Animal rights groups seek more concessionsAnimal rights groups seek more concessions

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of Nation’s Restaurant News.


Ever heard of a phrase called “moving the goalposts”? It’s used to describe people who act like they want to compromise, but always push for more as soon as you agree to their deal. Give in, and what started out as an incremental shift in their favor ends up as a headlong rush toward your end zone.

That’s a charitable way to characterize how the Humane Society of the United States operates. A more accurate description of the animal liberation extremists is even simpler: They’re bullies.

Restaurant industry executives are familiar with the HSUS extending an olive branch to “work together” or “start a dialogue” about “improving” animal welfare policies. But recently, things have taken a dark turn. A militant HSUS ally based in Philadelphia has begun threatening boycotts of retailers. This group, called The Humane League, is anything but humane. If you go to its website, you’ll see — in very small font — notices regarding restraining orders against the group, which used to be called Hugs for Puppies.

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But apparently, when you’re on Team Vegan, the HSUS will overlook certain transgressions. HSUS executives have spoken at fundraising events for The Humane League to help boost the group — allowing The Humane League to return the favor by playing “bad cop” to the HSUS’s supposed “good cop.”

So while the animal liberation movement uses just about any means to achieve its goals, the HSUS happily talks out of both sides of its mouth. Back in 2008, the HSUS pushed a California ballot measure — Proposition 2 — that economists predicted would spell doom for the Golden State’s egg industry by forcing farmers into massive infrastructure changes. HSUS chief executive Wayne Pacelle wrote approvingly that the measure would “halt the use of cage systems that are commercially viable.”

Then, the HSUS had a change of heart. It accepted that bigger cages with furnishing could be acceptable, and it pushed a federal bill to that effect. Thanks to the distrust that the HSUS had sown among farmers and Congress, however, that piece of legislation failed.

Now, the HSUS is back to telling farmers in California that they have to go cage free — even though one farm has already invested millions in the larger cages that the HSUS had pushed. And the HSUS is now defending a state law applying California’s egg standards to out-of-state producers — something that could cause an egg shortage in the import-heavy Golden State.

Imagine if an activist group pushing home-cooked food advanced a bill that would mandate a total overhaul of the stoves, kitchens, flooring and bars at every California restaurant. That’s the level of outrage the HSUS is purposely courting.

The result will be market chaos. These measures will affect farmers, retailers and consumers, but not the HSUS. As a vegan group, it officially doesn’t believe in using eggs. In fact, the HSUS has even invested in a start-up company called Beyond Eggs that hopes to eliminate the egg industry entirely.

Rather than concerned moderates, the HSUS and The Humane League are extreme abolitionists. One organization may wield carrots more often than sticks, but their agendas are the same: Both want to abolish animal agriculture, not improve it.

Do you agree with Berman? Sound off in the comments below.

Editor's Note: This story was revised March 27.