Animal issues

Ginja Ninja

this isn't for pets and discussion of such.

Extrasupervery wrote: »

It shows how much we rely on animals in everyday life, and how we treat them accordingly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NghzqtqP50Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXhbSgRIUKI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3adsbkIrdY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU1mnp8_O7c&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS-Y7xusxKk&feature=related

There's the first five parts, kudos if you can stomach it. We're mean sons of bitches.

^^this came up in the nyom nyom thread.
first of all: I'm an animal lover I'm by no means "anti animal rights" or pro cruelty of any kind,but I do hate whiny sentimentals like the guy above.I'm not trying to crap on peoples beliefs,just discussing it

Speaking as someone who grew up on a farm and is doing a degree in Animal Science,I can call the above nothing more than propaganda,at least half of what I've seen so far is taken out of context and the rest is some philosphical mushy cr*p about being kind to animals and the whole world is full of roses,reality check it's kill or be killed it has been for millions of years,right now we're on top and that's how it'll be for a while.Yes,I'll admit people can be heartless and cruel,so can animals and so can both to those of their own species.The world isn't a happy and rosey place,accept it dude and move on[at the narrator]

Fad

I'll post in this tomorrow.....no time to do a proper post, but I think I'll end up disagreeing with lots of people >_<

degausserxo

Circle of life. I have beef (tssh!) with vegans and vegetarians who are so for any reason other than health ones. But it's late, and I shall explain tomorrow.

Arcade Panda

I'm really indifferent to the whole thing to be honest...I love meat but I'm not going to give out about vegans or vegitarians, who am I to give out about someone else's beliefs?

hitlersson666

Me thinks that this will be the thread that will divide us :eek:

Bobalicious93

God I love meat.

Delicious delicious meat.

*drools*

Ginja Ninja

Extrasupervery wrote: »

I'ma opt out of this thread. It'll just end very very very very badly.

I won't and I accept that it will[my apologies now]

there's so much of it taken from a fools perspective, for one the way the captive bolt "Stunner" is designed is to rupture the cortex and cerebellum,basically "killing" the animal straight away,body functions continue[breathing and pulse,but the pain and voluntary movement organs are destroyed,the animal can feel no pain,no matter how bad of an aim the operator is.

with regard the conditions: I wonder how many times he thought of the people doing the work? Why are we the bad ones? the conditions are,the way they are because producers have no other options,even at it's most efficient[and that's what it's about not cruelty] Dairy farmers in almost every country except new zealand and the US lose money by producing milk,if people want to have a friendly meat industry pay for it.I always wonder how many people would be so keen if mince was 10 quid a pound,I'll support anyone with strong beliefs but if you feel like paying enough money so that I can get through college AND be nice to the animals,then starts forking over.It's all very nice hoping it's done to a certain standard,we all still have to make a life out of it,regardless of your opinion

Arcade Panda

hitlersson666 wrote: »

Me thinks that this will be the thread that will divide us :eek:

we survived the Homosexuality thread...I can't see this being as controversial to be honest!

Konata

I'll watch that video properly tomorrow (too tired now). I'll just say that I don't condone any inhumane treatment of animals in any way but that was not the reason why I became a vegetarian. It was mainly just a dietary choice.

Shall post more tomorrow.

CokaColumbo

I do not think that it is justifiable to kill or commodify non-human animals, regardless of how well or how badly we treat them. This goes for agriculture, entertainment, vivisection, clothing etc.
I don't think that animals should be treated like a natural resource but instead should be given at least one fundamental right: the right not to be treated like things.

That's my point of view.

P.S. I am pretty sure that I've seen Earthlings before but I don't base my opinions on it.

Ginja Ninja

CokaColumbo wrote: »

I am a vegan and do not think that it is justifiable to kill or commodify non-human animals, regardless of how well or how badly we treat them. This goes for agriculture, entertainment, vivisection, clothing etc.
I don't think that animals should be treated like a natural resource but instead should be given at least one fundamental right: the right not to be treated like things.

