these four legs have rights, those four legs don't

Hi there jb! Good to see a fellow veggie on here, although I've gone a little farther and am vegan. I think people honestly don't think about it. They get used to eating meat and don't want to think about the living being they're eating. Some people want to throw intelligence into the mix, saying that farm animals aren't very intelligent, so it's okay to eat them. Well, this is straight-out flawed. I had chickens while I was growing up...cute little things got birthday parties, love and attention...my chickens were the luckiest on the planet. They were also the smartest animals I've ever come across. I taught them tricks, how to play tag, among other things, faster than I could teach my younger cousin anything or one of our dogs. We all know pigs are smarter than little kids, and I'm here to say that chickens are very intelligent as well. I haven't had too much experience with cows and turkies, however. Some people bring up the Bible argument and how God gave us animals to eat. As a Christian, I find this appalling. We have dominion over animals...much like the Queen of England has dominion over her people. If she started eating her civilians...well goodness, that argument would finally make sense but people wouldn't be too happy! I believe that as humans, we have a duty to take care of our planet and our animals...no matter whether they are human adults or kids (as we are mammals as well), dogs, rats, or pigs. Biologically, it simply doesn't make sense to eat meat...but if you're going to do it, I agree: be humane.

Agreed. I have a friend that had a farm, and they treated their animals well even though they were going to be slaughtered. They were allowed a pet and also told the others would be killed. They still regarded the animals with care, hand fed them when they had the chance, brushed them, petted them and cared for them up until the fall when they were sent off to the slaughter house. I watched a documentary on chickens once, and I was sickened. The animals were in cages that were filled to the brim with no room to move around. They were stacked on top of other cages. I try to buy Amish chicken when I can, or check the labels to see if they are free range animals. I do not want to contribute to cruelty. Besides, the free range animals that are treated with some form of respect taste better. That is a plus for the farmers who grow animals the right way. I just cannot imagine having any living thing and not caring for it, no matter if it will be food or not. These large corporations that own a bulk of the animals to feed us do not care for the animals at all, they are only looking at the bottom line. What a shame.

I have to agree. I am a meat eater. I feel that that is what they are here for. However, even if they are for food, they should be treated humanely. Now I dont think that your pig needs covers and a waterbed, but treating them humanely for their time here on earth is just smart. Stressed animals do NOT taste so good!

Ive seen a video that shows how animals that are bread and born for the purpose of slaughter and consumtion are not treated humanely from birth to slaughter. I used to work in slaughter houses they are not pretty. Its impossible for an animal of that nature to be treated humanmely.

Yes, it seems wrong to me to consider some animals as "friends" and pamper them to excess, yet treat others as "dinner" and factory-farm them. If its wrong to neglect a dog & not take it for walks, why isnt it wrong to keep chickens in such a small space that they cant even stretch their wings & force feed them?? (Obviously it IS wrong but you know what i mean)

I agree with you on this matter and it makes no common sense at all to treat some animals with love and respect, yet keep others in tiny pens just to fatten them up and eat. I am sure that it makes emotional sense to the people that do these things as they feel that their dogs, cats, etc are giving them companionship, but they chickens, cows and pigs are just a food source. I do not eat meat anymore due to it not being really healthy to do so and the fact that I just could not support these cruel industries any longer. It truly is horrific what they do and it is a crime that governments let them do it! Not only are they causing harm to the animals, but these farming practices are ruining the earth as they are destroying the topsoil. Hard hoofed animals chomping up the ground and ploughing the soil to grow crops to feed them just makes no sense long term and we are headed for a big collapse if these industries do not stop. Permaculture principals hold the key in my opinion to re-growing the soil and nutritional value of our crops. The crops should be our food, not meat. Sorry for going off on a bit of a side rant!

