In an effort to encourage Jack in the Box and Steak ‘n Shake to implement animal welfare changes many of their competitors have made, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) announced that it purchased stock in both restaurant chains.
The HSUS intends to use its stockholder position to move the companies away from egg suppliers that confine hens in cages and pork suppliers that breed pigs in crates. The HSUS will also encourage Jack in the Box and Steak ‘n Shake to influence their poultry suppliers to switch from their current slaughter system to controlled-atmosphere killing (CAK), which has been shown to greatly improve animal welfare.
Matthew Prescott, corporate outreach director for the HSUS’s factory farming campaign, says that Jack in the Box’s and Steak ‘n Shake’s lack of movement on animal welfare puts them in a bad position against competitors and public opinion.
“As a shareholder, the HSUS hopes to work with the [companies] on making meaningful animal welfare reforms to benefit animals and shareholders alike,” he says.