That's my point of view. Now let's debate the issue!

but,they are things.I'm not denying personalities or anything like that,I for one believe that humans are arrogant to assume we have some innane right to be not treated like things,it's the way of the world.If you were caught in a lions hunt it wouldn't pause to give you the right not to be treated like lunch and i don't want to be the arrogant one who says that we treat it any different to the way the rules the world works on

Extrasupervery

In future I'll keep my opinions to myself. I don't enforce my choices on anyone. What I believe in is my own business, I'd prefer not to see others be so disrespectful about it.

Ginja Ninja

Extrasupervery wrote: »

In future I'll keep my opinions to myself. I don't enforce my choices on anyone. What I believe in is my own business, I'd prefer not to see others be so disrespectful about it.

I'm sure this is directed at me,I'm not trying to be disrespectful and I'm sorry to anyone who read the above as such.I'm not trying to force my opinion on anyone,just simply to state it.

i'm not condoning all of what in these videos just what's taken out of conetxt,there are a good few examples of people in this who don't deserve to be called human

Konata

Ginja Ninja wrote: »

I'm sure this is directed at me,I'm not trying to be disrespectful and I'm sorry to anyone who read the above as such.I'm not trying to force my opion on anyone,just simply to state it

You're not being disrespectful as such. Everyone should be allowed to debate issues such as animal rights and to state their opinions on the matter. Such statements should be made in a fairly respectful manner with no one saying things like 'Ah you're talking bollocks/ You know nothing/ I'm going to throw a plate of meat in your face' etc. etc. (not saying that anyone did or will do this but there's aways the potential).

It's an issue that there's obviously going to be conflicting opinions on, but everyone can learn from both sides of the argument.

Ginja Ninja

Hotaru wrote: »

You're not being disrespectful as such. Everyone should be allowed to debate issues such as animal rights and to state their opinions on the matter. Such statements should be made in a fairly respectful manner with no one saying things like 'Ah you're talking bollocks/ You know nothing/ I'm going to throw a plate of meat in your face' etc. etc. (not saying that anyone did or will do this but there's aways the potential).

It's an issue that there's obviously going to be conflicting opinions on, but everyone can learn from both sides of the argument.

I know,which is why I'm trying to explain my view to the best of my ability[I'll admit that's not as good as most] but still,I truly am sorry to anyone who felt offended by my opinion and it should be taken as such.It's just that these fanatical argument really strike a chord with me and these videos hit home on a large portion of my life in a very obscured way

bythewoods

I'm a vegetarian, but I own two leather jackets and oftentimes cook meat for people.

Huhhhhhh?

Ginja Ninja

bythewoods wrote: »

I'm a vegetarian, but I own two leather jackets and oftentimes cook meat for people.

Huhhhhhh?

okay then.

I'll say it again,I have no problem with anyone with any of these beliefs,just those that are basing their opinions on things that are one sided like these videos.

I've huge respect for vegetarians,it's not something i could do myself[and yes I know it wasn't a serious choice for a lot of you]

jumpguy

I don't eat much meat, only chicken and turkey at Christmas, but that's because I don't like the taste of most meats. Animal welfare is important, but most animals are well treated (free range eggs and the like) and so on. Abit tired to write a big yoke about this.

Animal welfare is important, as well as conservation, but animals will always be hunted and killed, because humans are omnivores.

Jako8

Animals eat other animals. Humans eat animals. Animals even eat humans sometimes.

It's the circle of life.

I love animals. I am, however, in no way against animals being used as a source of nutrition. As long as the life they live is not comprised of being boxed up. Free range is acceptable in my opinion.

I really think it's not right to blame humans for eating animals. It's primal instinct. We are omnivores.

A Neurotic

A friend of mine is doing Veterinary Science. A large part of their course is dissection of animals. She was shocked the other day when she discovered that animals they were dissecting (in this case, a sheep) was raised on a farm and killed purely to be dissected.

Sounds bad. But that's exactly the same/far worse, depending on your outlook, as raising an animal and killing it purely to eat it, or use its hide, or whatever.

