You'd think that animals would have a friend in a veterinarian... That all animal doctors would be a Dolittle of sorts...
Sadly, it's not the case at all... According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the first of "Eight integrated principles for developing and evaluating animal welfare policies" is:
The responsible use of animals for human purposes, such as companionship, food, fiber, recreation, work, education, exhibition, and research conducted for the benefit of both humans and animals...
Do we need to go any further to the importance of "welfare", "science"... food and water, etc.?
It's already stated that the primary duty a vet has is to insure the "use of animals for human purposes"... As tasty sausages, burgers and nuggets, as furs, leather and woolen mittens, as circus amusements, rodeo toys, as greyhound racers, as zoo specimens, as Triple Crown contenders, as carriage pullers, as 4H spectacles, as hunting things, as dog, cat and pony show personalities... Oh yeah, and as guinea pigs -
But wait! Number 7 did intrigue me:
Animals shall be treated with respect and dignity throughout their lives and, when necessary, provided a humane death.
"Respect and dignity"? Not hardly in a zoo, sea-quarium or puppy mill. No dignity for a chimp wearing a wig and skates either.... And then there's the "food animals" that are crammed in cages all their lives, dehorned, castrated, raped, stolen babies... blah, blah, blah... we know all this. But according to the AVMA it's respectful and dignified enough... humm. Then there's that word I hear over and over again, when we all try to justify the use of animals - the word "necessary".
Four dictionaries give me this: necessary: 1) Absolutely essential 2) Unavoidable
Now, either the dictionaries are wrong... or the AVMA is. Indeed maybe our whole culture is under the wrong assumption?
It's not "absolutely essential" to use animals for any of the afore mentioned purposes - is it?
We certainly don't "need" to eat them... nor wear their skin, nor use them for transport, nor watch their bodies for entertainment, nor test them to see if nicotine is addictive or not...
But yet... we ask them to be our friends - and with friends like us - who needs enemies?
Don't be foe... be vegan!
4 comments:
My heart goes out to you Bea, you must be so sad and lonely in your animal free world. If only life were as cut and dried as you'd like it to be things would be great, but you're missing the big picture.
You may choose to be vegan, that's just fine and dandy, but why do you choose to condemn everyone who ever looked at an animal differently to the way you do?
I love animals and I show that love by wanting to be surrounded by them 24 hours a day, every day. My life wouldn't be complete without animals. I want to touch them, feel their coats, feel their tongues on my skin, see their eyes when they see me coming with their food. I want to see the calf with her mother, the foal with hers.
Unlike you Bea, I never think about their eventual deaths, I think about their lives, and celebrate them.
Why? What happened to you? Why do you so strongly desire to live in a world where such celebrations are taboo?
You have obviously chosen that path, but please, please, let people like me, who choose to share their lives with animals, do so without being labeled as evil.
Hello an animal life... I see from your profile that your interests are with dog breeding and animal agriculture... But of course that explains your "love" of animals. There's so much money to be made from them as an aside.
I too am surrounded by animals... got a house and yard full - all rescues by the way. Cast offs of an industry that chose to breed them for profit... Or through ignorance.
So please, you may keep "your heart" I don't live in an animal free world at all.
I condemn those that view animals as objects and "things"... as "commodities". The calf you refer to... the one with her mother - that's very generous of you to allow her such a priviledge. And it is rare, being that the dairy industry would have them seperated within hours, lest any of the "product" intended for humans go to "waste". I'm assuming too, that this mother cow, once she's stopped having calves will be free to live out her life - with the foal, now become an "old horse"?
You see really, I don't want to focus on their death at all... my problem is with people who focus on animal "killing". And that is all that animal agriculture is based on - The profit realized once the animal has been "sold" or extinguished.
And I see too in your profile that you enjoy "zoos". And they are wonderful places to enjoy the face licking experience you crave... Goodness knows, there's not much of that in the canned hunts most zoo animals are "retired" to.
So, unless it's a sanctuary... a place where death comes as necessity, rather than "killing" by choice - I'm afraid all the rhetoric of "animal love" is just a ruse to justify animal "(ab)use".
Finally, I guess as a vegan I do look at animals differently... especially the ones that are not on my plate - do your devotions vouch the same?
Ananimallife, I can see the issue with your logic immediately. You are using what you like and want as the only referencea for what animals deserve.
I LIKE zoos! I LIKE touching animals! It's childish. You liking something is not even close to reason enough for animals to be imprisoned, to lead unnatural lives, to suffer, and to die.
What "happened" to people like Bea and myself is that we happen to love animals, too. But, we put their interests ahead of our luxuries and care about them so much that we try to give them what THEY want, not just what WE want.
You're an animal technician? Animal research maybe? Are you one of those animal research people here to tell us how much you love them as you inject them with Drano or AIDS?
Sorry if this is harsh, ananimallife, but I have little patience for people that act as if they are doing animals a favor by liking them, yet ceasing to acknowledge what they might like and want.
For the record, I have a life full of animals- ones I respect. Rescues, volunteering, wildlife watching, etc. You can do all of these things without imprisoning, breeding, eating, wearing, and killing animals.
Thanks PhilosophÃa und Tierbefreiung - this is exactly what I meant to say. I'm so tired of hearing/reading the animal
(ab)users say how much they "loved" their steer... as they lead him to the meat locker. Or the "scientist" who "cares" for every life he takes.
With such a disconnect from what most are saying and doing - it's no wonder the world is in the state it's in. Press on :)
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