Actress Pamela Anderson urges a consumer boycott of KFC

[Muslimah]

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 17 — Actress Pamela Anderson joined an animal rights campaign against fast-food chain KFC Thursday, urging a consumer boycott of the franchise until it ensures better treatment of its chickens.

“IF PEOPLE KNEW how KFC treats chickens, they’d never eat another drumstick,” the Canadian-born former “Baywatch” beauty wrote in an open letter circulated by the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The letter was addressed to John Bitove, chairman of the Toronto-based company Priszm Brandz, which owns the Canadian franchise to KFC, a division of Yum Brands Inc.

“What KFC does to 750 million chickens each year is not civilized or acceptable,” she wrote. “I am calling for a boycott of all KFC restaurants until my friends at PETA tell me that you have agreed to be kinder in your practices.”

A Priszm Brandz spokeswoman, Alessandra Saccal, dismissed claims that the chickens sold in its KFC outlets are mistreated.

“We purchase our chickens from the same place that grocery stores and other restaurants purchase their chickens from, and the chicken farmers of Canada are very responsible and take the welfare of animals very seriously,” she said.

In July, PETA filed suit against KFC, accusing the company of making misleading statements on its Web site regarding how the chickens it sells are treated. PETA contends that the chickens KFC buys from suppliers are abused through drugging, feeding and slaughter practices.

Anderson is not the first celebrity to join PETA’s cause against Louisville, Kentucky-based KFC. Former Beatle Paul McCartney appealed to the fast-food chain in July to ensure better treatment of its chickens in a PETA ad.

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