Sonic anounces new animal welfare policy

Oklahoma City—Sonic Corp., which operates 3,500 restaurants in more than 40 states, announced a new animal welfare policy, garnering praise from The Humane Society of the United States.

Sonic's new policy will result in the company phasing in the use of cage-free eggs, as well as pork from facilities that do not confine breeding pigs in gestation crates. The policy also encourages Sonic's chicken suppliers to switch to controlled-atmosphere killing, a higher-welfare poultry slaughter method than the common practice of shackling and electrified water stunning.

"By starting to use eggs from hens not confined in cruel battery cages and pork from pigs not crammed into tiny gestation crates, Sonic has taken an important first step forward for animal welfare," says Paul Shapiro, senior director of the Humane Society’s factory farming campaign.

Many other national restaurant chains—including Burger King, Red Robin, Wendy's, Quiznos, Denny's, Hardee's, and Carl's Jr.—have created similar animal welfare policies.