It just made me think. I'm still thinking >_<

bythewoods

A Neurotic wrote: »

A friend of mine is doing Veterinary Science. A large part of their course is dissection of animals. She was shocked the other day when she discovered that animals they were dissecting (in this case, a sheep) was raised on a farm and killed purely to be dissected.

Sounds bad. But that's exactly the same/far worse, depending on your outlook, as raising an animal and killing it purely to eat it, or use its hide, or whatever.

It just made me think. I'm still thinking >_<

Well, we have to dissect rats which isn't altogether different. They're raised in the lab and killed for our experiments, is that bad or...?

For the record, they were still warm when we got them. I asked, they were killed by having their necks broken. Also, whilst not a big animal rights activist, I did have to go outside for a minute as I thought it was absolute minggggggg- central and wanted to be sick. I don't disagree with it, just find rats (particularly freshly killed lab rats) to be quite nasty.

phlegms

I love a bit of meat myself. Delicious stuff altogether.

ohthebaby

I'm a vegetarian and have been for the last five or six years. I can't exactly remember when. I chose to become one due to the animals. I grew up on a beef farm and seeing them loaded up on the lorries and hauled off broke my heart from a very young age. I remember coming home form school, eating my dinner and looking out the window, seeing our cows grazing in the field. It never felt right.

So five or six years ago I felt I had to change. I was old enough to cook for myself and manage my own diet so nothing was stopping me. I got handed a plate of meat dinner one day andn I just said no more. My mother said she didn't mind as long as I was responsible and prepared to do stuff for myself. Since then, I have pretty much cooked for myself every single day. It makes moving to college easier, being used to the whole 'fend for yourself' in the food stakes...! :P

In regards to the animals rights videos, I don't watch them and never had. I just couldn't. I have seen snippets of similar stuff over the years and to be honest they upset me for weeks. The images stay in your head and just play over and over. I'm a big animal person so watching them and hearing the noises, the squeals, etc would kill me.

I don't know if I agree with them or not. Sure, if people want to look at them go ahead but they're not something I would ever force anybody to watch because I know how I feel about them myself. In a similar way I have never really tried to persuade anybody of vegetarianism and this is something my friends have always said and are probably grateful for! They used to be nervous eating meat around me but that's none of my business so I just keep my mouth shut.

I do think the whole meat / animal food stuffs is wrong. It makes me so angry to think what these animals have to go through, in a similar way that fox hunting absolutely makes my blood boil. I just cannot understand the mentality that animals are ours to do whatever want to do. They're not. They're living, breathing creatures that feel pain in a similar way we would. A fox's heart would pump with fear as he's chased around a field just as we would. A pig squeals when it's for the chop just as we would. It just mystifies me when people cannot understand this.

And this circle of life mentality annoys me. Yes we are on top now. But as humans, we have a conscience. Killing animals is wrong. We no longer need to eat meat to survive as we may have in previous periods of history. I know it tastes nice and believe me there are times when I would be prepared to do anything for a juicy beef burger but is that really enough to justify it? I don't think it is so why are we still doing it?

Sorry I feel really really strongly about this and I hope I didn't offend anyone in all of that.

CokaColumbo

Ginja Ninja wrote: »

...If you were caught in a lions hunt it wouldn't pause to give you the right not to be treated like lunch and i don't want to be the arrogant one who says that we treat it any different to the way the rules the world works on

Jako8 wrote: »

Animals eat other animals. Humans eat animals. Animals even eat humans sometimes.
It's the circle of life... Its primal instinct. We are omnivores.

The way I see it, we humans have developed a sense of morality and generally understand the difference between what is right and what is wrong. It is this morality that stops us, as a society, from doing things that are perfectly natural for us to do. This includes settling disputes with violence; abandoning your child; defecating in public; forcing yourself sexually onto others etc.
These things are natural, and sometimes instinctual, for us to do but that doesn't mean that we condone them; in fact we condemn them outright. Animals do all sorts of things that humans do not regard as morally appropriate. We are not driven by this "primal instinct" people ascribe to other animals.

