A slaughterhouse in Alabama owned by Pilgrim's Pride, a company that supplies chickens to KFC, has been slapped with a $135,000 fine for 29 safety violations, including citations for unmarked containers of hazardous materials, exposed batteries that posed a danger of caustic burns and electrical shocks, and an unsecured 150-pound drum of chlorine. A complaint about ammonia odors, tripping hazards, and cutting and stabbing injuries prompted the U.S. Department of Labor to conduct the investigation that led to the fine.

Alert PETA Files readers might recall PETA's investigation at a Pilgrim's Pride slaughterhouse in West Virginia, which produced evidence that workers were stomping on chickens, kicking them, ripping off their beaks and heads, slamming them against floors and walls, spitting tobacco into their eyes and mouths, and spray-painting their faces.

So I guess it shouldn't come as any surprise that a company that shows such little regard for the humane treatment of animals would also have little regard for worker safety. Just one more reason to stay away from Pilgrim's Pride enabler customer KFC.

Written by Alisa Mullins

eldoradonews / CC

Last week, a former employee of a Pilgrim's Pride slaughterhouse in Alabama took his work home with him and went on a killing spree (you know, the kind involving humans—the kind that there are actually laws against). Is it so shocking that someone who kills for a living would be violent off-duty, as well? Statistics show that counties with slaughterhouses have higher violent-crime rates than other counties, which is why we sent a letter to Gov. Bob Riley of Alabama asking him to require that slaughterhouse workers receive empathy training and that cameras be installed in slaughterhouses.

Maybe it's just me, but it seems obvious that slaughterhouses would be linked to violent behavior. Pilgrim's Pride is infamous for employing cruel workers, some of whom were videotaped stomping on chickens' heads, ripping off their beaks, and slamming them against walls in an undercover PETA investigation. We hope that Gov. Riley will take our advice to help prevent future killings—of both humans and nonhumans.

Written by Lianne Turner

scienceblogs / CC

After Pilgrim's Pride announced that it will be closing its slaughterhouse in Farmerville, Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal immediately put together an emergency task force to strategize a way to stop the plant from closing. We realize that in this unstable economy, losing 1,300 jobs can definitely be scary, so PETA has written to Gov. Jindal with an offer: We'd like to purchase the slaughterhouse and create a chicken empathy museum, which would create jobs and increase tourism in Louisiana.

Of course, the museum would also promote compassion for animals and educate people about the suffering endured by the 9 billion chickens who are killed for food every year. What better job is there for a former factory-farm worker than to educate others about how wonderful chickens really are?

Most people don't realize that chickens are sensitive animals who are as intelligent as cats, dogs, and even primates. Probably the coolest thing that you didn't know (but would if you visited our proposed museum) is that mother hens actually cluck to their unborn chicks, who chirp back to their mothers and to one another from within their shells!

Oh, and did I mention that the museum would also include a fancy restaurant with an array of delicious vegetarian options and would offer free plush chickens to all kids under 12? Post a comment to let Gov. Jindal know that you'll be booking your ticket to Farmerville as soon as the museum is up and running.

Written by Liz Graffeo