Wendy’s has long been an industry leader. But by continuing to use chickens raised in cruel houses of horrors, Wendy’s is ignoring the public’s booming calls for better animal welfare. The chickens Wendy’s uses are packed into dark, crowded warehouses by the tens of thousands. Many suffer from constant leg pain so severe they spend nearly all their time sitting in their own waste. Continual contact with soiled litter causes extreme feather loss and painful sores on the chickens’ bodies and feet.

To prevent chickens from walking around, many farmers keep the farms in near darkness all day long. Most birds will not see the sun until the day they are killed. Many die from organ failure. And the lives of those who do survive these houses of horrors end the same way: The birds are shackled upside down by their feet, have their throats cut open, and bleed to death.

Wendy’s has also fallen behind several leading food companies, including Burger King, Boston Market, Subway, Jack in the Box, Einstein Brothers Bagels, Chipotle, Panera Bread, Starbucks, TGI Fridays, Noodles & Company, Pret A Manger, Le Pain Quotidien, Shake Shack, and Quiznos, all of which have already committed to ending the use of chickens raised in these unconscionable conditions.

Please ask Wendy’s leaders to adopt the same basic animal welfare commitments for chickens as their competitors and boycott their restaurants until they do. Wendy’s should agree to source only chickens from farms that use higher-welfare breeds; do not use live-shackle slaughter; and provide enrichments, reduced stocking density, and improved light and litter quality.