Denny’s and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) have worked together to address animal welfare issues for more than five years, and the restaurant giant’s pledge on gestation crates is just the latest positive action taken by the company.

In the pork industry, most mother pigs are confined day and night during their four-month pregnancy in gestation crates, cages roughly the same size as the animals’ bodies, preventing them from even turning around. They are then placed into another crate to give birth, re-impregnated, and put back into a gestation crate. This happens pregnancy after pregnancy for their entire lives, adding up to years of virtual immobilization.

“Denny’s takes its role as a responsible corporate citizen seriously, which is why we have adopted a strong position on animal welfare,“ said Greg Linford, Denny’s vice president, procurement and distribution. “We will endeavor to purchase products from companies that provide gestation crate-free pork and are committed to influencing our suppliers to share in a gestation crate-free vision for the future. Working to eliminate gestation crates is best for our company, our guests, and our continued work to improve animal welfare.“

“We’ve got a very good relationship with Denny’s, and the company is serious about dealing with farm animal welfare issues in a meaningful way,“ said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO for The HSUS. “We welcome the news that Denny’s will move its supply chain to a gestation crate-free future.“