Caged Egg Production Ethical Analysis

I will be analysing the ethical issue of caged egg production in New Zealand. Caged egg production raises the ethical issue of the welfare of the hens, and the impacts that caged egg production has on individuals and society. The first hens were brought to New Zealand by Captain James Cook in 1773, and centuries on they are one of the most important sources of food for our country, providing vital protein and nutrients at an affordable price (Teara, 2012). New Zealanders are now eating around 226 eggs per person per year, more than double the 100 we were eating in the early 20th century when most people relied on backyard coops and small free-range operations. As the demand for eggs has grown, our farming methods have had to evolve and expand
Founded in 1932, SAFE aims to make significant improvements to the lives of animals by raising awareness, challenging cruel practices and changing attitudes (SAFE, n.d). Safe opposes the practice of using caged chickens to produce eggs in an intensive manner, as Safe values the welfare of the animals. Safe believe that caged hens spend their entire lives mistreated and abused. They believe that the welfare of the chickens is more important than the economic benefits that caged hens have on the consumer, farmers and companies. SAFE is concerned at continued hen suffering, both until this date, and in the new colony battery cages that the Government has decided to allow as the replacement. SAFE believes that the new colony battery cages allowed in the welfare code are not an acceptable alternative to existing battery hen cages. SAFE have stated that “These new modified cages still breach the law (Animal Welfare Act) as they do not allow the hens to express their normal behaviours” (SAFE, n.d (2). As an animal advocacy organisation dedicated to helping to save animals from cruelty, SAFE promotes a positive lifestyle that does not use animals for food. SAFE believes the simplest way to help animals is not to eat them. SAFE’s attitudes, values and beliefs towards this issue is made public by their television adverts, protests, frequent comments on animal welfare situations and also the
The Royal New Zealand SPCA’s mission is to “advance the welfare of all animals in New Zealand by; Preventing cruelty to animals, alleviating suffering of animals and promoting our policies through education and advocacy” (RNZSPCA, 2015). The Royal New Zealand SPCA has shown their support for free range farming by creating the ‘Blue Tick’. The SPCA Blue Tick is an Accreditation Scheme run by the Royal New Zealand SPCA, which certifies that animal products such as eggs, pork, chicken and turkey, are farmed to their high welfare standards. The SPCA Blue Tick logo offers consumers a guarantee that the product they are choosing has been farmed humanely. All producers who wish to be a part of the SPCA Blue Tick Accreditation Scheme must adhere to our high welfare standards to ensure that their animals are treated in a cruelty-free manner (RNZSPCA, n.d). The Blue Tick supports the five freedoms, Freedom from Hunger and Thirst; Freedom from Discomfort; Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease; Freedom to Express Natural Behaviour and Freedom from Fear and