The McCruelty Unhappy Meal. Photo: PETA

Kids hoping to grab a Happy Meal from McDonald's might end up with PETA's Unhappy Meal instead.

The animal rights organization lifted its moratorium on the McCruelty Campaign this year and since June has distributed Chicken McCruelty Unhappy Meals to McDonald's customers outside about a dozen restaurants around the country.

"McDonald's markets its food to children by packaging it in brightly colored boxes with toys," Lindsay Rajt, a spokeswoman for PETA, tells Slashfood. "But most kids really love animals, and if they knew that McDonald's suppliers were breaking the wings and legs of gentle animals like chickens, I think that you'd have to drag kids into McDonald's kicking and screaming."

The campaign, though, has parents "hatin' it."

A PETA protest of a McDonald's in Albany, N.Y., upset parents on Thursday, WXXA-TV reports.

"I don't want my son to be around something like this," parent Stephanie Gipson told the station. "This is not fair for a child."

But Rajt says children have seen worse things than PETA's Unhappy Meal, which comes "stained with blood" and containing a bloody rubber chicken, a cutout of a knife-wielding Ronald McDonald, photos of mutilated animals and a Chicken McCruelty T-shirt. "Kids deserve to be told the truth and we really do need to give them credit," she says. "The bottom line is that they've really seen much worse in movies and videogames, and we all know that kids empathize with animals."

McDonald's told Slashfood that it expects the humane treatment of animals from its suppliers.

Our goal has always been to lead the industry by bringing about improvements in animal welfare including rigorous, ongoing audits of our suppliers' facilities.

"McDonald's works with leading independent animal welfare experts and makes decisions based upon science to promote continuous improvement in animal welfare as part of our broader sustainable supply chain initiatives," Bob Langert, McDonald's vice president of corporate social responsibility, says in a statement to Slashfood.

"McDonald's continues to support our chicken suppliers' use of both controlled atmosphere stunning (CAS) and electrical stunning. There is no conclusive scientific consensus that one practice is better than the other, however, we recognize that in either method, good management practices are critical," he says. "It is also important to note that in the U.S., there are no large-scale chicken producers that currently use the CAS method, therefore demands to purchase chickens from this method to meet McDonald's supply needs are not viable."

PETA says it worked with McDonald's behind the scenes from 2000 to February 2009 before it re-instituted its McCruelty campaign. A PETA protest was expected Friday afternoon at a restaurant in South Burlington, Vt.





[Edited 8/7/09 11:34am]

DAMN, that's NOT cool to do that to the little kiddies.
[Edited 8/7/09 11:42am]

Statuesqque said:

helped u out

LMAO.

I'm sorry, that shit looks hilarious.

PunkMistress said:

as an adult maybe..as an 8 year old...that's disturbing.

I never knew MAC girls sold McDonald's also.

JerseyKRS said:

Fury said:

thanks for that. I'm so shocked that the kids aren't off limits.

That just makes me buy 2 of each.

But only if the nuggets are fried in whale fat.

PunkMistress said:

I did NOT read it but the pic made me

Mach said:

Ronald McDonald gleefully running around with a butcher knife is just tickling me fucking pink.

PunkMistress said:

i hate PETA (believe it or not, the views of PETA do not necessarily reflect those of real-world vegetarians) but i LOVE that evil clown pin. WANT!

Disgusting.

This could actually lead children to think and that might even get them to stop texting and shoveling fast food in their face long enough to ask questions or even engage their parents in conversation.

Yes. Stop this now and by all means incite people to violence against people we disagree with.

It's the only way to ensure our kids grow up just like us.

I have to admire the artistry and direct way to push it to a kid, I think the point is to upset and shock, because they believe that is only a fraction of their upset and shock over the animal treatment beliefs.

Better this then bombs!

They're on some Ronald Mcfoul shit.

NMuzakNSoul said:

Mars23 said:

Exactly. Oh how, exactly. x a billion.

ufoclub said:

What I don't understand is this outrage that they are using violent imagery to make their point.

I mean, come on, ever watched your average cartoon – especially those geared towards young boys?

Children are bombarded with violent images every single day and parents don't seem to think it's an issue.

We are a culture that just loves to see violence. It’s entertainment.

Weird to me.

Not surprised at all. Peta has lost its edge and it trying to regain it. If you have to stoop to the level of frightening little kids with fake blood and fake animal carcasses and a murderous Ronald McDonald then you need to reassess your marketing practices and your opinions about kids.

Anxiety said:

TOTALLY!

JerseyKRS said:

Perhaps all we need to do is take a child to a butcher factory.

I knew about animals being killed for our food intake. As a child my aunt had me hold down the chicken while she axed their heads. Literally. It was a way of life.

Still remember it Clearly today.

Yes, I have been a vegetarian for years... lately not the most devoted, but I feel guilty each and everytime. It always crosses my mind.

Later in my life I started to research and view graphic videos, I did not want to ignore the fact that, this is the reality in which much of our world exists in.

So many people do not want to face, just ignore it and keep on living, eating whatever they pretty much want, free of the research of where and how it came to be.

PETA shouldn't aim the violent depictions at kids, but McDonald's shouldn't be pushing their violent and unhealthy products (to the tune of millions of dollars in advertising) on the kids either who's the bigger offender here?

PETA's "rage" seems more normal to me than the public's apathy.

coolcat said:

if there weren't other organizations with more sane approaches to animal welfare advocacy, i'd agree with you. but since there are other organizations like the ASPCA that i can support, i say to hell with PETA and their shock tactic attention whoring.

DesireeNevermind said:

But McDonalds already stooped to using a clown to make kids want food from their corporate $$$ scheme that is actually harmful in many way and that food could easily and more cheaply be made at home more safely and instill more healthy constructive family values.

And what PETA cares about is bringing to light their strong belief that animal life should be regarded more highly and humanely. With a core belief (value of life itself) people have done much "worse". Even killing or torturing a kid is considered okay by human beings for a cause (check todays CNN headlines). It's happening all over the world! So whether it be religion, economics, animal rights, environment... nothing is sacred for a philosophical and emotionally stirring cause. It's just a disturbing truth of human behavior. But I think demonizing McDonalds (McDowell's ) is probably a good thing in the long run. It could have roots of changing awareness for the better (past the point of animal rights). It points out just how devilish a corporation is by settling itself into the mass consciousness as a "truth" or "comfort" that is normal and part of how our world should be.

Not that I personally hate McDonalds... I just would never eat there unless there was no other option.

<--- I beat Dan

Mach said:

HOT

Mach said:

I'm lovin' it!