It is a never-ending question. We can choose to buy only free range chickens and eggs, which is at least a stand against some animal cruelty, but how do we know the slaughterhouse conditions and practices of meat producers? I have seen horrific video evidence of pig abuse in slaughterhouses and wonder how much more goes on that we don't know about. I would think that most animal breeders (cattle, sheep, pigs etc) would care for their stock, because the better the animals are treated, the more dollars they will bring, but what happens during transportation and in the slaughterhouse in something else. We have pretty strict rules here in Australia, with inspections etc but I'm sure they are broken many times over. I agree with what Lamb said. Man's inhumanity to man is the biggest problem, and when you have mankind treating mankind inhumanely, what can you expect of their treatment of animals?

I condemn animal cruelty to whatever species, whether its a dog, pig, horse, chicken, cow or whatever animal it is. I am not a vegeterian and I am a meat lover. I am not eating meat as I used to because of health reasons. I have to do without red meat. However I do believe that slaughtered animals should be treated with dignity up till its last moment.

I actively seek out humanely reared meat and abhor poor welfare standards in animal husbandry. I'd sooner not eat meat (and I am a serious carnivore) than contribute to the continued greed of meat producers who treat animals as products to be abused. If an animal is to die to feed me, the least that I can do is try to ensure that it lived as good a life as possible before it was slaughtered.

People have different attitudes about different animals, true. And as for how the food industry treats meat animals in many cases - shameful.

I agree with you. If animals are expected to give their lives for ours, the least we should be able to do would be to show respect to them, and make their short lives as happy as possible. If you believe in any higher power, it's inconceivable to think that there was an intention for us to become abusers, whether the life in question has two legs, four legs, or none (as in fish).

You either have free-range animals or in the case of veal, you have calves who never get exercise because it will toughen the meat. I thoroughly enjoy a good steak, but would want it from free-range animals. I no longer eat veal. Chickens are either free-range or housed in chicken coops. Again, I prefer the free-range version as they have had a life before giving it for our eating pleasure.

agreed

I agree. Animals must be treated as all beings deserve, with respect and care. Cruelty to animals must be punished. As for eating meet, I'm not a vegetarian, but neither eat too much animal meet. Especially I could not eat the meat of the hens I'm breeding, for example. I'm too attached to them to be able to do that. I use only their eggs. Different behavior towards animals is explained by the different utility each of them has to humans, but it is not excusable.

I've always wondered why people strive so hard to protect certain types of animals and then dont care. Its like puppies and cats are somehow special just because theyre cute. I don't have any idea where the dilineation occurred but...

Hello, Judith. I'm fully in agreement with you there, but I think I know why there is this double standard when it comes to animals. Some people think that the only reason that pigs, sheep and cows exist is to feed us. They owe their lives to us, so we can treat them as we wish. Of course, this is twisted thinking, but it's one explanation. Horses and dogs are useful to us - they are our companions, they can guard our property and transport us where we want to go. And of course, we can beome rich if our horse comes in first. Therefore, some people have a level of respect for some animals which is absent when it comes to others. I don't condone it, but I an see why it happens.

jb - even I am vegetarian. :) So lambs, and pigs, are loved as much as dogs. :) We know that cats can feel, and so also dogs. It follows that pigs that grow in our farms feel for us! Logically there is no reason they dont! Just that they may not be able to express it to us. :( I know for certain that cows feel. And ironically, all those animals love us. We have enough predators to be scared of. When we didnt know how to grow food, it was a different issue. But after evolving, why must we continue the stoneman's practices. This is what I always ask myself. :) But ... logically - there simply isn't enough aerable land to grow food on. So alternate form of food must exist. I dont mind others eating, as long as I am not asked to eat. :)

I do respect your beliefs when it comes to giving respect to animals even to those kinds that are used in commercial purposes. Treating them humanely is a good term to say when it comes to killing such as pigs cows ducks chicken. But we also have to take into consideration those people who are doing such, its not an easy job and its not something that they want to do, but its necessary some animals are created by God to serve men. And to help man in his daily life too yes killing them is cruel to some extent but thats life, its a process of life called food chain ;) all we can ask for these people is to be at least humane with what they do and be thankful for the sacrifice of these animals for us to have something to eat all day long ;)