Why vegan?
Reasons for moving toward a plant-based diet and cruelty-free living.
Reasons for moving toward a plant-based diet and cruelty-free living.
Many people perceive
veganism as an extremity, freakishness, or constant sacrifice. For me veganism
is none of them, just the opposite – it is a joy of living the cruelty-free life;
it is a harmony, kindness, and peace. Even those, who are vegetarians, not
always get the idea of veganism. This is because reasons for excluding animal
products from a diet are varied. The main reason why I adopted a plant-based
diet was compassion. When I still ate all sorts of food, I luckily came across publications
on different types of plant-based diet, meat and dairy industry, factory
farming, and other related subjects. I experienced a revelation as I had never
known that animals suffered that much. I had stopped eating meat and after that
I gradually eliminated other animal products. I don’t have the feeling that I’m
missing something. Since I became vegetarian, I have discovered so many
ingredients and I’ve cooked so many dishes I had never tried before. I also
discovered that I can cook.
Let’s count
According to professor Peter Singer, “the number of animals used in experimentation in the United States is roughly the population of Texas. So about 25 million animals used in research in the United States each year. That's a pretty big number when you think of it. But the number of animals raised and killed for food each year in the United States is more than the population of the planet. It's around 10 billion, so it's almost one and a half times the population of the planet. So, you compare the population of the planet with the population of Texas, you have a sense of the scale, of raising animals for food. That's in the United States, alone. If you look at it globally, we're talking about something around 60 billion land animals raised for food alone, and if you add in fish, the estimates get much more difficult to make”[1].
According to professor Peter Singer, “the number of animals used in experimentation in the United States is roughly the population of Texas. So about 25 million animals used in research in the United States each year. That's a pretty big number when you think of it. But the number of animals raised and killed for food each year in the United States is more than the population of the planet. It's around 10 billion, so it's almost one and a half times the population of the planet. So, you compare the population of the planet with the population of Texas, you have a sense of the scale, of raising animals for food. That's in the United States, alone. If you look at it globally, we're talking about something around 60 billion land animals raised for food alone, and if you add in fish, the estimates get much more difficult to make”[1].
Factory
farming
There are people who never ate meat in their lives (often for religious reasons) but they don’t consider consuming and using other animal products to be wrong. In my opinion there is no difference between eating meat, wearing leather shoes and drinking cow’s milk. Nowadays the great majority of animal products come from factory farms where animals live in constant pain and fear. None of these animals are treated with respect they deserve as living beings capable of feeling. The suffering they experience is unimaginable for us, consumers, who eat animal remains with relish because they are so yummy and because we’ve been doing this for ages. In theory consuming dairy isn’t an unethical thing to do. Unfortunately it’s not that easy to get eggs or milk produced by happy animals these days. Animals are perceived as machines used to produce as much food for the lowest possible cost.
There are people who never ate meat in their lives (often for religious reasons) but they don’t consider consuming and using other animal products to be wrong. In my opinion there is no difference between eating meat, wearing leather shoes and drinking cow’s milk. Nowadays the great majority of animal products come from factory farms where animals live in constant pain and fear. None of these animals are treated with respect they deserve as living beings capable of feeling. The suffering they experience is unimaginable for us, consumers, who eat animal remains with relish because they are so yummy and because we’ve been doing this for ages. In theory consuming dairy isn’t an unethical thing to do. Unfortunately it’s not that easy to get eggs or milk produced by happy animals these days. Animals are perceived as machines used to produce as much food for the lowest possible cost.
1. Broiler chickens (meat chickens)
- Chickens live for five to ten years. Factory farmed chickens are killed at the age of 6 weeks.
- They are crammed in windowless hangars that can hold 20000 – 40000 birds. As they grow up, they fill up all the space.
- The floor is covered with birds’ excrement. They live standing in their own droppings and breathing ammonia.
- Being intensively fed, and genetically manipulated, chickens grow rapidly. Their bones aren’t strong enough to carry their weight. Their legs collapse under them. When they can’t reach the water nozzles, they just die. Birds’ hearts and lungs aren’t developed enough to support the remainder of the body and they die of heart attacks and lung collapse.
- Chickens are stressed and frustrated because of living in the crowd. They become aggressive and peck other birds, causing injuries and even death. This is the reason for debeaking chickens. Beaks are being partially removed with a hot blade. This is an extremely painful procedure as birds’ beaks are packed with sensitive nerves.
- Chickens live for five to ten years. Factory farmed chickens are killed at the age of 6 weeks.
- They are crammed in windowless hangars that can hold 20000 – 40000 birds. As they grow up, they fill up all the space.
- The floor is covered with birds’ excrement. They live standing in their own droppings and breathing ammonia.
- Being intensively fed, and genetically manipulated, chickens grow rapidly. Their bones aren’t strong enough to carry their weight. Their legs collapse under them. When they can’t reach the water nozzles, they just die. Birds’ hearts and lungs aren’t developed enough to support the remainder of the body and they die of heart attacks and lung collapse.
- Chickens are stressed and frustrated because of living in the crowd. They become aggressive and peck other birds, causing injuries and even death. This is the reason for debeaking chickens. Beaks are being partially removed with a hot blade. This is an extremely painful procedure as birds’ beaks are packed with sensitive nerves.
2. Laying hens
- Male chicks are useless in the egg industry so every year millions of them are killed. These chicks are minced alive, tossed into trash bags to suffocate, or gassed.
- When hens are ready to lay (a few months of age), they are placed in cages and they stay there for at least a year. 4-5 hens are kept together in one small cage, slightly bigger than a microwave oven.