Why should it be any different when it comes to us killing non-human animals? As omnivores don't we have the ability to make the choice?

Pigwidgeon

Right, well where do I start.

I was vegetarian for all of secondary school, but due to health reasons I had to stop in 6th year. Basically, I had become severely anaemic, my body wouldn't accept iron supplements for some reason, and the doctor gave me two choices, either start eating meat again and trying as much as possible to increase my iron intake, or start getting iron injections.
Now this got me thinking very seriously about the whole thing. It was basically keep being vegetarian, and risk causing myself serious health problems. Or as hard as it would be, slowly reintroduce meat into my diet. I went for eating meat again.
Now this may seem hypocritical of me, but I felt at the end of the day, my health was more important than me not eating meat, when the animals are more than likely going to be slaughtered anyway.

It was incredibly hard to go back onto meat, and I still have issues with it sometimes, but I am 10 times healthier than I was when I was vegetarian.

The one thing I can't stand about some vegetarians, it bothered me when I was one too, is when they have a go at other people for eating meat around them. The way I looked at it was, it was my personal choice, and it's their personal choice. I would never try and force my beliefs on anyone else. As bythewoods has said, I'd have no problem cooking meat for other people. No vegetarian likes people giving them grief for not eating meat, so why would they give other people grief for eating meat, is what I don't understand.
As with many things in life, my general opinion is each to their own, nobody can or should force you to change your beliefs to suit theirs.

Extrasupervery

Since I went veggie I've refered to myself as an 'aspiring vegan'. I think it's about time to take that seriously...I did get awfully ill when I stopped eating meat though. Worth it? I think so.

Stev_o

ohthebaby wrote: »

And this circle of life mentality annoys me. Yes we are on top now. But as humans, we have a conscience. Killing animals is wrong. We no longer need to eat meat to survive as we may have in previous periods of history. I know it tastes nice and believe me there are times when I would be prepared to do anything for a juicy beef burger but is that really enough to justify it? I don't think it is so why are we still doing it?

Sorry I feel really really strongly about this and I hope I didn't offend anyone in all of that.

Human race would face world wide famine in quick succession if it was decided that all meat was to be outlawed. How can you sustain a population of 6 bilion and growing on just wheats, fruits and veg. It's just not doable.

However that said i think like water it should not be taken for a commodity and should be properly looked at in terms of over use. Id rather see what meat is sold actually used instead of being put to waste and being of no use to anyone.

(Also i don't agree with the whole killing animals is wrong, it's part of our species mentality. However the mistreatment and cruel cultivation of animals to be slaughtered is definitely something that can be seen as morally wrong.)

Ginja Ninja

Stev_o wrote: »

Human race would face world wide famine in quick succession if it was decided that all meat was to be outlawed. How can you sustain a population of 6 bilion and growing on just wheats, fruits and veg. It's just not doable.

actually we'll starve even with meat and poultry but that's a whole other story

what always gets me is when people assume all animals live in these hellish situations,it's simply not like that ,welfare is top priority in all animal industries

jefreywithonef

I'm not sorry to interrupt such a serious thread with such a silly Simpsons scene.

Lisa: "I'm going to become a vegetarian."
Homer: "Does that mean you're not going to eat any pork?"
Lisa: "Yes."
Homer: "Bacon?"
Lisa: "Yes Dad."
Homer: "Ham?"
Lisa: "Dad all those meats come from the same animal!"
Homer: "Right Lisa, some wonderful, magical animal!"

Extrasupervery

I remember some random Simpsons episode where Lisa met a 'level 7 vegan' who didn't eat anything that cast a shadow. Lollerz.

sock puppet

ohthebaby wrote: »

And this circle of life mentality annoys me. Yes we are on top now. But as humans, we have a conscience. Killing animals is wrong. We no longer need to eat meat to survive as we may have in previous periods of history. I know it tastes nice and believe me there are times when I would be prepared to do anything for a juicy beef burger but is that really enough to justify it? I don't think it is so why are we still doing it?

