What About the Animals?

Three things come quickly to mind.

I must tell you, the person typing this message is a long time animal lover. I have a definite bias. I can't imagine killing an animal to eat it.

Of course, I used to have pet chickens along with the dogs, cats, and horses.

All that said, back to the three things.

First, I don't believe in mistreatment of living creatures.

Yes, I know, it's done all the time. Because it's done doesn't make it right for me to do. I believe it's one of the value issues we use to guide our behaviors and choices.

Many vegetarians and vegans agree with the do no harm philosophy. Even large numbers of omnivores and flexitarians argue for the humane treatment of animals.

However, there are those who eat meat and care nothing about the treatment of the animals, their living conditions, or even their health. Laying hens in battery cages, calves in small containers, feedlots filled with cattle.

The web has numerous sites that reveal the lives and deaths of animals raised for food. I've been told there are even videos depicting unbelievable conditions.

No, I haven't watched them. I've read about the inspectors who say they'll be fired if they report what they see. There is a chicken inspector quoted who won't even let poultry in his house much less let his family eat it.

Who's telling the truth? The government, the representatives of the meat and milk industries or the animal rights folks? Is there just one truth?

Read, study, watch. Decide for yourself. But please, do educate yourself. To avoid dissonance, make decisions and choices in line with your values.

Second, a meat based diet is inefficient use of natural resources.

I wish I could remember the specific number of people we can feed with the crops raised for animals to be slaughtered. Whatever the number is, I remember that it was big enough to provide food for everyone on the planet and end death by malnutrition and starvation.

Our local newspaper wrote up the 4H program at the fair. One statistic I've never forgotten is that beef cattle each require 40 gallons of water a day! Our precious water becoming evermore scarce.

Third, is the issue of pollution caused by the factory farms.

Not just the water, but also the air. Can it be true that cattle raised for food do more harm to the environment and ozone with their release of methane gas than automobiles do?

Oxygen producing rain forests are being cut to provide land for cattle raised for slaughter.

Americans defend their right to eat meat. Of course, any one who chooses can eat meat in our culture. I respect that right.

I choose differently. For my part I will do what I can for the animals, for alleviation of world hunger, and for the environment and the future of my children and their children.

This website is my statement. I offer information.

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