Last Wednesday we learned that Glee‘s Lea Michele was the latest celebrity spokesperson to team up with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to join their crusade for animal rights. It turns out that actor Ryan Gosling has also decided to work with PETA in defense of animal rights and has fired off an open letter to the McDonald’s fast food chain regarding their treatment of the chickens they prepare as food:
Ryan Gosling is the heartthrob with a heart of gold—and now he’s got a message for the Golden Arches: Stop scalding chickens to death in defeathering tanks. The Oscar-nominated actor just fired off a letter on PETA’s behalf to McDonald’s CEO Jim Skinner asking him to adopt a less cruel slaughter method. Controlled-atmosphere killing (CAK), which McDonald’s European suppliers already use, would eliminate the worst abuses currently faced by chickens who are killed for McNuggets. Ryan himself said it best in Half Nelson: “The only constant is change.” By changing to a more humane slaughter method, McDonald’s would evolve and show the world some compassion for animals. If you could say anything to McD’s, what would you tell them?
After the jump, read the full text of the letter supposedly written to McDonald’s by Ryan Gosling. While we are led to believe that Ryan actually wrote the text of the letter, it’s more likely that the letter was written and approved by him later. Wanna hear Gosling‘s beef with McD’s? Read on …
Dear Mr. Skinner,
I was shocked to learn from my friends at PETA that McDonald’s, a company that claims to be an industry leader in animal welfare, still allows its suppliers to use an outdated chicken slaughter method that results in broken wings and legs and causes birds to be scalded to death in defeathering tanks.
Many of McDonald’s suppliers in Europe already use a much more humane slaughter method that eliminates the worst cruelty. What’s your excuse?
Because no federal laws govern the treatment of chickens during slaughter, the responsibility lies in your company’s hands to create and maintain a high standard of animal welfare. I hope you will agree that the time has come for McDonald’s to truly take action to reduce the suffering of chickens killed for its restaurants. I look forward to hearing your decision. Thank you.
Sincerely, Ryan Gosling
Whether or not you agree with Ryan‘s position and whether or not you agree with PETA‘s tactics, you’ve got to admire the guy for putting his stamp of approval on something he obviously cares about. Not everyone has the luxury of being able to follow the strict guidelines set forth by animal rights groups like this but at least its of some comfort to know that there are others doing what they can for the ideals they believe in. PETA is very clever to work with celebs like Ryan with huge fanbases. Tactics like this are sure to garner the attention of at least a few fans. Will it work? Who knows? At least you’ve got to give them credit for trying.
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This makes him even sexier in my eyes.
I don’t understand why it’s SO difficult to kill an animal humanely. Does it cost that much more? Take more time? Uhg.
Awesome that he wrote a short and to the point letter that doesn’t alienate anyone.
before funding any charity. PLEASE visit, reform march of dimes.org (learn how charities misspend research dollars) & mrmcmed.org, read what the march of dimes spends 30 million dollars a year on. ps, animal research has NEVER been validated. “work on prevention of polio was LONG DELAYED by an erroneous conception of the nature of the human disease based on MISLEADING experimental models of the disease in monkeys” albert sabin, m.d., during a 1984 house subcommittee. (cancer) “if curing mouse cancers were enough. we would have cured cancer IN THE 60S” dr. donald morton, john wayne cancer institute. does your charity “STILL” fund animal research? please visit, humaneseal.org
People dont care about the way they kill these animals because all they care about is the instant gratification they’re going to receive when they eat whatever it is they’re about to eat. We live in a world where faster is better and anyway to kill these poor animals fast and cheaply is going to be gone. And yes he is definitely sexier for writing this letter.
Love him even more…
Love him! But i wish a less crazy animal rights organization would become famous. I love what PETA stands for (most of it) but i hate the way some of their leaders try and get their point across.
PETA is not a “crazy” animals rights group. It takes tough tactics to get the public to pay attention to what’s going on behind closed doors. Try working there for one week…see what they have to see, and deal with every day. No, i don’t think you could do it. More power to them!!
hey megan, your wish has been granted. ive listed 3 sites at (f1.com) 4mula1.
I’ve always been a HUGE fan on Ryan Goslings. Now, i love him even more. It is so nice to see famous people stand up for a cause like PETA. They work so hard to try to change the inhumane ways in which animals are treated. And as much money as all these food chains, farms, research labs, etc., make, it is not more costly to take time to treat these poor animals humanely. God did not put animals here to be abused, and mistreated by mankind. Compassion makes for a much better world. God, is compassion. So, thank you to all of the people who actually take the time to try to make a difference in making this a better world…for all of God’s creatures. No compassion = a very dark heart.