Abby the abused chicken helps protest animal abuse

MIAMI -- Abby the abused chicken is 7-foot-tall, complete with gory details that paint a larger-than-life picture about animal abuse.

Mercy for Animals, a national animal-advocacy organization, staged a lunchtime protest for an hour. Solemn volunteers stood on the corner, brandishing graphic signs with pictures of abused chickens.

In August, McDonald's and its supplier Tyson Foods cut ties with a chicken farmer in Tennessee after Mercy for Animals released a video taken with a hidden camera the group said showed abusive practices at the farm. In September, McDonald's announced it would fully transition to cage-free eggs for its restaurants over the next 10 years. The advocacy group continues to press for changes in animal-welfare policies.

In sunny Miami, the volunteer in the feathered costume wore an ice vest and ice collar to combat the heat in the 80s. Other volunteers from the Chicago-based group stuck a hand-held fan into a space near the broken wing to keep their costumed friend cool.

Customers at the McDonald's at 299 SW Eighth St. in Little Havana were bemused and dismissive of the animal-rights group protest, but pedestrians and drivers honked and shouted support.

"Yes! Hell yes!" one woman yelled. "Keep it up!"

Another man, dressed in all black, simply offered a thumbs-up.

"Everybody has a right to do what they want, as long as it's legal," Ben Cooper said.

Cooper, a 32-year-old rapper, was grabbing lunch to-go from the McDonald's. He said his dad is a vegan and he tries to choose salads over chicken and burgers when he can. He bought a chicken sandwich Wednesday.

"I actually think it's cool," Cooper said of the protest. "It's important how animals are treated."

Next stop this week: Tampa.

This story was originally published November 11, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Abby the abused chicken helps protest animal abuse ."