The Honorable Luis Rivero Cubano
Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture
Email: lrivero@da.gobierno.pr
Fax: 787-723-8512

Dear Secretary Cubano:

We faxed you a letter on February 11, 2003 in response to reports that the poultry company Empresas Picu had filed for bankruptcy and left thousands of chickens to starve to death. We urged you to euthanize the starving birds immediately. However, the SPCA of Puerto Rico reported on March 4, 2003 that Empresas Pico is still allowing tens of thousands of hens to starve to death. According to the SPCA of Puerto Rico, 40,000 chickens are dying every day. Why do you permit this cruelty to continue?

On February 13, 2003 the Governor's Office told thousands of concerned people around the world that the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico "does not foster any kind of animal cruelty" and that "The Secretary of Agriculture is taking active measures to feed the chickens . . . until the firm opens its doors again."

Please either feed these suffering birds or euthanize them immediately. And shut down the company. We are appalled that you would permit thousands of birds to starve and be driven to consume each others' flesh in their desperate hunger. Please show some compassion and stop this cruelty. Please put these birds out of their misery. They are the innocent victims, not the poultry company.

We would appreciate an informative response from you. Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,
Karen Davis, PhD, President
United Poultry Concerns, Inc.
PO Box 150
Machipongo, Virginia 23405
Phone: 757-678-7875
Fax: 757-678-5070
http://www.upc-online.org

United Poultry Concerns is a nonprofit organization that promotes the compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl. http://www.upc-online.org