Animal rights group protests fast food chain

In the fight for humane treatment of animals now being waged in the food industry by left-wing animal rights organizations, children are becoming prime targets. \nThey grow up with Ronald McDonald and his Playplace, with chocolate Frosty and the Filet-o-Fish, with the signature Burger King cardboard crown.\nNow PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has capitalized upon those simple souvenirs of childhood. \nThe Norfolk, Va.-based animal rights organization has begun distributing blood-drenched crowns to children frequenting Burger Kings throughout the U.S. and Canada. The spikes on the mock crowns impale pigs and chickens in a dramatic attempt to increase awareness of cruel animal treatment by the major franchise, which directs more than $400 million to advertising geared toward children, according to PETA media liaison and Vegan Campaign coordinator Bruce Friedrich.\n"Fatty 'Big Kids' meals are turning kids into whoppers,\" said Friedrich. "The average American child eats five hamburgers a week, but most kids would probably lose their lunch if they knew about the animal suffering that goes into making Burger King\'s meals." \nPETA has garnered celebrity support as well in efforts to incite similar protests against the fast-food chain. Famed actors and longtime PETA supporters Richard Pryor and Alec Baldwin have joined the campaign, sending letters to franchise owners requesting they comply with minimum animal welfare standards in preparing their food items. \nIn doing so, Burger King would also agree to follow the lead of the McDonald's chain, which refused last year to purchase animal products from suppliers which skin and dismember live animals. Such suppliers have also faced accusations including chopping the beaks off hens and starving birds for weeks at a time to incite another laying cycle.\n"PETA wants Burger King to commit to at least the minimal animal welfare standards recently adopted by its chief competitor, McDonald\'s," Friedrich said. "Burger King is sticking by the pathetic 'industry standards,' which don\'t consider animal welfare at all."\nIn an April 2 news release, however, Burger King expressed its endorsement for guidelines for the humane treatment of animals, including those of the American Meat Institute (AMI) Good Management Practices for Animal Handling and Stunning for cattle and swine; the United Egg Producers (UEP) Animal Husbandry Guidelines for U.S. Egg Laying Flocks; and the National Chicken Council (NCC) Animal Welfare Guidelines for broiler chickens.\nIn addition, the company formed the Animal Well-Being Advisory Council, comprised of experts in the fields of agricultural and veterinary medicine and designed to assist in endorsing those guidelines.\n"Endorsing these guidelines forms the foundation for our Animal Well-Being program as we move forward," said Tulin Tuzel, senior vice president, research and development and Chief Technology Officer of Burger King Corporation. \"The next step, working in concert with our Advisory Council, will be to identify specific provisions within these guidelines which should be enhanced or qualified and to adopt procedures for implementation and verification.\"\nPETA's rebuttal claimed the corporation's claims were "duplicitous," saying Burger King must physically react to violations of industry guidelines.