Sorry I feel really really strongly about this and I hope I didn't offend anyone in all of that.

But people like you just have to accept that your lifestyle is a luxury that only the rich can afford. And unless you want to start eating your own crap then eating animals/animal products does serve a purpose.

Fad

Basically, I eat meat. I like the taste of meat. I'm not a big fan of the idea of eating meat, but in my current living situation now, I am not in a position to substitute it with anything (Not exactly a huge veg eater, so I'd just end up eating crap all). If I could cut meat out, I'd like to, ignoring all moral reasons, I just think I'd end up healthier.

I'm not a big advocate of animal "rights" to be honest (Especially in the whole them being equal, a la PETA/The ALF (Which are on the front page of the mirror or some rag like that today ) I do like the whole animal welfare thing. I dont think they have rights per say, but the idea of harming an animal anymore than absolutely nessecary just disgusts me tbh.

As for animal testing......there is no way around it. Drugs in this country HAVE TO be tested on animals before they can be released for sale. I'd like to think that the scientists that do it, do it in the most humane conditions possible, but I have my reservations. Campaigning against animal testing is just futile.

Fur trading is kinda horrible by and large, but I think there's such worse problems in society, when they're all sorted, I'll help fight animal cruelty in the fur trade....

Bobalicious93

But why do we take in dogs, cats etc. into our home and pamper them, treat them like part of the family, while other animals are simply bred for eating? Sounds pretty unfair.
If I was a pig or cow I wouldn't be happy that dogs and cats get to live in the lap of luxury, while I'm freezing my bollocks off in a field in the middle of Offaly with nothing but grass to eat.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, we should start eating cats and dogs* too. 'Tis only fair.

Awaits someone mentioning Korea...

Fad

Bobalicious93 wrote: »

But why do we take in dogs, cats etc. into our home and pamper them, treat them like part of the family, while other animals are simply bred for eating? Sounds pretty unfair.
If I was a pig or cow I wouldn't be happy that dogs and cats get to live in the lap of luxury, while I'm freezing my bollocks off in a field in the middle of Offaly with nothing but grass to eat.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, we should start eating cats and dogs* too. 'Tis only fair.

Awaits someone mentioning Korea...

Life isnt fair though.

KnifeWRENCH

I love meat and I could never be a vegetarian as I hate all vegetables. Tbh I don't feel bad about eating cows and I don't think it's morally wrong to kill a lamb and eat it. Groups like PETA that take animal welfare too far bug the hell out of me, as do militant vegetarians/vegans that try and force their beliefs on others.

Now with all that said, I think unnecessary cruelty to any animal IS wrong, and while I don't have a problem with hunting for food or hunting to protect livestock, I think hunting just for sport (e.g. shooting a deer dead just to stuff it or stick it's head over the mantlepiece) is cruel and pointless.

Monzo wrote: »

I'm not sorry to interrupt such a serious thread with such a silly Simpsons scene.

Lisa: "I'm going to become a vegetarian."
Homer: "Does that mean you're not going to eat any pork?"
Lisa: "Yes."
Homer: "Bacon?"
Lisa: "Yes Dad."
Homer: "Ham?"
Lisa: "Dad all those meats come from the same animal!"
Homer: "Right Lisa, some wonderful, magical animal!"

"Don't kid yourself Jimmy. If a cow ever got the chance, he'd eat you and everyone you care about! "

Bobalicious93 wrote:

But why do we take in dogs, cats etc. into our home and pamper them, treat them like part of the family, while other animals are simply bred for eating? Sounds pretty unfair

Dogs and cats are cute. Pigs and cows not so much.
It's horribly unfair, but c'est la vie.

Davidius

CokaColumbo wrote: »

The way I see it, we humans have developed a sense of morality and generally understand the difference between what is right and what is wrong. It is this morality that stops us, as a society, from doing things that are perfectly natural for us to do. This includes settling disputes with violence; abandoning your child; defecating in public; forcing yourself sexually onto others etc.

