As humans, we naturally assume that our emotions and the ways we feel are unique to our species, and that we are somehow different or more enlightened, but this is simply not the case. In fact, there is ample research to suggest many animals do have complex emotions, and interact with one another in ways reminiscent of human interactions, creating familial bonds and friendships. It is not just the animals we keep as pets who exhibit these traits, but also the ones that end up on our plates.
Even the animals that most often feel the worst cruelty of the animal produce industry, such as cows and chickens, have feelings. Just because an animal is incapable of communicating it’s fear and suffering does not mean it does not feel these things, much in the same way any human would feel fear and suffering if they were kept imprisoned in cramped and squalid conditions, routinely impregnated, with their children torn from them at birth, and with the looming inevitability of a potentially brutal and painful untimely death in a slaughterhouse.
But it is not only the animals we typically consider cattle that suffer these conditions and experiences. Dogs are often referred to as “man’s best friend”, and many laws are in place to protect them. The consumption of dogs as meat is considered taboo in many countries, especially in the west, but this is not true of all countries. For example, in Korea, a country where dogs are still kept and beloved as a popular pet, a specific species known as the Nureongi dog is raised as meat; they are treated in a way not dissimilar to the treatment of cattle animals in other parts of the world.
Many people in the Western world consider eating dogs to be barbaric. But why is it that we find the slaughter and consumption of dogs so much more horrific than that of other animals, such as cows, chickens, and lambs? Looking back at human history, it is clear to see that animals that had a usage outside of food production (such as dogs, who were once guards) are generally the ones that many societies consider untouchable as a food source. Horses, who were once a crucial part of transport, are often considered taboo as a source of meat, which became apparent in the recent Horse Meat Scandal.
However, not all animals exist within the dichotomy of Pet/Food. They are not considered a popular choice of pet, but nor are they generally used as a source of meat or animal produce. But even these animals are not safe from the impact of the animal produce industry. They still suffer from the widespread deforestation occurring as a result of the increasing need for land that the animal produce industry requires. Deforestation has a devastating impact on many species, but these are only the immediate, smaller-scale effects. Deforestation can cause larger scale impacts on the environment that could be potentially disastrous for all species in the long term. In this sense, the animal produce industry is a detriment to all animals on earth, even humans.
The modern day, we have the resources to be able to live comfortable and healthily on a diet without meat and other animal products. Yet the animal production industry has expanded larger than ever, and resorted to crueler methods to meet the demands of the public. It is only with this demand that the animal production industry continues to exist. Many people say they cannot see how their sole change can make any difference, but if we all chose to make this personal change to Veganism it would make an astronomical difference in saving countless animals, and even, potentially, our entire planet.
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