The Harsh Reality Behind Colombia’s Sweet Treats: NGO Exposes Widespread Animal Cruelty at Ramo Chicken Farm

Hens suffering inside cages

Bogotá, Colombia. July 9th – Devastating investigation footage released by the international organization Sinergia Animal reveals the cruel treatment endured by thousands of hens at an egg farm owned by the well-known Colombian company Ramo.

The groundbreaking investigation documented alarming sanitary conditions and animal neglect, where hens are confined to tiny cages without enough space to move, fully stretch their wings, or perform essential natural behaviors such as perching or nesting.

Sinergia Animal’s Disturbing Findings

Graphic footage obtained by the NGO’s investigative team shows hens suffering from conditions such as cloacal prolapse—a disorder that often leads to other painful complications for caged hens, including pecking by other hens, hemorrhaging, infections, cannibalism, and even death. Alongside hens in agony, the footage also shows a buildup of feces, which could pose a potential public health risk.

Consumers deserve to know the truth about the products they purchase. “What we found is unacceptable. The footage is extremely graphic and reflects the harsh reality of animal abuse that many companies hide and that can no longer be ignored,” said Lyda Durango, Managing Director of Sinergia Animal in Colombia. “Ramo is one of the most well-known and important food companies in Colombia, yet it continues to use eggs sourced from one of the harshest systems in the industry: battery cages.”

In these facilities, hens live with severely limited mobility, unable to engage in natural behaviors, and are exposed to multiple stressors that severely impact their physical and mental well-being.

Public Health Risks

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has conducted the world’s most extensive study on this topic and concluded that cage systems have a higher prevalence of Salmonella compared to cage-free systems.

“We want to expose this harsh reality because, behind everyday bakery products like cakes, cookies, or snacks consumed daily by Colombians, there are thousands of animals suffering silently and under conditions that pose a public health risk. This intensive system shows no respect whatsoever for the sentience of these living beings,” Durango added.

An Urgent Call to Take Action

According to reports by Sinergia Animal, nearly 30 countries worldwide and at least 11 US states have established regulatory frameworks and/or bans to phase out conventional battery cages, as they represent an intensive production system that disregards animal welfare.

With this investigation, the NGO calls on Productos Ramo to make a public commitment to go cage-free. It also invites the public, as consumers, to sign the online petition and share the investigation on social media to demand urgent change.

“It’s time to demand transparency and accountability from the brands we consume. No tradition or company should be placed above life,” Durango concluded.

To see more details about the investigation and its findings, visit: media.sinergiaanimal.org. To sign the petition, go to: www.RamoPonelCorazon.com

About Sinergia Animal

Sinergia Animal is an international animal protection organization working across the Global South to reduce the suffering of animals farmed for food and to promote more compassionate food choices. It is recognized as one of the most effective NGOs in the world by Animal Charity Evaluators (ACE).