Thanks Stephanie. I agree with you 100%. If eating meat is desired, one can always find food that is humanely raised and slaughtered. Yes, it costs more, but is well worth it.
I stopped eating most meat and especially,pork, after volunteering at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in 2001. They had vegetarian meals and pointed out the hypocrisy of fighting to save one species while allowing others to be treated so terribly to feed us. 25 years later, still holding to it~
I’ve become very sensitive to animal rescue groups doing fundraising by holding bbqs or other feasts that include other dead animals….and they treat me like I’m crazy for pointing it out, when it is * they* who don’t get it…
Another way to look at the oddness is to put yourself in the shoes of prople from India, who hold cows as sacred, while Americans have burger joints on every corner….
There are 3 reasons why I became a vegetarian. First, my teenage daughter became a vegetarian, so we ate vegetarian meals together. Second, the conditions of factory farms were shocking. Third, a friend of mine bought a cow and raised it, only to eat it for dinner. That did it for me. I have never looked back. I am no fan of hunting, but I would rather people hunt their meat than have pigs live in the conditions they do on farms. I am not saying everyone needs to be entirely plant-based, but if people would consciously reduce their meat intake, then there would be fewer animals suffering in factory farms. It would be better for the environment as well! It's an inconvenient truth that the animals in factory farms - including fish and poultry - live dismal lives and have dismal deaths.
A Chinese man “explained” to me, when I expressed concern for the way meat dogs are handled, that the animals are purposely stressed (abused) because that makes the meat tender. Putting aside the fact that the meat of an animal under stress is not tenderized — quite the opposite, in fact, as had been shown in pork slaughter — this mansplaining creep exemplified the way we tell ourselves stories to justify our choices.
Yes, a pig is as intelligent and (potentially) loving as a dog. But we tell ourselves the pig is food, and the dog is a pet. I have not eaten pork in more than 35 years. I don’t eat red meat. I do, however, wear leather shoes. I tell myself leather is a byproduct.
I applaud your calling attention to the cruelty perpetrated on pigs. I personally cannot consume products of cows' milk (and certainly not veal) due to the cruel practices. I hold no hopes for a widespread change in my lifetime ... but every little bit of awareness may help lead to conscience-awakening and kind treatment of all animals.
Please, by all means, encourage us not to eat meat or other animal products. I've been vegan for 30 plus years and my dogs have all been vegans and lived healthy, long lives (or longer than expected for the one I rescued who already had a serious health condition.) As for trying to find "humane meat" (or milk, or eggs) it's a bit like trying to find a unicorn. Most of what is sold as "humane" is just a sad case of humanewashing. Your best bet if you absolutely won't or can't go without animal products is to use as little as you possibly can. Reducing your consumption helps quite a bit and isn't as difficult as you think. :)
I’ve been a lover of animals my whole life and a happy lil vegan for 17 years after putting this together. I find it very fulfilling (in the sincere way and the pun way)! 😝
Thank you Dr. Nancy for speaking out on this important issue. There's a definite disconnect for way too many people between the meat they eat & what that sentient being went thru during it's life before being killed. It starts with kindness to each other & I like to think with education spreads beyond to include all living beings.
This is such an important topic that most people just don't want to think about. I know we as humans are "built" to eat meat. Our dogs are "built" to eat meat - I would never subject my dogs to a vegetarian diet for health reasons. But I have extreme compassion for all animals. I became a vegetarian for 2 years only to go back to eating meat, due to detrimental nutritional deficiencies (and yes, I ate my share of tofu, beans, seaweed and flaxseed). I think the bigger issue is the treatment of the animals, be they dogs, pigs, chickens, or wild deer. I am a chicken-keeper, and I just can't bare to eat my own chickens. However, I know people who keep chickens and give them a wonderful life of comfortable housing, quality feed, and plenty of free-range time. The chickens are happy. Eventually however, a chicken will be slaughtered for dinner, in a calm and solemn manner. The family gives thanks at the dinner table for the meal provided to them by that chicken. Personally I just can't find fault with that. It's the factory farms and agri-business that are so bothersome -- cruelty. The answer for some is to refuse to buy meat, which I completely understand, but some of us have a metabolism which makes it painfully obvious that we need meat to thrive. It is a conundrum!
I don't eat meat for that very reason, even though I'm not a big lover of veggies. I keep fearing they will find out that vegetables feel pain and fear as well.
Thanks Stephanie. I agree with you 100%. If eating meat is desired, one can always find food that is humanely raised and slaughtered. Yes, it costs more, but is well worth it.
