Dos Toros Restaurants “Naturally” and “Humanely” Raised Meat Class Action

The Dos Toros restaurant chain claims that the animals raised for its pork and chicken dishes are raised “naturally” and “humanely.” But the complaint for this class action says that that representation is deceptive and misleading. It brings suit against Dos Toros, LLC, Dos Toros Holdings, LLC, DT Parentco, LLC, and Founders Table Restaurant Group, LLC, claiming that the animals are raised “in unnatural and inhumane industrial facilities where animals have no access to the outdoors…”

The class for this action is all consumers who bought the products in the US between the earliest statute of limitations period and the date the class is certified in this case.

Consumers these days look for, and are willing to pay more for, pork and chicken products from animals raised according to strict animal welfare standards.

Dos Toros claims, “Our chicken, steak, and pork are all naturally and humanely raised and are 100% ANTIBIOTIC and HORMONE FREE” and “We proudly source 100% Naturally Raised Chicken, Steak, & Pork.”

But the complaint alleges that this is not true, and that “the pigs and chicken used in the Products (1) are not provided access to the outdoors; and (2) are routinely raised, fed, handled, and slaughtered in inhumane, crowded, and stressful conditions of confinement that prevent the expression of their natural behaviors.”

The complaint cites Dos Toros pork supplier Clemens Farms, which it claims posts videos of its facilities showing “crowded conditions and permanent indoor confinement of the pigs.”

The complaint alleges, “Government inspectors have repeatedly documented animal cruelty and neglect at Clemens’s industrial facilities.” According to the complaint, this treatment includes pigs being hit hard by employees, “forcefully yanked and pulled by the ears, and repeatedly injured by automated gates closing on their heads.”

It also cites FreeBird, the Dos Toros chicken supplier, which it claims “has been cited on numerous separate occasions by government slaughterhouse inspectors when it has ‘lost control of its process resulting in the death of large numbers of birds’ who were not properly stunned and/or slaughtered.” The complaint claims that one incident involved the death of eighty-three birds who suffocated on the slaughter line in January 2018.

According to the complaint, in 2018 and 2019, government inspectors have documented too many birds with “broken and bloody wings,” including some “compound fractures” at FreeBird. Another inspection revealed a 2020 incident where an employee had dumped chickens on top of each other, the complaint alleges, causing around 180 birds to suffocate. Other incidents have involved birds being boiled alive, the complaint says. The complaint further claims that FreeBird chickens do not get to go outside.

The complaint alleges that a 2016 Consumer Reports survey found that consumers believe animals that are “naturally raised” have enough living space, go outside, and are slaughtered in a humane fashion.

The complaint asserts that Dos Toros knows about the animal welfare practices of its suppliers and therefore knows its representations are false, deceptive, and misleading.

Article Type: Lawsuit
Topic: Consumer
Tags: Animal Welfare Claims, Deceptive Advertising, Making False Representations, Misrepresentations or False Statements