Founded 1995 Location Washington, D.C. | Founder Paul Shapiro Key people Erica Meier | |
Focus Cruelty to animals in agriculture | ||
Compassion Over Killing (COK) is a non-profit animal protection organization based in Washington, D.C., founded by Paul Shapiro and currently led by Executive Director Erica Meier. Formed in 1995, COK's primary campaigns are to advocate against factory farming and promote vegetarian eating. While it welcomes those who are interested in animal welfare who eat meat, the group encourages a transition to a plant-based diet, even if gradual or part-time.
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Activities and campaigns
COK's activities and campaigns include:
As of 2016, COK has completed its eighth annual VegWeek. VegWeek is an international campaign in which people make a pledge to eat a plant-based diet for one week. In 2016, more than 5,400 people took the 7-Day VegPledge. Participants of VegWeek campaigns have included federal, state, and local representatives, athletes and celebrities, and community members.
Campaign successes
Undercover investigations
Compassion Over Killing has conducted multiple undercover investigations into conditions facing animals raised for food in the U.S.
Egg farms
The group conducted an investigation into the living conditions at Maryland henhouses, documenting corpses found in group cages and rescuing some of the hens found in the worst conditions. One of the farms documented, owned by ISE America, housed more than 800,000 hens. Following a tip about substandard conditions at the farm, COK requested permission to visit the farm before proceeding with an undercover investigation.
The spokesperson for the owner of the farm in question said that the conditions found at the farm were "normal industry practices." While one of the farms asserted that the video footage was not taken at its farm, Compassion Over Killing had filmed its GPS location as well as mail addressed to the farm in question.
In early 2006, a Compassion Over Killing investigation inside a Pennsylvania egg farm led to criminal charges of 35 counts of animal cruelty against the owner and manager of the farm, the first case of its kind. Although, charges were pressed by a local animal control officer after viewing a video provided by COK, the owner and manager of the farm were eventually acquitted in 2007.
Central Valley Meat
COK's undercover video exposing animal abuse at Central Valley Meat Co. (CVM) prompted the USDA to shut down the California slaughterhouse in 2012 and suspend federal purchases from the facility, a major supplier to the USDA's National School Lunch Program. California-based fast food chain, In-N-Out Burger immediately severed ties with its former supplier CVM upon the release of COK's investigation findings, followed by national chains McDonald's and Costco. In February 2014, the facility was again shut down by the USDA for unsanitary conditions.
Quanah Cattle Company
In 2013, a COK activist was arrested (although charges were eventually dropped) in Colorado for filming alleged cattle abuse at the Quanah Cattle Company and failing to report the abuse “in a timely manner.” COK Executive Director Erica Meier stated that this is a “shoot-the-messenger strategy aimed at detracting attention away from the crimes of those who actually abused animals.”
Pilgrim's Pride chicken factory farm
In 2014, a COK investigation exposed chickens being buried alive at a North Carolina factory farm supplying Pilgrim's Corp. (formerly Pilgrim's Pride), the second largest chicken producer in the world and a supplier for Chick-Fil-A, Burger King, Wendy's and Walmart. CNN broke the shocking story.
Foster Farms turkey hatchery
In early 2015, a COK investigator documented horrific treatment of baby birds - including mutilations, gassing and being ground up alive - inside a Foster Farms hatchery in Fresno, California.
Mountaire Farms
At a North Carolina chicken slaughterhouse owned by Mountaire Farms, Inc., the seventh largest chicken producer in the U.S, COK exposed birds being violently thrown and punched, their feathers being ripped out, and sick or injured birds left in piles to die slowly.
Quality Pork Processors (Hormel)
In 2015, a Compassion Over Killing investigator uncovered conditions in a Minnesota facility that kills and processes animals for Hormel. This plant is one of the largest pig slaughterhouses in the U.S., and one of five plants enrolled in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Based Inspection Models Project (HIMP), a pilot USDA program that allows for faster processing of animals with reduced government inspection.
The Washington Post broke the story of the investigation, writing, "Months worth of footage have raised serious concerns about the conditions at one of the largest pork processors in the U.S., and started a government investigation."
In 2013, an Audit Report issued by the USDA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) underscored concerns that HIMP may pose food safety risks.
Legal advocacy
Compassion Over Killing's innovative Legal Advocacy Program has been working since 2004 to use the legal system to oppose the system injustices of factory farming. Using existing criminal law and civil litigation, the Program focuses on fighting large-scale animal cruelty on factory farms and works to protect consumers from manipulation and unfair practices by the animal agriculture industry. Because farmed animals are given almost no protection under the law, this challenging work is vitally important.
The Legal Advocacy Program seeks enforcement of existing criminal laws against owners and employees of the facilities for the harming of animals, and develops legal analysis in order to bring landmark lawsuits and other legal actions. The Program also conducts outreach and education, providing attorneys, legal students, and the public with information about farmed animals and the law.