I think it's at least noteworthy that those moral codes generally work towards making sure humans can live together peacefully. They seem to exist with the intent of making a society as comfortable and workable as possible for everybody. It's not unheard of for morality to fly out the window once it's no longer feasible.

A note on why cats and dogs are generally kept as pets it's probably because their potential as a utility animal outweighs their potential as livestock. Though I do tend to avoid pork, I hear them pigs are smart little feckers.

Anyway I see killing animals as a necessary evil for the most part. I do believe that as many steps as possible should be made in making their lives comfortable and deaths painless. I also don't like to see them 'wasted' such as seeing them killed for anything weird like entertainment or purely for the sake of clothing.

jumpguy

Extrasupervery wrote: »

Since I went veggie I've refered to myself as an 'aspiring vegan'. I think it's about time to take that seriously...I did get awfully ill when I stopped eating meat though. Worth it? I think so.

This raises a sorta health issues point tbh, but since humans find it very difficult to live healthily without meat (mainly due to iron and I think protein deficiencies). Being a vegan/vegetarian I'd say it's far more important to watch your diet than if you were a non-vegetarian. You'd be watching your diet anyway to ensure you don't consume meat, but you'd also want to watch your diet to make sure you're getting all the nutrients you need. Is it not possible to live healthily as a vegan/vegetarian? Surely so (or does anyone know otherwise?). There are surely more sources of iron and protein than in meat, however, these may not be regularly consumed, which I think is the biggest problem as far as health concerns go.

TBH, I'd be rather worried if one of my friends or family decided to go vegetarian/vegan but their health began to deteriorate tbh...I wouldn't say "eat meat!" straight away though, just to eat more iron and vitamins or whatever they're deficient in.

phlegms

If I am eating a well looked/after free-range etc. piece of meat I have absolutely no qualms about it. If on the other hand I am eating a piece of meat that was raised in disgusting conditions and not given a proper chance to live in as natural an environment as possible I'd feel shíte. Thats about the full extent of my animal rights activism. As far as I can see, vegetarianism isn't a particularly healthy way to live. How sustainable is it to live on supplements for the rest of your life? Surely it can't be doing much good for you body in the long run. I'm very much of the opinion that as long as the meat has been properly raised, looked after, humanely slaughtered then I have absolutely no issue with eating meat. It's a completely natural way to live life and I have no moral issues with doing so. It has more to do with adequate farming techniques being promoted and maintained in the food industry than it does with some sort of hideous and inexcusable moral discrepancy I am committing by eating meat.

ohthebaby

sock puppet wrote: »

But people like you just have to accept that your lifestyle is a luxury that only the rich can afford. And unless you want to start eating your own crap then eating animals/animal products does serve a purpose.

If you are talking about Ireland / any developed western country, there is no way you can say that a vegetarian lifestyle is only one that the rich can afford! So to be honest I see no real excuses for eating meat except if a diet free from it was to cause severe health problems.

In third world countries yeah I have to accept that things are different. I still don't agree with the slaughter of animals but if that's the only way a starving child is going to survive then who am I to deny them. We are in the fortunate position of being able to reject the killing of animals as well as living healthy lives, they are not.

I know that is hypocritical saying they can kill and we can't. But I guess with regards to the treatment and slaughter of animals, I am concerned about the society we have the good fortune to live in and the possibilities we have to improve it.

ohthebaby

phlegms wrote: »

As far as I can see, vegetarianism isn't a particularly healthy way to live. How sustainable is it to live on supplements for the rest of your life? Surely it can't be doing much good for you body in the long run.

I don't agree. If you are reaching all of your nutritional requirements through the food you are eating, there's no need to take supplements. Speaking personally, in my own diet I meet pretty much all of the recommended daily intake of nutrients. You just have to do a bit of a research and plan meals in advance. If you put in the effort, it's a perfectly healthy way to live.

phlegms

ohthebaby wrote: »

I don't agree. If you are reaching all of your nutritional requirements through the food you are eating, there's no need to take supplements. Speaking personally, in my own diet I meet pretty much all of the recommended daily intake of nutrients. You just have to do a bit of a research and plan meals in advance. If you put in the effort, it's a perfectly healthy way to live.