- They are crammed so closely that they are forced to urinate and defecate on each other. There is no space to even spread the wings.
- Birds’ beaks are trimmed in order of controlling feather pecking and cannibalism. As they live longer than broilers, this procedure is done twice in their lives.
- Thousands of cages are stacked into windowless sheds with artificial lighting for about 17 hours a day to promote egg laying.
- To save labour and minimize costs, all the cages are sloped down. Eggs roll onto a conveyor belt that carry them to a sorting room.
- Hens’ body’s calcium supply is utilized in order to form an eggshell. Forcing hens to increased productivity results in calcium deficiency, osteoporosis, and weak, breakable bones.
- When hens’ bodies are exhausted from constant lying and their productivity drops, they are transported to slaughterhouses. They are killed and turned into chicken soup, stock cubes, or animal food.
- Male chicks are useless in the egg industry so every year millions of them are killed. These chicks are minced alive, tossed into trash bags to suffocate, or gassed.
- When hens are ready to lay (a few months of age), they are placed in cages and they stay there for at least a year. 4-5 hens are kept together in one small cage, slightly bigger than a microwave oven.
- They are crammed so closely that they are forced to urinate and defecate on each other. There is no space to even spread the wings.
- Birds’ beaks are trimmed in order of controlling feather pecking and cannibalism. As they live longer than broilers, this procedure is done twice in their lives.
- Thousands of cages are stacked into windowless sheds with artificial lighting for about 17 hours a day to promote egg laying.
- To save labour and minimize costs, all the cages are sloped down. Eggs roll onto a conveyor belt that carry them to a sorting room.
- Hens’ body’s calcium supply is utilized in order to form an eggshell. Forcing hens to increased productivity results in calcium deficiency, osteoporosis, and weak, breakable bones.
- When hens’ bodies are exhausted from constant lying and their productivity drops, they are transported to slaughterhouses. They are killed and turned into chicken soup, stock cubes, or animal food.
3. Pigs
- Factory farmed pigs are killed and turned into sausages, bacon, pork and ham at the age of 5 months.
- Young pigs are kept in pens. These intelligent, social, and playful animals are condemned to boredom that often leads to aggression – cannibalism and tail-biting. Therefore, their tails are cut off but the pigs aren’t given any painkillers. Male piglets are castrated, also without any pain relief.
- The lack of exercise and genetic manipulation results in very quick weight gaining. Therefore pigs suffer from arthritis and other joint diseases.
- Standing on the hard floor, usually made of concrete, causes foot injuries, joints damage, and even lameness.
- Sows spend entire length of their pregnancies (most of their lives) confined in individual crates, slightly bigger than their body. There is no enough space to lie down comfortably or even turn around.
- After giving birth, mothers and piglets are moved to pens big enough to lie down and nurse the babies, but too small to do anything else.
- Piglets are taken from their mothers when they’re only few weeks old. Then the mothers are impregnated again.
- When sows’ fertility declines, they are sent to be killed.
- Factory farmed pigs are killed and turned into sausages, bacon, pork and ham at the age of 5 months.
- Young pigs are kept in pens. These intelligent, social, and playful animals are condemned to boredom that often leads to aggression – cannibalism and tail-biting. Therefore, their tails are cut off but the pigs aren’t given any painkillers. Male piglets are castrated, also without any pain relief.
- The lack of exercise and genetic manipulation results in very quick weight gaining. Therefore pigs suffer from arthritis and other joint diseases.
- Standing on the hard floor, usually made of concrete, causes foot injuries, joints damage, and even lameness.
- Sows spend entire length of their pregnancies (most of their lives) confined in individual crates, slightly bigger than their body. There is no enough space to lie down comfortably or even turn around.
- After giving birth, mothers and piglets are moved to pens big enough to lie down and nurse the babies, but too small to do anything else.
- Piglets are taken from their mothers when they’re only few weeks old. Then the mothers are impregnated again.
- When sows’ fertility declines, they are sent to be killed.
4. Cows in the beef industry
- Cows can live for over 20 years. Cows raised for meat are usually killed at the age of 11 to 12 months.
- Calves are branded, castrated, and dehorned without any painkillers.
- Cows are kept on crowded pastures, with no shelter, amid all weather extremes. Many of them freeze to death in winter and succumb to a heat stroke in summer.
- Between 6 months and a year of age, they are transported to feedlots. Cattle are fed an unnatural diet to reach “market weight” as quickly as possible. This causes chronic digestive pain, liver disease, ulcers, impaired breathing, and sometimes death.
- Feedlots are extremely crowded. The air is saturated with such harmful chemicals as ammonia and methane and cows are forced to inhale them constantly. This results in chronic respiratory problems.
- Cattle are given hormones in order to increase their growth rates. Another common practice is adding antibiotics to animals’ feed.
- Cows can live for over 20 years. Cows raised for meat are usually killed at the age of 11 to 12 months.
- Calves are branded, castrated, and dehorned without any painkillers.
- Cows are kept on crowded pastures, with no shelter, amid all weather extremes. Many of them freeze to death in winter and succumb to a heat stroke in summer.
- Between 6 months and a year of age, they are transported to feedlots. Cattle are fed an unnatural diet to reach “market weight” as quickly as possible. This causes chronic digestive pain, liver disease, ulcers, impaired breathing, and sometimes death.
- Feedlots are extremely crowded. The air is saturated with such harmful chemicals as ammonia and methane and cows are forced to inhale them constantly. This results in chronic respiratory problems.
