Nabisco has made a big change to its iconic Barnum’s Animals crackers. The animals are now cage-free.
The change came after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals penned a letter in 2016 to Mondelez International, the parent company of Nabisco, to redesign the packaging, ABC News reported.
In the letter, PETA told the company, "Given the egregious cruelty inherent in circuses that use animals and public's swelling opposition to the exploitation of animals used for entertainment, we urge Nabisco to update its packaging in order to show animals who are free to roam in their natural habitats," according to ABC News.
Mondelez started designing the packaging after the letter.
The cookies namesake, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus was also a target of PETA, first removing elephants from the shows in 2016, then finally closing in May 2017 after slow ticket sales.
The new design removed the animals from caged boxcars destined for a circus performance, and instead has the animals -- a zebra, elephant, lion, giraffe and gorilla -- existing side-by-side in a grassland, USA Today reported.
The Barnum’s Animals name is prominently displayed above the animals.
Credit: AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall
Credit: AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall
PETA leaders are happy for the change.
"The new box for Barnum's Animals crackers perfectly reflects that our society no longer tolerates the caging and chaining of wild animals for circus shows," PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman told ABC News.
Mondelez told USA Today, "It's probably one of, if not the oldest, (product) in our portfolio. We're always looking to see how to keep it modern, to keep it contemporary with customers."
Nabisco has made Barnum’s Animals crackers since 1902.
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