I've heard too many stories of people having to give up the vegetarian life because it wasn't sustainable for them for me to take this statement at face value. Also, you said you have only been vegetarian for 5/6 years. Come back to me when you have lived the majority of your life as one and then lets see who is healthiest..

jumpguy

phlegms wrote: »

I've heard too many stories of people having to give up the vegetarian life because it wasn't sustainable for them for me to take this statement at face value. Also, you said you have only been vegetarian for 5/6 years. Come back to me when you have lived the majority of your life as one and then lets see who is healthiest..

Alot more things affect health than just food tbf. As long as you carefully monitor your nutrient and calorie intake (in most vegetarians cases, I'd say it'd be a case of making sure they get enough calories.) TBH, if everyone did that then levels of obesity and anorexia would be way down! But most of us don't carefully monitor our diet, and when you make the choice to become a vegetarian/vegan, I'd say most people think it's just "eat what you want except meat". Which it's not really, you have to make sure you fulfill all your dietary requirements if you make such a large restriction on your diet.

norwegianwood

Bobalicious93 wrote: »

But why do we take in dogs, cats etc. into our home and pamper them, treat them like part of the family, while other animals are simply bred for eating? Sounds pretty unfair.
If I was a pig or cow I wouldn't be happy that dogs and cats get to live in the lap of luxury, while I'm freezing my bollocks off in a field in the middle of Offaly with nothing but grass to eat.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, we should start eating cats and dogs* too. 'Tis only fair.

Awaits someone mentioning Korea...

Technically, cows are female, and therefore don't have bollocks...
Sorry....couldn't resist....:o

sock puppet

ohthebaby wrote: »

If you are talking about Ireland / any developed western country, there is no way you can say that a vegetarian lifestyle is only one that the rich can afford! So to be honest I see no real excuses for eating meat except if a diet free from it was to cause severe health problems.

In third world countries yeah I have to accept that things are different. I still don't agree with the slaughter of animals but if that's the only way a starving child is going to survive then who am I to deny them. We are in the fortunate position of being able to reject the killing of animals as well as living healthy lives, they are not.

I know that is hypocritical saying they can kill and we can't. But I guess with regards to the treatment and slaughter of animals, I am concerned about the society we have the good fortune to live in and the possibilities we have to improve it.

But only roughly a billion people live in the developed world. The vast majority of the world's people live neither in luxury nor abject poverty. Also in the long run, eating meat has no effect on the survival of a species. Cows will never go extinct as long as we keep breeding them. Whereas the fuel we use up posting on here contributes towards the possible future extinction of several species in the arctic circle.


As for the video which inspired this thread, It raises a lot of interesting points. Owners who allow their pets to breed need to held accountable for their actions imo. It wouldn't be that hard to enforce. Just make neutering pets a requirement when purchasing one. I also have concerns over the breeding of pure bred animals. Unless it serves a purpose, like with guard dogs, all it does is reduce the life span of pets.

Ginja Ninja

sock puppet wrote: »

But only roughly a billion people live in the developed world. The vast majority of the world's people live neither in luxury nor abject poverty. Also in the long run, eating meat has no effect on the survival of a species. Cows will never go extinct as long as we keep breeding them. Whereas the fuel we use up posting on here contributes towards the possible future extinction of several species in the arctic circle.


As for the video which inspired this thread, It raises a lot of interesting points. Owners who allow their pets to breed need to held accountable for their actions imo. It wouldn't be that hard to enforce. Just make neutering pets a requirement when purchasing one. I also have concerns over the breeding of pure bred animals. Unless it serves a purpose, like with guard dogs, all it does is reduce the life span of pets.

not to sound heartless but would a shorter life span on "pet animals" not help the problem overall,the big issue now is that there are too many pets then there are people who can care for them,but if they started dying out quicker[I know it's not fun to lose a pet,but think of how many are born in the ~15 years of a normal pet that don't get the same treatment] it's the surplus that does it,there are simply too many to be controlled[read:neuturing/spaying] even with all the sterilising that's done,there are more breeders than there are spayed pets

Pygmalion

I've lived in the country, the majority of farms (in this country of course) are lovely places where the animals roam free all day.
It kinda pisses me off when someone tries to rant about how mistreated all the animals are, I just get the impression that they've never actually left Dublin and been to one, they're just reciting facts from some leaflets/books/youtube videos they consider to be gospel.

