Statue of ‘Maimed’ Chicken Would Memorialize Animals Killed at Old Tyson Foods Slaughterhouse

For Immediate Release:
February 29, 2024

Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382

Following reports that the Tyson Foods slaughterhouse in Corydon is one of eight plants that the company is shutting down in an effort to cut costs, PETA sent a letter today to Kelly Hanna-Carroll, manager of the Corydon Capitol State Historic Site, requesting permission to place a sculpture of a maimed chicken next to the Capitol building or Corydon Capitol Square in remembrance of the millions of chickens who were tormented and killed at the slaughterhouse. PETA notes that the statue would remind everyone that animals—who feel pain and fear just as humans do—don’t have to be mutilated to make nuggets and other Tyson products if humans take personal responsibility for what they eat and choose to leave animals off their plates.

“Chickens are gentle birds who don’t deserve to be slammed into shackles and violently killed, especially when we have a wealth of vegan food choices,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA urges everyone to recognize this closure as an invitation to leave animals in peace and is ready to help anyone go vegan by providing free resources at PETA.org.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Hanna-Carroll follows.

February 29, 2024

Kelly Hanna-Carroll
Site Manager
Corydon Capitol State Historic Site

Dear Ms. Hanna-Carroll:

I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—PETA entities have more than 9 million members and supporters globally, and PETA U.S. is the largest animal rights organization in the world—to ask permission to place our maimed chicken sculpture on the lawn next to the Corydon Capitol Building or the Corydon Capitol Square to commemorate the closure of the Corydon Tyson Foods slaughterhouse, where millions of chickens were sent to a terrifying death and then hacked to bits for a fleeting taste of flesh.

We want people to consider who animals are, what makes them tick, and how they experience the world. Chickens are smart, sensitive animals who feel pain and empathy, have distinct personalities, and can count and perform basic addition and subtraction at just a few days old. Mother hens communicate with their chicks while they’re still inside the shell so that they recognize her call when they hatch.

Designed by Harry Bliss, an award-winning author and a cartoonist for The New Yorker, PETA’s chicken statue is 66 inches tall, measures 60 inches from tail to beak, has a 48-inch wingspan, and weighs 250 pounds. Our statue would let people know that the best way to prevent the violent deaths of animals is to go vegan—because animals shouldn’t be condemned to a slaughterhouse in the first place.

The Tyson plant that slaughtered millions of chickens is now part of Corydon’s history, so a statue to memorialize them would be a fitting gesture. An image of the chicken sculpture can be found here. Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

Danielle Katz
Senior Director