Expert: Robin Flynn - 7/8/2006

Question
Hi, my older sister got a Peta video and i saw how horrible it is and i just don't know why they would do this. Because isnt it the muscle we eat not the fat? And if so why would they have the animals build up so much fat in those small pens. Arent there and "good" farms that milk the cows like the "olden times" using their hands, thumbs which we evolved to have instead of the animals. dont people think of what the animals would do to us if they evolved to be greater than humans? why would people still wear fur? We have fake fur thats just as warm and beautiful. There's even a woman that makes clothes out of animal fur thats been brushed out of your beloved animals! two alternatives and people still act like caveman.

Answer
Hi,

It sounds like you watched PETA’s video about factory farming. This is a very disturbing video and unfortunately a very real example of the horrible situation farm animals must endure everyday of their lives.   There are 10 billion Food animals (not counting fish and other aquatic creatures) slaughtered per year in the US ( over 50 billion worldwide). The number of cows and calves slaughtered every 24 hours in the US is 90,000 and the number of chickens slaughtered every minute in the US is 14,000. These numbers alone are staggering  but when you actually witness the horror that they live through it really makes you question how this could happen. There are organizations like PETA, The Humane Society, Farm Sanctuary and many others who are trying to change the way our farms treat animals. Unfortunately, factory farming has become the dominant practice in the agriculture business. You may still see a small farm here and there that do not follow these practices  but the majority of the meat, dairy & eggs sold in restaurants and super markets are from these factory farms.  I learned of many farm practices as a child because I was raised in Wisconsin. I started my vegetarian journey at 12 years old because I didn’t believe that these intelligent and feeling animals should be killed for my dinner when there are so many alternatives out there for me. It was very difficult for me to play with a calf and watch it grow and then to later see it become dinner. I would look at dog and think I wont eat him why would eat this other animal that has feelings and needs very similar to my dog.  This thought was much more disturbing to me than having to change the way I eat. Today, I am vegan because of the horrible conditions cows and chicken must endure for their eggs and milk. When you think about it, we as humans are the only animals that take milk from another animal. Cows do not produce milk for humans, they produce milk for their young. We take those babies away from their mothers so we can use their milk. And unfortunately many of those babies become veal calves. It is my impression from your question that you may have seen some footage on veal farming. This is one of the most disturbing industries to me and it is a direct result of the dairy industry. Within moments of birth, male calves are taken away from their mothers and loaded onto trucks. They are even denied their mothers' milk's colustrum, which is vital to their immune systems, because it is sold as a human health food. Most calves are sold at auctions where they are subjected to transportation and handling stresses. The fragile babies are shocked and kicked, and when they can no longer walk, they are dragged by their legs or even their ears. "Milk fed veal" calves are confined in crates just 2 feet wide. They are chained by the neck to restrict all movement, making it impossible for them to turn around, stretch, or even lie down comfortably. This severe confinement makes the calves' meat "tender" because muscles cannot develop. The calves are fed an all liquid milk-substitute which is deficient in iron and fiber. This produces borderline anemia and the pale colored flesh fancied by 'gourmets'. (There is also "bob" veal: the flesh of calves who are slaughtered at just a few hours or days old.)

But no matter what kind of veal they become, at 12-21 weeks of age, these gentle creatures are inhumanely transported to slaughter, and many die during the trip.  We can fight against government regulations and try to push reform in the industry but the most important thing a person can do is refuse to be a part of this and become vegetarian or vegan. It is a personal choice but if you think this treatment of animals is horrible and you don't want to support the people who treat animals in such a cruel manner , then please consider becoming a vegetarian. If you have any questions about vegetarianism,  I am happy to answer them for you. If you are interested please visit http://www.goveg.com/ this is a great website. It is very important to learn about a healthy and balanced diet. If you want to go veg to help animals that is fantastic but you also need to make sure you are eating healthy.

I have watched many real footage videos and I think it is important that people see this truth but I like the following website, "The Meatirx" because it does a great job explaining factory farming and you will not see any graphic video.

http://www.themeatrix.com/

I agree that wearing fur is unacceptable. I will never understand how people can be so insensitive to the suffering of animals for any reason but especially for a fashion accessory!

For the animals,

Robin