I stopped eating most meat and especially,pork, after volunteering at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in 2001. They had vegetarian meals and pointed out the hypocrisy of fighting to save one species while allowing others to be treated so terribly to feed us. 25 years later, still holding to it~
I’ve become very sensitive to animal rescue groups doing fundraising by holding bbqs or other feasts that include other dead animals….and they treat me like I’m crazy for pointing it out, when it is * they* who don’t get it…
Another way to look at the oddness is to put yourself in the shoes of prople from India, who hold cows as sacred, while Americans have burger joints on every corner….
Excellent point!
There are 3 reasons why I became a vegetarian. First, my teenage daughter became a vegetarian, so we ate vegetarian meals together. Second, the conditions of factory farms were shocking. Third, a friend of mine bought a cow and raised it, only to eat it for dinner. That did it for me. I have never looked back. I am no fan of hunting, but I would rather people hunt their meat than have pigs live in the conditions they do on farms. I am not saying everyone needs to be entirely plant-based, but if people would consciously reduce their meat intake, then there would be fewer animals suffering in factory farms. It would be better for the environment as well! It's an inconvenient truth that the animals in factory farms - including fish and poultry - live dismal lives and have dismal deaths.
Here, here Robin! Well said.
A Chinese man “explained” to me, when I expressed concern for the way meat dogs are handled, that the animals are purposely stressed (abused) because that makes the meat tender. Putting aside the fact that the meat of an animal under stress is not tenderized — quite the opposite, in fact, as had been shown in pork slaughter — this mansplaining creep exemplified the way we tell ourselves stories to justify our choices.
Yes, a pig is as intelligent and (potentially) loving as a dog. But we tell ourselves the pig is food, and the dog is a pet. I have not eaten pork in more than 35 years. I don’t eat red meat. I do, however, wear leather shoes. I tell myself leather is a byproduct.
Pretty awful comment about purposefully stressing the dogs! Yikes!
I applaud your calling attention to the cruelty perpetrated on pigs. I personally cannot consume products of cows' milk (and certainly not veal) due to the cruel practices. I hold no hopes for a widespread change in my lifetime ... but every little bit of awareness may help lead to conscience-awakening and kind treatment of all animals.
Hi Donna. You hit the nail on the head with, "every little bit of awareness may help lead to conscience-awakening and kind treatment of all animals."
Please, by all means, encourage us not to eat meat or other animal products. I've been vegan for 30 plus years and my dogs have all been vegans and lived healthy, long lives (or longer than expected for the one I rescued who already had a serious health condition.) As for trying to find "humane meat" (or milk, or eggs) it's a bit like trying to find a unicorn. Most of what is sold as "humane" is just a sad case of humanewashing. Your best bet if you absolutely won't or can't go without animal products is to use as little as you possibly can. Reducing your consumption helps quite a bit and isn't as difficult as you think. :)
I’ve been a lover of animals my whole life and a happy lil vegan for 17 years after putting this together. I find it very fulfilling (in the sincere way and the pun way)! 😝
Thank you Dr. Nancy for speaking out on this important issue. There's a definite disconnect for way too many people between the meat they eat & what that sentient being went thru during it's life before being killed. It starts with kindness to each other & I like to think with education spreads beyond to include all living beings.
This is such an important topic that most people just don't want to think about. I know we as humans are "built" to eat meat. Our dogs are "built" to eat meat - I would never subject my dogs to a vegetarian diet for health reasons. But I have extreme compassion for all animals. I became a vegetarian for 2 years only to go back to eating meat, due to detrimental nutritional deficiencies (and yes, I ate my share of tofu, beans, seaweed and flaxseed). I think the bigger issue is the treatment of the animals, be they dogs, pigs, chickens, or wild deer. I am a chicken-keeper, and I just can't bare to eat my own chickens. However, I know people who keep chickens and give them a wonderful life of comfortable housing, quality feed, and plenty of free-range time. The chickens are happy. Eventually however, a chicken will be slaughtered for dinner, in a calm and solemn manner. The family gives thanks at the dinner table for the meal provided to them by that chicken. Personally I just can't find fault with that. It's the factory farms and agri-business that are so bothersome -- cruelty. The answer for some is to refuse to buy meat, which I completely understand, but some of us have a metabolism which makes it painfully obvious that we need meat to thrive. It is a conundrum!
I don't eat meat for that very reason, even though I'm not a big lover of veggies. I keep fearing they will find out that vegetables feel pain and fear as well.
I think that way too. Every time I harvest from my garden, I wonder if the plants are screaming but I just can’t hear them….