Treatment of Animals
Very few people realize the cruelty that goes on in
slaughterhouses, egg and dairy industries, and animal testing labs. Many become
vegetarian due to the fact of the cruelty of slaughterhouses, but do not realize
how the chickens and dairy cows of the egg and dairy industries are treated.
Most of the animal industries keep their animals in very small cages, usually
the same size as the animal. Chickens live their entire lives in a small cage.
Cows leave their fenced pastures only to be slaughtered. Dairy cows may never be
released from their cages. And most baby cows are put in a cage their own size
only to be slaughtered in a few months.
Many
farmers now days are adding a variety if questionable waste substances to their
livestock and poultry feed just to cut costs. It is estimated that fifty to
seventy-five percent of the U.S. cattle feed on poultry wastes! In addition,
more than forty billion pounds of slaughterhouse wastes like blood, bone, and
viscera, as well as the remains of euthanized cats and dogs are annually feed to
the cattle that millions of people are consuming. In some cases they are
experimenting with dehydrated food garbage, fats emptied from restaurant fryers
and grease traps, cement-kiln dust, newsprint, cardboard, cattle and hog manure,
and even human sewage sludge! Not only is it very cruel to feed animals this,
but do you want to eat the animals that have been eating this? Obviously this
creates many health concerns as well. Unfortunately, the health officials are
doing relatively little to stop them. Most claim that it's okay if properly
handled. This includes stacking the manure for four to eight weeks while the
sun-generated heat supposedly kills the bacteria and toxins. Most farmers,
however, don't follow these procedures. And remember, bacteria or not - it's
still manure.
It is so sad that so many animals have to live such
miserable lives and violent, bloody deaths. However, there is a solution.
Everyone has a chance to help reduce the level of violence, misery, and death in
animals by adopting a humane and healthy vegan lifestyle. If you really want to
help animal treatment you should try to avoid the use of leather and fur
products such as belts, wallets, bags, shoes, jackets, etc. or any other animal
tested product.
Citations and References