Chick-Fil-A Denies Animal Abuse As Angry Consumers Flock To Facebook Page To Demand Mercy

Though Chick-fil-A’s animal abuse allegations were denied in a statement from the company earlier this week, customers are still flocking to the Chick-fil-A social media accounts to voice their concerns. On Saturday, the fact food restaurant’s social media feeds were still filled with posts sharing either the video (below) or the information released by Mercy For Animals, a nonprofit animal rights group. Chick-fil-A’s social media manager, rather than deleting the posts, directed posters to the company’s statement on the matter.

The Inquisitr previously reported on Mercy For Animals’ allegations, but the story continues to grow, as it spreads across social media with backlash for the chicken-centric fast food chain.

Here’s the video from MFA that purports to show a Chick-fil-A supplier, Koch Foods, handling chickens in an abusive and cruel manner. WARNING: This video contains scenes of animals being handled roughly, scalded alive, having throats cut, and more. If you’re sensitive to such views, you may wish to skip the video and just read on.

The group behind the video has a petition they’d like viewers to sign, to demand that Chick-fil-A use a different supplier.

The problem with that, though, is that Chick-fil-A says this warehouse, Koch Foods, is not a supplier, and hasn’t been since April of 2013.

Mercy for Animals Statement: The animal advocacy group Mercy for Animals is releasing an investigation today regarding the treatment of chickens at a farm in Puckett, Mississippi, and a poultry slaughterhouse in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Both facilities are owned by Chicago-based Koch Foods, which has not been a supplier for Chick-fil-A since April of 2013.

Of course, this fails to address a number of concerns, such as whether this was standard treatment of chickens when Chick-fil-A did buy from them, whether it continues to be, and if so, what restaurants the slaughterhouse currently supplies, but it does make the petition somewhat moot.

As for whether this is standard treatment, Koch Foods says it isn’t (PDF), at least as of September of 2014, when an animal welfare audit was completed. Koch also confirms that it has not done business with Chick-fil-A in over a year and a half.

With all that said, though, the video has mobilized those with a concern for animal welfare, and Chick-fil-A is fielding a near-endless stream of angry or concerned comments. The company maintains, though, that all animal abuse allegations against Chick-fil-A are groundless.

[photo credit: m01229]