Aug 5, 2011

Humane Meat? Thousands of Pigs, Cows & Birds Die in Heatwave

No one has escaped this oppressive heat.

  • Certainly not the nearly 55,000 birds that have perished in Kansas and North Carolina.
  • Or the 2500 pigs Missouri.
  • Or the 4,000 cows in Iowa.  The thousand in Kansas. 1500 in South Dakota. 
  • And in Texas the ones that don't get killed by the heat are being sent to slaughter all the sooner because there just isn't enough water or grass.

No big worries for these ranchers and harmers though... They get reimbursed through the Livestock Indemnity Program and all is well.


But... Just in case you are prone to eating any of these creatures - I suggest that you re-consider what "humane meat" is... Are you factoring in for the whole system that you contribute to?  Are you taking into account the torturous deaths to these animals in floods and fires?  Or are you just considering their happy deaths at the slaughterhouses?


There really is a cooler way to live...



8 comments:

veganelder said...

It is almost certain that many more have died due to the heat. The wildlife in Oklahoma is suffering tremendously, it is unimaginable what the prisoner animals are going through.

Bea Elliott said...

Oh yes, there have been many, many more unmentioned lives lost... I only realized that when researching to cite my position. I could have listed dozens more examples of "minor" incidents where "only" a few dozen or so nonhumans perished... But then I'd risk "over-proving" again (I know I'm prone to do that) - So I just left the most egregious facts to do the talking.

But these things as you know are kept so out of sight for the common consumer... No one can imagine the suffering dairy cow in the sweltering heat as they carry home their gallon of ice cream. :( Oh the irony of it all. :(

Thanks for your voice my friend.

CQ said...

The biggest disconnect for me is the way the cattle websites like "Beef Cattle News" feature photo upon photo of beautiful cows -- clearly living, friendly, harmless beings -- and yet write about them only in terms of their profit prospects for their "owners."

Look at those sweet, innocent faces of mama and baby cows! Yet their feelings are ignored, their suffering glossed over, because the only thing that counts is whether the farmers (harmers) can get assistance to cover their losses. No concern is expressed for the biggest loss of all: the lives of these precious animals.

Harry said...

Cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, turkeys, pigs. All so gentle. Coincidence? Not a chance. Gentle and meek and can't fight back. Easy prey for us humans. What happened to that noble 'Pick on someone your own size. Someone that can fight back.' Not very noble now, us humans.

Here's raising my glass (gotta love Pink!) to that cooler way ...

Have Gone Vegan said...

Summer has always been my least favourite season, but after the summer of this year I don't think I'll be complaining as much any more. After all, I have an air conditioner to keep me cool, and where I live gets hot but not to the degree as in parts of the United States. All the animal (and human) suffering and deaths this summer have really opened my eyes. Now if only the climate-change deniers would open theirs! And animal harmers too of course.

Bea Elliott said...

Hi CQ - Yes you're right about the beautiful photography that captures the essence of love between these calves and moms... And how the industry is blind to it all.

The "cattle harmers" are the last to witness this union... All the rest - The pigs and chickens have been denied any hint of this bonding.

Funny (or pitiful) thing about these ranchers... They even call the offspring "daughters and sons"! Now if that doesn't make them even more blind - Nothing does.

Pathetic how they are so concerned with their petty, worldly losses while they snuff lives that want so very little... Just existence. That's all. :(

Bea Elliott said...

Thanks Harry - Yes... They are the gentle ones being bullied about. Nothing fair about what we do to them at all... Every step of the way we've gone to great lengths to deny them everything - Right up until we deny them the only thing...

Raising my glass back at you in celebration that we're not part of such hideous acts! Cheers!

Bea Elliott said...

HGV - I know what you mean... Just read that 95+% of Arkansas is under drought emergencies. Pasture land is barren... This is true of most of the midwest.

I do believe a year or two of this will force climate-change nay-sayers to publicly re-evaluate. They already know it - But I think they're going to play this one to the bitter end. My guess is by then the cure will be a little too little, too late.

As they say "grab the seat of your pants and hold on!" :/