- Cattle are given hormones in order to increase their growth rates. Another common practice is adding antibiotics to animals’ feed.
5. Dairy cows
- Factory farmed cows produce 10 times more milk than they would naturally do.
- They are constantly impregnated, genetically manipulated and given hormones in order to produce massive amounts of milk.
- Calves are separated from their mothers shortly after being born (within 1-2 days). Males are raised and slaughtered for meat.
- Dairy cows are kept indoors, usually on hard floor. This is harmful for their hooves and causes lameness.
- Many of them suffer from mastitis, ketosis, infections, injuries and calcium deficiency.
- When they are about 5 years old, exhausted cows are sent to slaughterhouses. They end up as fast-food hamburgers and ground meat products.
- Factory farmed cows produce 10 times more milk than they would naturally do.
- They are constantly impregnated, genetically manipulated and given hormones in order to produce massive amounts of milk.
- Calves are separated from their mothers shortly after being born (within 1-2 days). Males are raised and slaughtered for meat.
- Dairy cows are kept indoors, usually on hard floor. This is harmful for their hooves and causes lameness.
- Many of them suffer from mastitis, ketosis, infections, injuries and calcium deficiency.
- When they are about 5 years old, exhausted cows are sent to slaughterhouses. They end up as fast-food hamburgers and ground meat products.
6. Veal industry
- Veal is a by-product of the dairy industry.
- Calves suckle from their mothers for nearly a year. Factory farmed calves usually spend only a few hours with their mothers.
- They are fed with milk replacer made of cheap ingredients. The food usually contains antibiotics.
- They live for 18-20 weeks and spend their short lives in tiny crates with chains around their neck. They are unable to stretch their limbs.
- The lack of exercise and poor forage make calves anaemic. Thanks to that their flesh stays pale and soft so they gain in value.
- Calves suffer from such diseases as abnormal gut development, stomach ulcerations, chronic pneumonia, and diarrhea.
- Veal is a by-product of the dairy industry.
- Calves suckle from their mothers for nearly a year. Factory farmed calves usually spend only a few hours with their mothers.
- They are fed with milk replacer made of cheap ingredients. The food usually contains antibiotics.
- They live for 18-20 weeks and spend their short lives in tiny crates with chains around their neck. They are unable to stretch their limbs.
- The lack of exercise and poor forage make calves anaemic. Thanks to that their flesh stays pale and soft so they gain in value.
- Calves suffer from such diseases as abnormal gut development, stomach ulcerations, chronic pneumonia, and diarrhea.
7. Turkeys
- The turkey production is similar to the chicken production.
- They live in extremely crowded, windowless, dirty, and poorly ventilated sheds. When they grow they can hardly move.
- Male turkeys are bred to develop such large breasts that they lost the ability to reproduce naturally. Therefore, they are produced by artificial insemination managed by humans.
- They suffer from bone disorders, hip lesion, skeletal disease, blisters, burns, muscle disease, heart disease, aortic rupture, respiratory damage and irritated, swollen eyes.
- At between 12 to 26 weeks old turkeys are transported to slaughterhouses.
- The turkey production is similar to the chicken production.
- They live in extremely crowded, windowless, dirty, and poorly ventilated sheds. When they grow they can hardly move.
- Male turkeys are bred to develop such large breasts that they lost the ability to reproduce naturally. Therefore, they are produced by artificial insemination managed by humans.
- They suffer from bone disorders, hip lesion, skeletal disease, blisters, burns, muscle disease, heart disease, aortic rupture, respiratory damage and irritated, swollen eyes.
- At between 12 to 26 weeks old turkeys are transported to slaughterhouses.
8. Ducks
- Wild ducks can live for 15 years. Factory farmed ducks are killed at the age of 7 weeks.
- Ducks live in similar condition as chickens and turkeys.
- They are kept in crowded pens or in tiny individual cages.
- They are forced to eat massive amounts of food. They are restrained and a thick metal pipe is shoved down their throats. The food is pumped through the pipe directly to the birds’ stomachs. The force-feeding takes place a few times a day. In the end their livers are 6-10 times its normal size and their legs become deformed and crippled because of their weight.
- Ducks are aquatic animals – the love swimming and diving. Factory farmed ducks never see any water, apart from the drinking water. They need the access to water to clean themselves, to rinse their eyes and to stay healthy. The lack of water leads to eye diseases and even blindness.
- Wild ducks can live for 15 years. Factory farmed ducks are killed at the age of 7 weeks.
- Ducks live in similar condition as chickens and turkeys.
- They are kept in crowded pens or in tiny individual cages.
- They are forced to eat massive amounts of food. They are restrained and a thick metal pipe is shoved down their throats. The food is pumped through the pipe directly to the birds’ stomachs. The force-feeding takes place a few times a day. In the end their livers are 6-10 times its normal size and their legs become deformed and crippled because of their weight.
- Ducks are aquatic animals – the love swimming and diving. Factory farmed ducks never see any water, apart from the drinking water. They need the access to water to clean themselves, to rinse their eyes and to stay healthy. The lack of water leads to eye diseases and even blindness.
9. Sheep
- Sheep and are raised for meat, milk, wool, and skin.
- Sheep used for meat are usually slaughtered for consumption at the age of 6-8 months as consumers prefer lamb. Without the people’s intervention they live for 12-15 years, some of them even for 20 years.
- They live on properties with over 2000 sheep in extreme weather conditions.
- Young males are tail-docked and castrated without any painkillers.
