Animal Law Podcast #49: The Case of Pilgrim’s Pride’s Shame

On this episode of the Animal Law Podcast, I speak with Laura Fox of the Humane Society of the United States about administrative efforts to address false and deceptive advertising from Pilgrim’s Pride regarding their treatment of chickens.  These efforts include a complaint made to the Federal Trade Commission asking it to investigate the advertising and enjoin Pilgrim’s Pride from continuing to issue misleading claims pertaining to animal welfare, as well as subsequent requests for similar enforcement to state consumer protection agencies and attorneys general. Additionally, a complaint was made to the Securities and Exchange Commission about possible stakeholder fraud in violation of federal securities laws, also pertaining to the false and deceptive claims made by Pilgrim’s Pride about humane treatment.

Laura Fox is a Staff Attorney in the Animal Protection Litigation program at HSUS, working to protect farm animals from the industrialized practices of factory farms, including by eliminating extreme confinement and unnecessary suffering and challenging their environmental impacts. A large aspect of her work involves filing complaints with federal and state agencies and litigating issues arising under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, the Freedom of Information Act, and other federal statutes, as well as litigating consumer protection cases at the state level. Laura is also an Adjunct Professor of animal law at George Mason’s law school, and has also taught courses in philosophy and ethics. Laura graduated from Vermont Law School with a J.D. and Master of Environmental Law and Policy and also holds a master’s in philosophy from George Mason University.

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