation-crates-20120220,0,7675759.story" target="_hplink">stop buying pork from providers who use gestation cates</a>. Bon Appetit runs more than 400 cafes across 31 states.

• Smithfield Foods

  Smithfield Foods, the world's largest pork producer, announced late last year it would <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/08/smithfield-gestation-crates_n_1136567.html" target="_hplink">end its practice of using gestation crates</a> for pregnant hogs by 2017.

• Oscar Mayer

  In early July, Oscar Mayer pledged to source its pork from suppliers that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/09/oscar-mayer-gestation-crates_n_1658670.html" target="_hplink">no longer use gestation crates</a>. Oscar Mayer is owned by Kraft Foods.

• Sysco

  On July 23, Sysco <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/24/sysco-gestation-crates_n_1698971.html?1343152570" target="_hplink">pledged to work with its producers to stop the use of gestation crates</a>. Sysco is the world's largest broadline food distributor.

Comments

[tippy301]

05:40 PM on 05/20/2012

Food photography is an art unto itself. The product never lives up to the ad image & that's before you taste it. This is all about herd management & conditioning the masses to eat slop; Genetically Engineered Foods & food stuffs rescued from the trash, through the miracle of irradiation. With enough time & conditioning, picking corn out of cow sh*t will seem like dining alfresco. Bon Appetit !

[tccat4]

07:01 AM on 05/17/2012

Its good to know that some food providers see things and try to change them.. Congrats..Dennys

[twowhitedogs]

06:23 AM on 05/17/2012

WAY TO GO DENNY'S! Thank you for standing up for what is right.

[XME]

04:57 AM on 05/17/2012

I have nothing against eating meat, or humans in general eating meat, but when we treat living animals like food, rather than living BEINGS, we tread into very scary, inhumane, territory.

[lifehub]

04:46 AM on 05/17/2012

Some years back Denny's was known for its discrimination and refusal to serve black people. Wonder if these characters changed their position yet. I quit eating there long ago.

[Y3rMawm]

03:38 AM on 05/17/2012

So long as it does not negatively impact the availability of bacon, nobody gets hurt.

[northcntrlcoast]

02:54 AM on 05/17/2012

I went into a dennys restraunt the other day to use the restroom. While walking through the restraunt over 70% of the people eating food were Obese almost like Pigs. Fast food is filled with sugar, oils, creams and is dangerous to your long term health.

[twowhitedogs]

06:27 AM on 05/17/2012

Walk anywhere and 70% are obese. I sat in my husbands truck while he was in Lowes and 3 out of 4 were well overweight. All food not in it's natural state is filled with garbage.

[Steve68112]

12:27 AM on 05/17/2012

Ending gestation crates is a great idea, however it won't make any difference for me going to Denny's. I haven't been into a Denny's in over 20 years as they have some of the worst/non existent service ever. They were sued for not providing service (allegedly due to racial bias) however I would be happy to testify it makes no difference what you look like they don't provide actual service to anyone. It actually amazes me they are still in business.

[Skagway sioux]

11:58 PM on 05/16/2012

How very sad ! Pigs are intelligent animals that can be tamed beautifully. We should learn to become vegans.

[twowhitedogs]

06:28 AM on 05/17/2012

Tried that....it was hard. I will just stick to no meat, only cage free eggs and organic yogurt.

[wiredfld]

11:27 PM on 05/16/2012

Michigan State University worked on these and even crueler systems.[like right front & left rear leg shackles] rebreading while sow was still nursing, and my least favorite oven drying of excreated waste ground into feed. New meaning to waste not want not. Some things shouldnd be taken to extreme for sake of being efficient. comments welcome spell checkers GFYSLF

[twowhitedogs]

06:29 AM on 05/17/2012

Colleges are the worst/worse in how they treat animals. Animal testing is disgusting. I second that comment to the spell checkers!

[elvirawalker]

11:08 PM on 05/16/2012

Dennies should close their doors, if they want to do something kind. The greasy food in that place is overwhelming. As far as not using crates anymore, well, they are still going to kill them to profit. The kind thing to do, would be to not serve pork anymore.

[GOODDOC1]

01:12 AM on 05/17/2012

Is anyone forcing you to eat there?

[Y3rMawm]

03:37 AM on 05/17/2012

You seem to be asking for recognition of individual responsibility. Are you on the right website?

[Jude Arsenault]

11:02 PM on 05/16/2012

just replace pigs with dogs because they are very similar.would this seem like a good thing?

[whdlsn]

02:43 AM on 05/17/2012

Only on the menu at at the White House.

[Jude Arsenault]

11:01 PM on 05/16/2012

big deal!! the pigs are still tortured,suffer extreme anguish and are murdered.this is nothing more than a feel good fairy tale that makes people falsely believe that their animal flesh is more humane.NOT..if you want to end cruelty then go vegan.it's better for the animals,your health,the environment and so much more and it's easy.

[twowhitedogs]

06:30 AM on 05/17/2012

it's a step in the right direction!

[sosentient]

10:47 PM on 05/16/2012

Gestation crates are terribly cruel; pregnant pigs should not have to spend their lives in cages barely bigger than their own bodies, unable to even turn around. Thanks, Denny's, for doing the right thing! And the sooner, the better.

[mary collins finn]

10:20 PM on 05/16/2012

It's heartening to learn that animal rights work is beginning to pay off. I have never eaten veal since I learned how it is commercially produced.