- Sheep are genetically manipulated to grow more wool than they would naturally do. “Millions of sheep every year suffer an agonizingly painful operation known as mulesing, where the folds of skin beneath their tails are sliced away without anesthetic, leaving a bleeding wound the size of a dinner plate where a wool free scar will form. This is intended to reduce the incidence of flystrike, a grisly condition where blowflies lay their eggs in the damp wool and maggots eat the sheep’s flesh”[2].
- Most sheep are sheared when it’s too cold. Approximately 1 million sheep die of exposure. During the shearing they get injured as the shearers are paid by volume and treat the animals in a very rough way.
- When the wool production of sheep drops, they are sent to slaughterhouses. Many of them are transported to Middle Eastern countries by sea, enduring gruelling journeys of up to three weeks.
- Sheep and are raised for meat, milk, wool, and skin.
- Sheep used for meat are usually slaughtered for consumption at the age of 6-8 months as consumers prefer lamb. Without the people’s intervention they live for 12-15 years, some of them even for 20 years.
- They live on properties with over 2000 sheep in extreme weather conditions.
- Young males are tail-docked and castrated without any painkillers.
- Sheep are genetically manipulated to grow more wool than they would naturally do. “Millions of sheep every year suffer an agonizingly painful operation known as mulesing, where the folds of skin beneath their tails are sliced away without anesthetic, leaving a bleeding wound the size of a dinner plate where a wool free scar will form. This is intended to reduce the incidence of flystrike, a grisly condition where blowflies lay their eggs in the damp wool and maggots eat the sheep’s flesh”[2].
- Most sheep are sheared when it’s too cold. Approximately 1 million sheep die of exposure. During the shearing they get injured as the shearers are paid by volume and treat the animals in a very rough way.
- When the wool production of sheep drops, they are sent to slaughterhouses. Many of them are transported to Middle Eastern countries by sea, enduring gruelling journeys of up to three weeks.
10. Aquafarming
- Fish covers many kilometers every day. Those, who raised on aquafarms, spend their lives in cramped, filthy enclosures. Aquafarms can hold up to 90000 fish.
- Because of the terrible conditions on farms, 40% of the fish die before they are ready to be slaughtered.
- In order to keep fish alive and speed up their growth, fish are genetically manipulated and fed with antibiotics and other drugs.
- Fish are starved before they are sent to slaughters to reduce waste contamination.
- During the slaughter fish are completely conscious.
- “Their gills are cut, and they are left to bleed to death, convulsing in pain. Large fish are sometimes bashed on the head with a wooden bat called a “priest,” and many are seriously injured but still alive and suffering when they are cut open. Smaller fish are often killed by simply draining water away and leaving them to slowly suffocate or by packing them in ice while they are still completely conscious. Because fish are coldblooded, allowing them to suffocate on ice prolongs their suffering, leaving them to experience excruciating pain for as long as 15 minutes before they die[3].
- Aquafarming is very harmful to ocean environment. Uneaten food, excrement, and chemicals used in fish factory farming, spread to the ocean. Also diseases inside the cages are passed on to fish in the area.
11. Commercial fishing
- Commercial fishing kills more animals than any other industry.
- “Fish are likely to experience fear, pain and distress as they are, for example: pursued to exhaustion by nets, crushed under the weight of other fish in trawl nets, raised from deep water and suffer decompression effects, confined in constricted seine nets, impaled live on hooks as bait, caught on hooks, often for hours or days”[4].
- “Once landed, most fish are either left to asphyxiate, or die during further processing which may include gutting, filleting and/or freezing while alive and conscious. Some fish may be slaughtered by “spiking” the brain or by a blow to the head, potentially humane methods of killing fish, but these are the exception rather than the rule”[5].
- Overfishing is a global environmental problem. It means more fish are caught, than the population can replace through natural reproduction. Overfishing changes oceans forever. More than 90% of large predatory fish (e.g. cod and tuna) have already been caught.
- Bycatch is fish and other marine species (e.g. sharks, sea turtles, birds, porpoises, seals, or whales) caught incidentally while catching certain target species. Those animals are thrown back to the sea dead or dying.
- Tuna fisheries are responsible for the deaths of an estimated one million sharks annually.
- For every pound of shrimp, fishermen throw away four or more pounds of other marine animals.
- Nearly 1000 marine mammals die each day after they are caught in fishing nets.
- Bottom trawling is one of the most harmful fishing techniques. Massive nets weighed down with heavy ballast which are dragged along the sea floor, raking up or crushing everything in their way.
- Fish covers many kilometers every day. Those, who raised on aquafarms, spend their lives in cramped, filthy enclosures. Aquafarms can hold up to 90000 fish.
- Because of the terrible conditions on farms, 40% of the fish die before they are ready to be slaughtered.
- In order to keep fish alive and speed up their growth, fish are genetically manipulated and fed with antibiotics and other drugs.
- Fish are starved before they are sent to slaughters to reduce waste contamination.
- During the slaughter fish are completely conscious.
- “Their gills are cut, and they are left to bleed to death, convulsing in pain. Large fish are sometimes bashed on the head with a wooden bat called a “priest,” and many are seriously injured but still alive and suffering when they are cut open. Smaller fish are often killed by simply draining water away and leaving them to slowly suffocate or by packing them in ice while they are still completely conscious. Because fish are coldblooded, allowing them to suffocate on ice prolongs their suffering, leaving them to experience excruciating pain for as long as 15 minutes before they die[3].
- Aquafarming is very harmful to ocean environment. Uneaten food, excrement, and chemicals used in fish factory farming, spread to the ocean. Also diseases inside the cages are passed on to fish in the area.
