Information on Irish animals

i-digress

Hey all,

My husband is trying to go vegetarian for a week to see if he can do it, and be supportive of me. However, he's a journalist, and won't believe that the treatment of animals in Ireland are treated badly unless I can back it up.

The problem is most of the information out there is USA or UK based. I've tried the Irish vegetarian and vegan societies, but they have no links there to Irish cases.

Does anyone know of any articles, studies or statistics that discuss the dairy/egg/meat industries in Ireland?

Thanks guys.

-lala-

i-digress wrote: »

Hey all,

My husband is trying to go vegetarian for a week to see if he can do it, and be supportive of me. However, he's a journalist, and won't believe that the treatment of animals in Ireland are treated badly unless I can back it up.

The problem is most of the information out there is USA or UK based. I've tried the Irish vegetarian and vegan societies, but they have no links there to Irish cases.

Does anyone know of any articles, studies or statistics that discuss the dairy/egg/meat industries in Ireland?

Thanks guys.

Well I would view the fact that they are killed for their meat as bad treatment - there are more arguments for vegetarianism than just how the animals are treated while they're alive. Just my two cents. I don't know of any statistics like what you are looking for I'm afraid, but good luck!

Thoushaltnot

For actual statistics / data, you might be better offf going to the ISPCA / DSPCA and/or the Dept. of Agriculture's inspectors. Possibly the guards too.

Off the top of my head, I do remember a few cases where the farmers were too old to take proper care of their cows, etc. and by the time the cops got the tip off, most of the animals had starved to death and the remainder had to be put down.

I take it that your husband is more interested in animals raised for their food value, as opposed to puppy farms, mink and fox farms, working animals like carriage horses and guard dogs and pets, etc. ?

Otherwise, interesting that our veg*n societies couldn't furnish ye with data...

Parnassia

Have a look at the website for 'Compassion in World Farming':

http://www.ciwf.ie/farminfo/index.html

This is a group campaigning for animal welfare, rather than vegetarianism/veganism, but it has information on current intensive farming practices in Ireland

henryporter

How about cattle having tails docked, horns removed, subjected to annual pregnancies, or castrated. Likewise chickens having wings clipped or claws removed. These are all relatively standard practices in Irish food production, all based on the ridiculous principal that these animals don't suffer or have no feelings. The very practice of farming these animals constitutes the cruelty.

i-digress

Thanks everyone. At least I can back my assertions up somewhat, though I wish it wasn't necessary to. I thought male chicks being gassed or shredded was only in America, I'm disgusted to read that it happens here too.