Readers deserve to be warned about a recent letter to the editor from the president of the American Humane Association regarding eggs. First of all, the AHA should not be confused with the distinguished and much better known Humane Society of the the United States.

Unlike that organization, the AHA gets revenue from fees it charges to “certify” so-called “humane” meat, dairy, and eggs, as well as for its familiar “No Animals Were Harmed” accreditation frequently seen at the end of film and TV credits.

The problem is, both designations are bogus. In fact, the very report referred to in Tuesday’s letter shows that cage-free hens suffer numerous physical affliction such as foot lesions (21-84 percent) and keel (breast) abnormalities (18-49 percent). Cage-free hens also face an 11.7 percent mortality rate, meaning that out of a flock of 49,842 birds in a cage-free environment, 5,852 of them died. (Remember, these are the organization’s own language and figures).

The AHA’s record with animals used in the entertainment industry is no better. A scathing investigative article by The Hollywood Reporter in 2013 found numerous incidents of animal injury and death in productions monitored by the AHA, even those given the “No Animals Were Harmed” designation. As in the case of egg, dairy, and meat production, the AHA faces huge conflicts of interests due to its coziness with the industries it claims to regulate. The AHA label lulls consumers into a false sense of complacency.

I encourage those who eat animal-based foods, especially those who seek out “humanely raised” products, to educate themselves on the cruelty you are inadvertently supporting. The organization Mercy for Animals (www.mercyforanimals.org) is an excellent place to start.

ELIZABETH GORDON

founder, Vegans of North Central Massachusetts

Fitchburg