11. Commercial fishing
- Commercial fishing kills more animals than any other industry.
- “Fish are likely to experience fear, pain and distress as they are, for example: pursued to exhaustion by nets, crushed under the weight of other fish in trawl nets, raised from deep water and suffer decompression effects, confined in constricted seine nets, impaled live on hooks as bait, caught on hooks, often for hours or days”[4].
- “Once landed, most fish are either left to asphyxiate, or die during further processing which may include gutting, filleting and/or freezing while alive and conscious. Some fish may be slaughtered by “spiking” the brain or by a blow to the head, potentially humane methods of killing fish, but these are the exception rather than the rule”[5].
- Overfishing is a global environmental problem. It means more fish are caught, than the population can replace through natural reproduction. Overfishing changes oceans forever. More than 90% of large predatory fish (e.g. cod and tuna) have already been caught.
- Bycatch is fish and other marine species (e.g. sharks, sea turtles, birds, porpoises, seals, or whales) caught incidentally while catching certain target species. Those animals are thrown back to the sea dead or dying.
- Tuna fisheries are responsible for the deaths of an estimated one million sharks annually.
- For every pound of shrimp, fishermen throw away four or more pounds of other marine animals.
- Nearly 1000 marine mammals die each day after they are caught in fishing nets.
- Bottom trawling is one of the most harmful fishing techniques. Massive nets weighed down with heavy ballast which are dragged along the sea floor, raking up or crushing everything in their way.
Slaughterhouses
In the end of their miserable lives, animals are transported to slaughterhouses in crowded trucks, through all weather extremes, without food, water, or rest for the duration of the journey, which can sometimes last days. During transportation animals experience fear, pain, discomfort, frustration, hunger, and thirst.
About 40% of animals in slaughterhouses are not stunned effectively. They are butchered when they are fully conscious and they feel every second of the agonising torture. Religious slaughter doesn’t include pre-stunning at all.
Both on factory farms and in slaughterhouses, animals are abused by workers. “In 2011, Abattoir Staff at a Slaughter house in Essex, UK, run by a Cheale Meats, where up to 6000 pigs are killed every week, were seen striking the pigs with paddles and stubbing out cigarettes in their faces. Another worker punched a pig in the face, and others were filmed kicking them. Often the pigs were not stunned correctly, leaving them in screaming agony as they bleed to death. In other cases such as this, pigs are repeatedly electrocuted with iron prods, by laughing workers. The people who do that kind of job lack compassion for animals, otherwise they could not do it. Their actions demonstrate their lack of respect and empathy for animals”[6].
Factory farming and the environment
Farm animals require huge amount of feed, water, energy, medicines, fossil fuel, and large living space. They emit greenhouse gases, and tons of waste that pollutes air and water. All of these result in ecological destruction. Livestock industry uses dwindling supplies of fresh water, destroy forests, grasslands, and causes soil erosion.
- In the world there are 22 billion farm animals. They all produce urine and feaces. In total, they produce 130 times more waste than human each year.
- Animal waste is kept in big open-air lagoons. They have a tendency to leak, spill, and pour out into the environment – into local streams and grounds. It can get in drinking water.
- Livestock sector generates more greenhouse gases emissions than the transportation industry.
- People, who live near farms, develop respiratory problems from the air quality.
- During digestion cattle, sheep, and goats emit methane – greenhouse gas and key contributor to global warming. The negative effect on the climate of methane is 23 times higher than the effect of CO2. Animal agriculture is responsible 18% of all global warming gases emission.
- More than two-thirds of all agricultural land is devoted to growing feed for livestock. Only 8% is used to grow food for direct human consumption.
- Raising animals for food is costly and highly inefficient. Animals eat a lot of food and produce comparatively small amounts of meat, dairy products, and eggs.
- It takes 3900 litres of water to produce 1 kg of chicken.
- It takes 4900 litres of water to produce 1 kg of pork.
- It takes 15500 litres of water to produce 1 kg of beef.
- Extensive cattle ranching is the largest driver of rainforest destruction Since 1950 we have lost 18% of Amazon (that is around 720 000 km2).
- “Growing all the grain and soy to feed farm animals requires enormous amounts of fertilizer. Most of that fertilizer isn't absorbed by the plants. Instead, it runs off the land into streams, rivers and, eventually the ocean. In doing so, it feeds massive algal blooms that, after they die, suck the oxygen out of the coastal waters. Giant dead zones are created as sea life suffocates and the birds and seals that depend on it starve”[7].
Animal testing
Every year more than 100 millions of animals are used in laboratories around the world. Main purposes of the experiments are: developing and testing medicines and vaccines for humans or animals; studying animals’ and humans’ body functions; assessing the safety of chemicals, such as pesticides, for their possible effects on human health or the environment[8]. Mice, rats, hamsters, rabbits, chinchilla, dogs, cats, pigs, sheep, birds, reptiles, fish, primates – they all suffer torments. They are infected with viruses, impregnated, starved, paralysed, genetically engineered, forced to inhale toxic chemicals, subjected to radiation or high temperature. The only beneficiary of these cruel experiments is human. Using animals for experimentation is a sign of discrimination and an absolute dominance of man over other species. We use animals, we torture them, and then we kill them. Animals are also used in warfare research. They are maimed, shot, irradiated, blown up, dosed and poisoned with chemicals and gases. This is an absurdity as war is people’s invention and animals are our victims. They are tortured and killed in the name of something they have nothing to do with.
