A Voice for the Critters

Part 1

I eat a lot of plant-based foods:  fruits, veggies, almond milk, BREAD, etc.  Because I tend to lean more towards these things than the typical American might, people often ask me if I am a vegetarian.  To that, I have but one response:  Yes.  But I'm not very good at it.

About four or five years ago, I read an excellent (but gruesome) publication about the mistreatment of animals in the meat-packing industry.  In a valiant attempt to engage in more responsible consumer practices, I threw out everything containing meat in my apartment:  all meat, chicken broth, tuna, hot dogs, you name it.  Even though the flyer I had just read warned against trying to go cold turkey (no pun intended) on eliminating meat from your diet, I was determined that I could never put something's dead corpse into my mouth again.  It was cute how hard I tried.

Although my attempt at becoming an instant vegetarian lasted longer than I may have thought (primarily because I was a poor college student who had just thrown out half of her food), I was beginning to crave meat again.  Soon enough, I was back into meat, but not entirely...

Unlike many other publications, the booklet I had happened upon (published by OpposeCruelty.org) seemed more realistic than others, pointing out the following things:

• Even if you like meat...you can help end this cruelty.  If everyone just cut their meat consumption in half, billions of animals would be spared from suffering.
• ...opposing the cruelties of factory farming is not an all-or-nothing proposition:  By simply eating less meat, you can help prevent farmed animals from suffering.
• The objective is to reduce suffering, not to achieve personal purity or perfection.
• Years worth of eating less meat and eggs will prevent more suffering than a brief stint as a vegan....  You can make exceptions, such as eating meat on certain occasions, and still make a big difference....

That was a challenge I was willing to tackle:  reducing my meat consumption, but not entirely eliminating it.

Since that time, I have eliminated what I like to call "pig cadavers" (a.k.a. "pork") from my diet entirely. Other than the fact that pork was my least-favorite of the mainstream meats (beef, pork, poultry, fish), I could not ignore the fact that pigs are intelligent animals...just like dogs.  Reading about sows banging their heads against cage doors as if trying to escape, dead pigs being left in pens with the living ones (who were barely alive themselves as they were unable to reach food or water), looking at images of pigs, collapsed in their own vomit, seeing animals in pens too small for them to turn around...this was all too much for me, and I hope it is for you too.  Allow me to continue by adding that there is nothing appetizing about hens with cysts so heavy that they cannot lift themselves without support, male chicks being ground up alive because they are of no use to the egg industry, calves being taken from their mothers after one to four days before being tethered to individual stalls for weeks prior to finally being slaughtered.  Or what about ducks and geese being force-fed with some fat, disgusting industry employee sitting on them, holding a tube down their throat?  Doesn't that sound delicious?????

Why do we continue to support this industry?  Are we really heartless enough to close our eyes to the very things that the meat industry attempts to hide?  If so, at what point do we draw the line?  Would we close our eyes if this cruelty were directed toward our fellow man?  I should hope not.

Now, I do love salmon and I make a wicked boeuf bourguignon (with turkey bacon!!!), so please understand that I am not making a statement about cutting out meat from your diet entirely.  For those of you who have been able to do this, I applaud you with the utmost admiration and sincerity.  I wish I had your discipline.  Perhaps some day, I will.  However, a challenge I firmly believe we can all handle is to be choosy about our meat, dairy and egg sources.  Buying locally or researching your brands is one easy step in this process.  Still, be aware that companies will always try to make themselves look good.

http://www.veganoutreach.org/

Part 2

I know, I'm on a soapbox, but I'm also on a roll.  Another area where we can be aware of animal cruelty is in the cosmetic/household product industry.

There are hundreds of companies on my shit list in this category, which include but are not limited to the following:

• Procter & Gamble (makers of Cover Girl, Secret, Puffs, Olay, Herbal Essences, IAMS, Dawn, etc.)
• SC Johnson
• Unilever (makers of Wishbone, Dove, Degree, Suave, etc.)
• L'Oreal 
• Etc.

(Procter & Gamble is at the top of this list because I personally watched a video online of the IAMS company abusing a room full of beagles on whom they were testing some sort of chemical/food/ingredient.  The dogs were unable to get up off the floor and wag their tails.  Some had huge gashes or were hooked up to tubes.  One was even flung onto some sort of lab table and slapped to make sure it was still alive.  It was utterly horrifying and I will NEVER support this company, no matter how cute the dogs and cats are in their commercials!)

I fully understand the need for animal testing in the drug industry.  However, this does not excuse mistreatment of any animal regardless of stature, even in the medical field.  But I must ask, is it really necessary in cosmetics?  Shampoo?  Tissues?  Toilet cleaner?  Deodorant?  In an age where there is enough synthetic material to make the Real Housewives look the way they do, are we so primitive that we need to test toothpaste on a mouse?  What about the companies that don't conduct animal testing?  SHOCKING!  How on earth do they get by?????

Next time you're at the store choosing a favorite mascara or mouthwash, consider an alternative.  There are dozens of options available in all categories for the humane consumer.  Look for the bunny on the back label!  For more information on humane brands, check out Peta's website for cruelty-free companies (which also includes those who do engage in animal testing):

http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/default.aspx.

With that, I will step off of my soapbox.  I hope I don't trip on the way down.