COK Highlights from 2005

Dear Friend,

Thank you for helping us help animals in 2005—COK’s tenth year of advocacy!

Formed as an extracurricular high school club in 1995, COK has grown—with your support and dedication—into a national voice for farmed animals. As we look back on a decade of advocacy, please know that every campaign, program, and undercover investigation wouldn’t have been made possible without the kindness of our members.

Although COK has experienced many changes over the years, the things you’ve come to know and expect from us remain steadfast, including our relentless determination to reduce animal suffering and our assurance that every dollar you donate is stretched as far as possible to help the greatest number of animals.

Thank you for enabling us to accomplish so much in the past decade. We hope you’re as excited as we are to begin our next ten years of compassionate action for animals.

With gratitude,
Your friends at COK

COK in the News

Animal Advocacy Group Filing a Lawsuit • Associated Press • February 15, 2005
Compassion Over Killing… is suing Giant Food Inc. of Landover, Lehman’s Egg Service Inc. of Pennsylvania and Brookville Supermarket of Washington, D.C. The suit, filed in Superior Court in Washington, alleges that the grocery chains are selling eggs stamped with a logo that deceives customers…. Read the full article.

Giant to Halt Eggs’ Animal Care Logo • Washington Post • September 16, 2005
Giant Food of Maryland, in response to a lawsuit filed by an animal advocacy group, has agreed to stop using a logo on cartons of its storebrand eggs that certifies them as coming from humanely treated chickens…. Read the full article.

Advocates Challenge Label on Md. Eggs • Washington Post • September 19, 2005
The “Animal Care Certified” stamp on the grocery store eggcartons declared that the chickens were raised in humane conditions, but the tapes… shot by animal advocates who… have spent years sneaking into local poultry farms—show hens closely packed in wire “battery cages,” some missing most of their feathers, with open sores and burned beaks, and dead fowl caged with the living…. Read the full article.

Egg Producers Relent on Industry Seal • New York Times • October 4, 2005
The label “Animal Care Certified” on egg cartons was supposed to assure egg buyers that hens were getting enough food, water and cage space to flap their wings. But after complaints by an animal welfare group that the labels were misleading consumers into thinking that hens were receiving indisputably humane care, the Federal Trade Commission approved a labeling change in late September. "This is an important victory for animals and consumers," said Erica Meier, executive director of Compassion Over Killing…. Read the full article.

Egg Industry Replaces Debated Logo • USA Today • October 4, 2005
The United Egg Producers has agreed to retire the logo and name of a seal program they had been using on egg cartons nationwide because the Federal Trade Commission found it misleading. The animal rights group Compassion Over Killing had complained to the Better Business Bureau and the FTC that the name “misled consumers concerned about animal cruelty….” Read the full article.

Animal-Rights Ads to Air on Comcast • Sacramento Bee • November 12, 2005
Comcast has agreed to run in Sacramento controversial advertisements that promote vegetarianism and decry the treatment of farm animals. A national nonprofit group, Compassion Over Killing, said the local Comcast initially rejected the advertisements, which show graphic images of animals in slaughterhouses and "factory" farms, and urge people to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle…. Read the full article.