Not that these leaflets/books/youtube videos are wrong per sé, but they're generally based on conditions in farms in developing countries (with maybe one or two closer to home, with the farm in question long after being shut down or improved), and it just seems deceitful to claim it's going on over here on a large scale.
But still, I guess "Most farms here are grand, but I have a moral problem with it so please stop k" isn't as effective as "Look at how evil every farmer in the world is!"

Arcade Panda

The more I read this thread the more I realise that I'm actually (some) vegitarians worst nightmare:o

I used to go fox hunting every St. Stephan's day and New Years day up until about two years ago. I only stopped when I couldn't afford to rent a horse anymore but if I had the money I know I'd be out there in a heartbeat!

My dad hunts pheasants. For the record my dad doesn't stuff them and hang them out of the rafters, we eat them. At first I didn't because I think pheasants are probably one of the most gorgeous animals out there and I didn't feel comfortable with it....but I got over that in about two weeks!

I love animals.
I just love eating animals as well.

Ginja Ninja

Arcade Panda wrote: »

I love animals.
I just love eating animals as well.

says it all quite well really

Extrasupervery

jumpguy wrote: »

This raises a sorta health issues point tbh, but since humans find it very difficult to live healthily without meat (mainly due to iron and I think protein deficiencies). Being a vegan/vegetarian I'd say it's far more important to watch your diet than if you were a non-vegetarian. You'd be watching your diet anyway to ensure you don't consume meat, but you'd also want to watch your diet to make sure you're getting all the nutrients you need. Is it not possible to live healthily as a vegan/vegetarian? Surely so (or does anyone know otherwise?). There are surely more sources of iron and protein than in meat, however, these may not be regularly consumed, which I think is the biggest problem as far as health concerns go.

TBH, I'd be rather worried if one of my friends or family decided to go vegetarian/vegan but their health began to deteriorate tbh...I wouldn't say "eat meat!" straight away though, just to eat more iron and vitamins or whatever they're deficient in.

I've got a much higher iron count than my entire meat-eating family

sock puppet

Ginja Ninja wrote: »

not to sound heartless but would a shorter life span on "pet animals" not help the problem overall,the big issue now is that there are too many pets then there are people who can care for them,but if they started dying out quicker[I know it's not fun to lose a pet,but think of how many are born in the ~15 years of a normal pet that don't get the same treatment] it's the surplus that does it,there are simply too many to be controlled[read:neuturing/spaying] even with all the sterilising that's done,there are more breeders than there are spayed pets

That's why neutering should be mandatory for every pet owner. As for breeders, they need to be properly regulated to stop puppy farms.

A Neurotic

Pygmalion wrote: »

I've lived in the country, the majority of farms (in this country of course) are lovely places where the animals roam free all day.
It kinda pisses me off when someone tries to rant about how mistreated all the animals are, I just get the impression that they've never actually left Dublin and been to one, they're just reciting facts from some leaflets/books/youtube videos they consider to be gospel.

Some would argue that, no matter how nice their environment is as they're raised, killing animals for food would constitute mistreatment.

Arcade Panda wrote:

I used to go fox hunting every St. Stephan's day and New Years day up until about two years ago. I only stopped when I couldn't afford to rent a horse anymore but if I had the money I know I'd be out there in a heartbeat!

No offence, but I will never understand fox hunting, or why it's permitted. Completely unnecessary cruelty in my opinion

I'm a big fat hypocrite. I eat meat and support the killing of animals when it's for the good of my belly. But I just cannot comprehend how people enjoy killing foxes.