Compassion Over Killing

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The Compassion Over Killing logo

Compassion Over Killing (COK) is a nonprofit animal protection organization based in Washington, D.C., founded by Paul Shapiro and currently led by Erica Meier. Working to end animal abuse since 1995, COK exposes cruel conditions on factory farms and promotes vegetarian eating as a way to reduce animal suffering. [1].

[edit] Activities & Campaigns

COK's efforts to encourage others to choose a more compassionate diet include:

distribution of free vegetarian starter guides available on TryVeg.com [2]
powerful pro-vegetarian commercials aired on MTV stations nationwide
'feed-ins' - free vegetarian food and literature, offered to passersby on busy streets or outside fast food eateries
online veg-friendly restaurant guides such as VegDC.com and VegPortland.com
writing letters and op-ed to local newspapers.
a 'restaurant outreach' program to encourage restaurants to serve more vegan food.

INVESTIGATIONS

Compassion Over Killing has also conducted multiple undercover investigations to shed light on the suffering endured by billions of animals raised for food every year in the U.S. To view video footage and photographs of COK's investigations of factory farms, livestock auctions, slaughterhouses, and farmed animal transport, visit COK.net [3].

On November 21, 2006, COK released the results of it latest investigation inside a turkey hatchery in North Carolina that supplies Butterball. The undercover video, filmed by a hatchery employee, shows newly-hatched chicks suffocating inside clear plastic bags, chicks mangled from the machinery left to suffer on the ground, and unwanted (either sick, innjured, or surplus) chicks discarded in the same disposal system as cracked egg shells. Details of the investigation can be found on COK's website or in the Charlotte Observer.

In early 2006, Compassion Over Killing undercover investigation inside a Pennsylvania egg farm led to criminal charges of animal cruelty against the owner and manager of the farm. Covered extensively in the media, the case is still pending in court.

COMPASSION OVER KILLING VERSUS THE EGG INDUSTRY'S "ANIMAL CARE CERTIFIED" LOGO

Using an arsenal of strategies that included investigations, public polls, consumer outreach, media exposes, and litigation, COK's two-year campaign against the egg industry's deceptive "Animal Care Certified" logo eggs ending in victory after the Federal Trade Commission announced in September 2005 that the logo must be removed. [4]