Why Is Hard Rock Supporting This Extreme Animal Cruelty?
Earlier this year, the Open Wing Alliance – a coalition of animal protection organisations of which Animal Equality is a member – launched a global campaign urging Hard Rock to stop sourcing eggs from farms that cruelly confine hens in cages. Our petition has amassed over 160,000 signatures so far, and while Hard Rock has definitely taken notice of us, the multimillion-pound company is still refusing to end its support of this extremely inhumane practice.
The famous chain claims that “social purpose is the life of Hard Rock” and uses mottos such as ‘Take Time To Be Kind’, yet it continues to profit from some of the most abused animals on the planet, in the cruellest of ways. It’s time for Hard Rock to better align its actions with its catchy slogans!
Hens farmed in cages have so little space that they’re unable to carry out many of their natural behaviours and suffer from extreme psychological stress. The conditions these animals are forced to live in are so brutal that they often cause painful injuries, severe feather loss and even death. Although all egg farming is cruel, eliminating cages would end one of the very worst abuses for hens currently trapped inside the animal agriculture industry, and a cage-free commitment would be an important step in the right direction.
In what seems like positive news on the surface, just weeks after we began the campaign Hard Rock pledged to stop using eggs from caged hens in its ‘owned’ cafes, hotels and restaurants. However, this partial commitment is misleading and it doesn’t go far enough. By purposely leaving out its franchised outlets, Hard Rock’s commitment only covers around one third of its worldwide locations. While a partial commitment is a step forward, Hard Rock must commit to change for every single hen who is currently trapped and caged in its supply chain.
Animal activists from all over the world are speaking out about this cruelty to hens and urging Hard Rock to release a 100% cage-free commitment at once. If you’re part of our team of volunteer Animal Protectors, then you might even spot yourself in the video below!
Along with other animal groups, we’ll be continuing to push even harder to make sure that Hard Rock releases a critical full cage-free commitment. If you haven’t already signed our petition, please join us in standing up for chickens today!