Tugging on the heartstrings of the pet-loving first family, PETA today urged first lady Jill Biden to pitch plans to use hen-laid eggs for the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.
Instead, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk suggested the White House use painted stones or wooden eggs sold by the White House Historical Association.
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She said it would make the annual event, taking place on April 10 on the South Lawn, “eggstra special for chickens.” A ticket lottery for the event starts Thursday.
EGGCITING NEWS! The White House Easter Egg Roll ticket lottery opens at 10am ET on Thurs 3/16 and closes at 10am ET on Thurs 3/23. Lottery results announced Mon 3/27 via email. Enter here: https://t.co/uz3jVT4E7i #EasterEggRoll pic.twitter.com/1dVDW8dM1I
— Easter Egg Roll Info (@EasterEggRoll) March 13, 2023
A spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said that as dog owners, the Bidens have a special connection to animals.
“Every year in the U.S., about 300 million hens’ beaks are mutilated, then they’re forced to spend their entire lives pressed against other birds in severely crowded cages that reek of feces and ammonia. These chickens suffer just as any other animals would, including Commander and Willow, the Bidens’ beloved dog and cat,” Robin Goist said.
In her letter, Newkirk also noted the high cost of eggs and the possibility of a worldwide avian flu as reasons to make a symbolic change from real eggs to fake ones for the annual roll and race.
Hop on over and celebrate #Easter by purchasing your own Official 2023 White House Easter Egg set! This year’s set includes five vibrantly colored eggs featuring two whimsical imprints. https://t.co/2qTomJzibq pic.twitter.com/yrS1SKR1ie
— White House History (@WhiteHouseHstry) March 9, 2023
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“Now is a hopping good time to hatch an Easter tradition that is kind and doesn’t prop up the cruel egg industry,” she wrote.
Her letter is below:
I’m writing on behalf of PETA, the world’s largest animal rights organization, with more than 5 million members and supporters in the U.S., to respectfully urge you not to allow the use of real chicken eggs for the White House Easter Egg Roll but to choose instead reusable plastic or wooden eggs — or even lovely painted rocks or egg-shaped balls — all of which would last for years to come. This update would make the event eggstra special for chickens and inclusive of all children who attend, including those who don’t consume eggs for ethical, environmental, or health reasons.
As an educator, you understand that we want Americans of all ages to consider who animals are, what makes them tick, and how they feel. Chickens are smart, sensitive animals who feel pain and empathy; have distinct personalities; and at just a few days old, can count and perform basic addition and subtraction. Mother hens communicate with their chicks while they’re still inside the shell so that they recognize her call when they hatch. Children, who have natural empathy for animals, would be saddened to learn that the eggs at this family event came from mothers who spent their entire lives in cages smaller than a letter-sized sheet of paper, unable to lift a single wing, and were taken from her as soon as they were laid. It’s a most fowl irony.
We hope you’ll agree that while families are shelling out nearly 70% more for eggs amid the deadliest avian flu outbreak on record, now is a hopping good time to hatch an Easter tradition that is kind and doesn’t prop up the cruel egg industry. We wish you and your family a very happy Easter and look forward to hearing from you.
Very truly yours,
Ingrid Newkirk
President