There are many research methods that don’t rely on animals. They are a valuable source of knowledge, and they don’t cause any suffering. Besides animal experimentations can be misleading. The great majority of drugs passed by animal tests cause serious side-effects, including death, in people. Up to 90% of animal test results are discarded as they are inapplicable to man.
Animals used for entertainment
1. Zoos
- Animals live in cramped cages where they are unable to satisfy their basic needs.
- Natural behavior such as: flying, swimming, running, hunting, exploring, climbing, or selecting a partner, are precluded or severely restricted.
- Animals become physically and mentally frustrated which leads to abnormal, neurotic, self-destructive behaviour, such as: incessant pacing, swaying, head-bobbing, bar-biting, self-mutilation.
- Many animals are taken from the wild to be kept in unnatural, man-made environment.
- Their life is monotonous and boring.
- Zoos neglect less popular species and favour large and more interesting ones.
- Zoos often become extremely crowded. Animals are bred to produce baby animals -they attract zoo patrons, more visitors, and more money.
- Surplus animals are sold to other zoos, circuses, canned hunting facilities, or slaughterhouses.
2. Marine mammal parks / sea life
centres
- Animals are kept in small tanks where they are forced to swim in circles. Many of these animals are meant to swim long distances - up to 100 miles a day.
- Marine mammals like whales are very intelligent and social animals. In tanks they are lonely and stressed. Some of them commit suicide.
- Animals are taken from seas and oceans, their families are torn apart.
- Captured dolphins die before they turn 20. Wild ones can live into their 40s and 50s.
- Animals live in sterile environment with no variety, texture, or depth. It makes their lives extremely limited.
- They are subjected to loud music, crowds of people, artificial light, and concrete walls.
- Chlorine, used to keep the water clean, is harsh on animals’ skin and eyes.
- The trainers have a total control over animals by limiting their food.
- Animals are kept in small tanks where they are forced to swim in circles. Many of these animals are meant to swim long distances - up to 100 miles a day.
- Marine mammals like whales are very intelligent and social animals. In tanks they are lonely and stressed. Some of them commit suicide.
- Animals are taken from seas and oceans, their families are torn apart.
- Captured dolphins die before they turn 20. Wild ones can live into their 40s and 50s.
- Animals live in sterile environment with no variety, texture, or depth. It makes their lives extremely limited.
- They are subjected to loud music, crowds of people, artificial light, and concrete walls.
- Chlorine, used to keep the water clean, is harsh on animals’ skin and eyes.
- The trainers have a total control over animals by limiting their food.
3. Circuses
- Animals, that are forced to perform, are severely exploited and abused.
- They spend most of their lives being transported in cages, often without access to basic necessities such as food, water, and veterinary care, in vehicles that lack temperature control.
- The cold is very difficult for lions to bear. Some circus animals freeze to death.
- Frustrated, lonely, depressed animals show abnormal behaviours.
- Animals are forced to perform silly, confusing, physically uncomfortable tricks under the threat of physical punishment.
- Training methods are very brutal. Some of them are: electric shock devices, sticks with concealed screws or spikes and the severe beatings.
- Animals have limited access to food and water as to will them to perform, and to prevent defecation and urination while they are on stage.
- Many animals are drugged to make them more manageable. Others have their teeth removed.
- Elephants are meant to walk up to 40 miles a day. In circuses they are chained in one place for most of the time.
- Some captive wild animals are literally driven mad. They escape and go on the rampage. Then they can be very dangerous. They are likely to injure themselves and people.
- Animals, that are forced to perform, are severely exploited and abused.
- They spend most of their lives being transported in cages, often without access to basic necessities such as food, water, and veterinary care, in vehicles that lack temperature control.
- The cold is very difficult for lions to bear. Some circus animals freeze to death.
- Frustrated, lonely, depressed animals show abnormal behaviours.
- Animals are forced to perform silly, confusing, physically uncomfortable tricks under the threat of physical punishment.
- Training methods are very brutal. Some of them are: electric shock devices, sticks with concealed screws or spikes and the severe beatings.
- Animals have limited access to food and water as to will them to perform, and to prevent defecation and urination while they are on stage.
- Many animals are drugged to make them more manageable. Others have their teeth removed.
- Elephants are meant to walk up to 40 miles a day. In circuses they are chained in one place for most of the time.
- Some captive wild animals are literally driven mad. They escape and go on the rampage. Then they can be very dangerous. They are likely to injure themselves and people.
4. Animals in sport
- Hundreds of horses are raced to death every year.
- Thousands of greyhounds and horses are killed each year because they fail to make the grade as racers.
- Animals are forced to run when injured and in bad weather.
- Racing is very stressful for animals, and can lead to serious illnesses. It also results in frequent injuries.
- Horses can race until the age of 13. Greyhounds retire at the age of 3-4 years.
- When they are retired, many animals are drowned, poisoned, shot, slaughtered, or sold to laboratories for experiments.
- Millions of birds like pheasants, partridges, grouse, and ducks are shot down each year for sport. Many of them are specially bred so that they can be killed for humans’ pleasure.
- Hunting and fishing tear animal families apart and leave countless animals dead, orphaned, and badly injured.
- Rodeos are cruel and deadly for animals. They suffer broken ribs, backs, and legs, torn tails, punctured lungs, internal organ damage, ripped tendons, torn ligaments, snapped necks, and suffer agonizing deaths.
- The animals used in rodeos receive a very harsh treatment and become distrustful of humans. In order to irritate and enrage animals in rodeos, electric prods, spurs, and bucking straps are used.
