PETA's letter to Safeway explaining that the decision to treat animals with basic decency is up to Safeway

September 14, 2001

Brian G. Dowling
Vice President, Public Affairs
Safeway, Inc.
5918 Stoneridge Mall Rd.
Pleasanton, CA 94588-3229

2 pages via fax: 925-467-3323

Dear Mr. Dowling:

During our last conversation on June 5, you said that Safeway "cannot dodge the issue of animal welfare" and that your company "must respond to PETA's concerns" about the miserable living and dying conditions of animals sold at Safeway. Since that conversation three months ago, we have not received any further correspondence about Safeway's animal welfare policies.

Since our first letter to Safeway in October 2000, tremendous changes have swept through the fast-food industry. As McDonald's, Burger King, and now Wendy's have demonstrated, it is in everyone's best interests to eliminate the most egregious abuses. For example, in June, Burger King released a set of animal welfare guidelines that prohibit skinning and dismembering fully conscious cows during slaughter, starving hens for up to two weeks in order to force them to lay more eggs, and confining hens to cages so small that they cannot all lie down at the same time. Burger King's CEO was quoted in The New York Times as saying, "We are the caretakers of God's creation. We have a moral obligation to treat them humanely, and when we do slaughter them, to do so in a painless manner." Currently, Tricon Global Restaurants is also forming an animal welfare panel to address critical animal welfare problems, and Wendy's has reduced an enormous amount of suffering by implementing an animal welfare program similar to McDonald's and Burger King's.

As the third-largest grocery-store chain in the country, the obligation to treat animals humanely falls squarely on Safeway's shoulders. Yet, to date, PETA has received no indication whatsoever that Safeway has any intention of reducing the suffering and misery of animals supplied to its stores. Your comment that Safeway must "raise the bar for animal welfare" was encouraging to hear back in June, but what substantive steps, if any, has Safeway taken to do that? Has Safeway even contacted its suppliers to discuss illegal slaughter practices and forced molting?

In our last conversation, you said that Karen Brown of the Food Marketing Institute will represent Safeway on animal welfare issues, but attempting to deflect all tough questions to an industry trade group will, of course, not absolve Safeway of responsibility for the animal abuse it accepts from its suppliers. Regardless of the FMI's policies, Safeway must take on the task of requiring its suppliers to meet or exceed the animal care standards adopted by Wendy's, Burger King, and McDonald's and do so now. Just last month, PETA sent a letter to the FMI outlining a list of minimal standards its members need to adopt. While PETA remains guardedly optimistic that the FMI will release a satisfactory set of guidelines, I've enclosed a copy of this letter for your review, since the ultimate decision to implement these standards rests with Safeway, not with the FMI.

While PETA understands that it could take a few months for Safeway to institute its own standards, there is one extreme situation that needs to be addressed immediately. A recent PETA investigation into Seaboard Farms, Inc.—North America's third-largest pork producer and reportedly a supplier to Safeway—uncovered egregious acts of cruelty and neglect to pigs. During the investigation, farm managers and workers were caught on videotape routinely dragging, throwing, kicking, and beating animals—many to death—with metal gate rods and hammers. Others were left to suffer slow and agonizing deaths as a result of disease and injury, without receiving any veterinary care, despite the fact that management was fully aware of their conditions. It is bad enough that these animals were forced to endure horrible conditions in metal sheds where overcrowding and filth overwhelmed their senses. This additional abuse and neglect at the hands of Seaboard employees only served to worsen their nightmare and prevented them from engaging in the most basic of natural behaviors.

After speaking to one of Seaboard's distributors, we understand that Safeway has carried Seaboard products in the past and may do so in the future, depending on weekly prices. We ask that you review the enclosed materials regarding the investigation and reevaluate whether Safeway and its subsidiaries should continue buying from Seaboard.

We still stand ready to work with Safeway to develop meaningful reform in its suppliers' practices. PETA has recently called off an aggressive national campaign against Wendy's (WickedWendys.com), and we will soon turn our attention to grocery-store chains. If we are wrong about your intentions, please let us know that you are preparing to meet or exceed the standards set by McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's, and we will gladly leave Safeway in peace.

We look forward to communicating your reply to our members.

Sincerely,

Sean Gifford
Campaign Coordinator

Cc Mr. Steven Burd, Safeway CEO