No hiding

Here’s one…

Facebook CEO and creator Mark Zuckerberg has started his new annual challenge. This year it is to only eat meat that he has killed himself. I was reading this article on care2causes.com and it really caught my attention. I didn’t know what to think.

I mean the problem for most people with eating meat is that they don’t like to think of the actual animal as being alive, they just have the desire to eat the product from that animal, not thinking about what kind of suffering it went through. Or in my case, thinking about it a lot and feeling a lot of guilt. Zuckerberg’s argument is that people should not be so irresponsible. They should be taking responsibility for what they are eating and be thankful for where it came on. He goes on then to say..

“This year, my personal challenge is around being thankful for the food I have to eat. I think many people forget that a living being has to die for you to eat meat, so my goal revolves around not letting myself forget that and being thankful for what I have. This year I’ve basically become a vegetarian since the only meat I’m eating is from animals I’ve killed myself. So far, this has been a good experience. I’m eating a lot healthier foods and I’ve learned a lot about sustainable farming and raising of animals,”

But later the article says how he started off killing and eating a lobster, then a chicken, then a goat and a pig. Each time he slit the throat of the animal as this was the most humane way possible. The writer of the article states at the end

The animals who are killed have just as much of an interest in their own lives as we do in ours. Doing it yourself and watching an animal choking on their own blood and gasping for their last breaths doesn’t make it any more ethically justifiable than having someone else do it and buying it in a store even if you’re “thankful.”

which I agree with. But when you think about many other countries and cultures who worship the animal and thank their gods or thank the animal for the sacrifice of its life to feed a tribe or family. I guess in western culture we are not really thankful for what we receive.

I have my own personal struggles with eating meat. I know for a fact however, if I had to kill or actually witnessed the killing of an animal for food..I would be a vegetarian for life. Yet I struggle to make the change to a full vegetarian. My body craves the energy I get after eating beef. My mouth waters for the beautiful flavors from all sorts of animal products. But my heart and head want more than ever to not be part of the brutality that is the killing of these animals. Let’s face it, it’s not done in a nice way. No animal should have to die for me to live. But wait…animals kill other animals to feed themselves and keep their species going. I mean, in conservation parks and zoo’s…do we not feed animals meat and other dead animals. It is the circle of life and the food chain. But then again that is no reason animals should be factory farmed like they are a chain store product and mistreated and abused the way they are.

Here I go..back and forth. It might be something I struggle to find the right answer with for a lot of my life but I take comfort in the fact that at least I do care, I do want to make a difference. I do cry and grieve for all the pain and slaughter that millions and millions of animals go through under the hands of humans.

So what do you think, do you agree with Zuckerberg or think he’s just totally off track? Is it right what he is doing or is it really in no benefit to animal welfare at all? Cause i’m not sure…

x

(Source: care2.com)

Queensland Floods

The Queensland floods have devastated so many in this past month. 22 people lost their lives, thousands of people lost their homes, businesses, everything they owned. The animal world has also taken a massive blow. Many, many animals have been lost during these floods. Pets separated from owners, livestock and native wildlife swept away. For the wildlife left alive, it will be a struggle to find food.

Out of the dark and heartbreaking times comes new strength and uplifting stories. Everyone coming together to help those in need. Strangers offering their homes to others and their fury friends. Facebook pages and groups created to help reunite pets with owners or help evacute or shelter those in need. The RSPCA had their inboxs jammed with over 3,000 emails offering assistance in evacuating, cleaning and fostering animals.

Animals Australia, WSPA and RSPCA have plenty of information on what to do now the floods are over. You can find information here

http://www.animalsaustralia.org/features/qld-floods-devastate-wildlife.php#toc6

But what we really need is funds!! So many animals to rescue, rehome and treat.

RSPCA shelters have been completly destroyed like everything else and any small contribution you can make will help things get back on track.

Click here to donate http://www.rspcaqld.org.au/

x

Dairy Industry Disgrace

So here I sit with tears strolling down my face and fogging up my glasses. Sometimes I wonder if I’m too soft to deal with all the harsh issues animals face. Sometimes it just hurts me so much to see what’s happening, and continues to happen that I can barely stand to look at another human. But…I take a deep breath and remember that bad things happen in the world all the time, and together with that there is beauty and goodness. So I will always try to share the unsettling news and the uplifting news that is happening all around us.

This is the latest that shocked me. This information is taken from Animals Australia

“Over 700,000 week-old calves discarded yearly as ‘waste products’ of the dairy industry. Most people aren’t aware that in order to produce milk, dairy cows are kept almost continually pregnant. Unwanted calves (known as ‘bobby calves’) are sent to slaughter in their first week of life so that milk can be harvested for human consumption. Unknown to most consumers, the dairy industry continues to cut costs at the expense of animals.

Already born to a terrible fate, the industry now wants to legalise the withholding of liquid food from these unwanted calves for the last 30 hours of their lives as they are trucked and prepared for slaughter.

This shameful proposal is currently open to public comment, yet has not been publicisedby either the dairy industry or our government. If the treatment of bobby calves is to improve, it is imperative that the industry becomes accountable and for the public to exercise their consumer power “

This is a tough one for me as my dad has worked for the company Dairy Farmers for many years, and after finishing there he worked closely with actual dairy farmers and I know what good and hard working people they can be. However, it is not necessary for the animals to be treated this way. The passing of this new law is just outrageous. I’m very proud to see Animals Australia is spreading the word as I believe knowledge is power in this circumstance.

YOU CAN HELP! It takes 30 seconds to send an email to Dairy Australia that is already prepared for you. I know the situation is confronting as we all consume dairy products in our daily lives. If you care about the welfare of these animals please just take a moment to forward this email on here : http://www.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/bobby-calf-cruelty/

and

http://www.animalsaustralia.org/features/bobby-calf-public-consultation.php

There are other ways to create a kinder life for these calves.

In the post below is the footage of exactly what happens to these calves. Beware, it may be distressing for some viewers.

x