- Thousands of bulls are barbarically slaughtered in bullrings around the world each year: “The bull is not an aggressive animal, and the reason he is angry and attempts to charge at the matador whilst in the bullring is mainly because he has been horrendously abused for the previous two days. In fact, what spectators see is not a normal, healthy bull, but a weakened, half-blinded and mentally destroyed version, whose chances of harming his tormentors is virtually nil. The bull has wet newspapers stuffed into his ears; vaseline is rubbed into his eyes to blur his vision; cotton is stuffed up his nostrils to cut off his respiration and a needle is stuck into his genitals. Also, a strong caustic solution is rubbed onto his legs which throws him off balance. This also keeps him from lying down on the ground. In addition to this, drugs are administered to pep him up or slow him down, and strong laxatives are added to his feed to further incapacitate him. He is kept in a dark box for a couple of days before he faces the ring: the purpose of this is to disorientate him. When he is let out of the box, he runs desperately towards the light at the end of the tunnel. He thinks that at last his suffering is over and he is being set free — instead, he runs into the bullring to face his killers and a jeering mob”[9].
- Hundreds of horses are raced to death every year.
- Thousands of greyhounds and horses are killed each year because they fail to make the grade as racers.
- Animals are forced to run when injured and in bad weather.
- Racing is very stressful for animals, and can lead to serious illnesses. It also results in frequent injuries.
- Horses can race until the age of 13. Greyhounds retire at the age of 3-4 years.
- When they are retired, many animals are drowned, poisoned, shot, slaughtered, or sold to laboratories for experiments.
- Millions of birds like pheasants, partridges, grouse, and ducks are shot down each year for sport. Many of them are specially bred so that they can be killed for humans’ pleasure.
- Hunting and fishing tear animal families apart and leave countless animals dead, orphaned, and badly injured.
- Rodeos are cruel and deadly for animals. They suffer broken ribs, backs, and legs, torn tails, punctured lungs, internal organ damage, ripped tendons, torn ligaments, snapped necks, and suffer agonizing deaths.
- The animals used in rodeos receive a very harsh treatment and become distrustful of humans. In order to irritate and enrage animals in rodeos, electric prods, spurs, and bucking straps are used.
- Thousands of bulls are barbarically slaughtered in bullrings around the world each year: “The bull is not an aggressive animal, and the reason he is angry and attempts to charge at the matador whilst in the bullring is mainly because he has been horrendously abused for the previous two days. In fact, what spectators see is not a normal, healthy bull, but a weakened, half-blinded and mentally destroyed version, whose chances of harming his tormentors is virtually nil. The bull has wet newspapers stuffed into his ears; vaseline is rubbed into his eyes to blur his vision; cotton is stuffed up his nostrils to cut off his respiration and a needle is stuck into his genitals. Also, a strong caustic solution is rubbed onto his legs which throws him off balance. This also keeps him from lying down on the ground. In addition to this, drugs are administered to pep him up or slow him down, and strong laxatives are added to his feed to further incapacitate him. He is kept in a dark box for a couple of days before he faces the ring: the purpose of this is to disorientate him. When he is let out of the box, he runs desperately towards the light at the end of the tunnel. He thinks that at last his suffering is over and he is being set free — instead, he runs into the bullring to face his killers and a jeering mob”[9].
Vegan = natural
A lot of people will disagree with this but for me it’s obvious that we are not omnivores. People are physiologically and anatomically designed to ingest and digest plants, not animal products. We have no claws, no sharp front teeth, our stomach acid is much weaker than that of meat-eaters, our salivary glands are well-developed (they are necessary to pre-digest grains and fruits). All of these traits make us similar to herbivorous animals.
Mammals produce milk to feed their young. Animals don’t continue drinking milk for the rest of their lives. We are not different. Being able to digest milk as an adult is a genetic adaptation. The majority of people can’t digest lactose that is the main sugar in milk. Their bodies don’t produce an enzyme called lactase. Lactose tolerance is only advantageous in environments and cultures where humans have had an access to domesticated dairy animals for hundreds for years. The majority of blacks and Asians are lactose intolerant.
Non-vegetarians like to put forward an argument that people have canine teeth and therefore they are meat-eaters by design. Does anyone believe that we could kill other animal with these tiny teeth? That sounds preposterous. We can only eat animals with the use of tools. People should use their well-developed brains and technology rather to understand the fact that we don’t have to kill in order to live.
Health benefits of eating plants
Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer, bone diseases, osteoporosis, arterial sclerosis – they all are diet-related health issues. Researchers claim that we can prevent or even reverse these illnesses by simply eliminating or greatly reducing refined, processed, and animal-based foods from our diets. A well-balanced, varied plant-based diet provides all the nutrients needed to stay healthy, and brings many health benefits at every age.
There’s a longstanding belief among the public that meat and dairy are good for our health as they contain large amounts of protein and calcium. In fact, plants are good sources of both protein and calcium and what is more, they are free from cholesterol, low in saturated fat, rich in fibre, complex carbohydrates, and cancer-fighting antioxidants. Foods that we consider to be good for out health, can cause serious health problems. Research show that nutrients from animal foods promote certain diseases, while nutrients from plant foods – do not. The mortality of cancer and other serious diseases in countries with little intake of animal products is very low.
Dr Colin Campbell, a nutritional biochemist from Cornell University, spent 20 years on a huge research conducted in China. It was the most comprehensive study on the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease ever undertaken. The study shows the link between animal protein consumption and chronic disease development. People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest and tended to avoid chronic diseases. Another conclusion of the China research is that dairy is not the key in osteoporosis prevention. Just the opposite – the higher dairy consumption, the higher rate of osteoporosis.
