Christian Youth Group Under Fire for Abusing Chickens in Team Exercise

PETA’s Humane-Education Division Offers to Help Texas Group Teach Kindness by Helping Animals, Not Hurting Them

For Immediate Release:
April 6, 2016

Contact:
Sophia Charchuk 202-483-7382

This afternoon, TeachKind, PETA’s humane-education division, sent a letter urging Young Life—a Christian youth ministry—to ban the use of live animals in all of its groups’ activities. The letter follows a viral Snapchat video that appears to show students in a local Katy, Texas, chapter of Young Life throwing live chickens around a room and against a wall in what they described as a team-building exercise. One of the chickens who was used has since died, and local authorities have opened an investigation into the incident.

“We’re facing a bullying epidemic, and these teenagers displayed a dangerous lack of empathy for others when they carelessly threw terrified chickens around like basketballs,” says PETA Senior Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. “Young Life admits that this stunt demonstrated bad judgment, and TeachKind is calling on the organization to set a standard of respect and compassion for all of creation by banning the use of live animals in all activities.”

TeachKind and PETA—whose mottos read, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—note that chickens are intelligent animals with complex social structures, adept communication skills, and distinct personalities. The groups have also offered to help Young Life find team-building opportunities in which teens could volunteer to help animals.

TeachKind’s letter to Young Life is available upon request. For more information, please visit TeachKind.org.