Many other study showed that:
- vegans’ risk of developing heart disease is 75% lower than the general population;
- vegans have lower blood pressure than non-vegans – that protects them from stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, and atherosclerosis;
- consuming plenty of fruit and vegetables has a significant protective effect and reduces the risk of stroke;
- toxic chemicals become greatly concentrated in an animals’ flesh and milk; levels of pesticides and industrial chemicals are often 100 times higher in animals than they are in greens and grains;
- vegans and vegetarians have a better-functioning immune system – the effectiveness of lymphocytes can be twice as high in vegetarians than in non-vegetarians;
- animal meat and fat consumption has been linked to breast cancer, ovarian cancer, lymphatic cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer, and pancreatic cancer;
- vegetarians have lower BMI than non-vegetarians, their risk of being overweight is lower;
- vegetarians have a lower risk of diabetes;
- the risk of Alzheimer’s disease is greater in people who consume diets high in cholesterol and saturated fats and low in fibre, vegetables and fruit;
- being vegetarian, especially vegan, is strongly associated with a higher frequency of bowel movements than non-vegetarians;
- vegan diet prevents constipation, diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, and appendicitis.
***
Knowing all these, consuming meat and
using animal products as well as taking part in cruel entertainments simply
doesn’t seem right to me. I am aware of the fact that I cannot save all the
animals who suffer around the world. But I feel I have a clean conscience as none animal suffers for my
pleasure. You cannot bring to life animals that have already been slaughtered.
But when you put a piece of meat into your shopping bag, you become guilty of this
particular animal’s suffering.
More and more people are moving toward a plant-based diet and who knows, maybe one day we will be the majority and those, who consume animals, will be perceived as freaks. Well-balanced animal-free diet provides all the nutrients you need and benefits your health. Vegan cooking is simple and it is a real joy. The Internet is full of vegan blogs and websites with plan-based recipes and useful tips for people who consider becoming vegan. Reading the labels is not tiresome. Avoiding animal ingredients is not difficult. If you know why you are doing this and you know it is the right thing to do – it makes your choices meaningful.
Save lives, the planet, and yourself. Be the voice of the voiceless. Go vegan!
More and more people are moving toward a plant-based diet and who knows, maybe one day we will be the majority and those, who consume animals, will be perceived as freaks. Well-balanced animal-free diet provides all the nutrients you need and benefits your health. Vegan cooking is simple and it is a real joy. The Internet is full of vegan blogs and websites with plan-based recipes and useful tips for people who consider becoming vegan. Reading the labels is not tiresome. Avoiding animal ingredients is not difficult. If you know why you are doing this and you know it is the right thing to do – it makes your choices meaningful.
Save lives, the planet, and yourself. Be the voice of the voiceless. Go vegan!
[1] Peter Singer, professor of bioethics, Princeton University.
[2] http://www.alv.org.au/issues/sheep.php
[3] http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/factory-farming/fish/aquafarming/
[4] http://fishcount.org.uk
[5] Ibid.
[6] http://www.animal-rights-action.com/slaughter-house.html#The Journey to Slaughter
[7] http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_19279.cfm
[8] http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/CAMPAIGNS/experiments/ALL/730//
[9] http://www.stopbullfighting.org.uk/facts.htm
Sources
Films:
Food, Inc, directed by Robert Kenner, USA, 2008.
Forks Over Knives, directed by Lee Fulkerson, USA 2011.
LoveMEATender, directed by Manu Coeman, Belgium, 2010.
Planeat, directed by Shelley Lee Davies and Or Shlomi, USA, UK, 2010.
The Cove, directed by Louie Psihoyos, USA, 2009.
Books:
Animal Libaration, Peter Singer, Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2009.
Eating Animals, Jonathan Safran Foer, Back Bay Books, 2010.
Jeść Przyzwoicie. Autoeksperyment, Karen Duve, Wydawnictwo Czarne, 2013.
The Vegetarian Solution, Stewart Rose, Vegetarians of Washington, 2007.
Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating, Erik Marcus, McBooks Press, 2000.
Websites:
www.aldf.org
www.alv.org.au
www.animalaid.org.uk
www.animalliberationfront.com
www.animalliberationfront.com
www.animal-rights-action.com
www.animalsaustralia.org
www.aspca.org
www.blogs.prevention.com
www.bornfreeusa.org
www.casanctuary.org
www.celestialhealing.net
www.chai.org.il
www.compassionatespirit.com
www.elephantjournal.com
www.factoryfarming.org.uk
www.factoryfarmmap.org
www.farmsanctuary.org
www.fishcount.org.uk
www.foodfreedom.wordpress.com
www.freefromharm.org
www.greenpeace.org.uk
www.independent.co.uk
www.lcanimal.org
www.mercyforanimals.org
www.nature.com
www.nytimes.com
www.ocean.nationalgeographic.com
www.organicconsumers.org
www.otwarteklatki.pl
www.peta.org
www.rspca.org.uk
www.sfu.ca
www.sharkonline.org
www.slowfood.com
www.stopbullfighting.org.uk
www.stopfactoryfarms.org
www.stoptestom.info
www.sustainableseafoodcoalition.org
www.sustainabletable.org
www.timeforchange.org
www.usatoday30.usatoday.com
www.veganmainstream.com
www.vegan-nutritionista.com
www.veganpeace.com
www.vegansociety.com
www.whativegan.wordpress.com
www.whfoods.com
www.woods.stanford.edu
www.worldwildlife.org