Opinion: Who decides which animals deserve love and compassion and which ones don’t?
I enjoyed the February editorial theme “We Love Our Pets”. Those of us who have animal companions in our lives know first-hand the love, joy, and deep bond that is shared with our non-human family members. The stories were heartwarming and inspirational, and a way to share with the community the importance of love and compassion towards all beings. There were also a few articles in the edition about poultry farming and its long history in Sonoma County. This raised some questions for me about how we reconcile our love for animals with the reality that most of our meat, eggs, and dairy come from CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation), AKA factory farms, which are in stark contrast with the idea of love and compassion for all. I wonder why we differentiate between a chicken that is a “pet” and a chicken that is in a factory farm. Both are equally capable of feeling love, joy, sorrow, and pain. Is it that one has been reduced to “poultry” – a commodity – rather than the living, breathing, sentient being that it really is?
What I do know is that somehow as a society we have accepted that subjecting a chicken (or a duck, pig, cow, and so on) to a life of misery is justifiable if we plan to eat them (or their eggs). The reality is that birds on factory farms are deprived of every basic need and instinct besides food and water, and even that may be out of reach if they become sick or injured without being noticed. Birds that die prematurely usually die slow, agonizing deaths. Many starve or are even cannibalized due to overcrowding and stress. This has all been well documented. The industry’s “loss” (premature death) tolerance is somewhere around 20%-30% – it is more profitable for that many animals to suffer and die than it is to provide adequate veterinary care. And they get away with it.
I find it abominable that animals in factory farms are denied access to the outdoors. They will never feel the sun on their back, earth under their feet, run, play, or get to forage. For most, their entire life will be living in the awful stench of their own waste and death, on metal wire, grates, or concrete.
Nothing about this is natural or humane, despite what these companies promise on their websites and labels. These animals will never know anything but suffering.
As I write, four animal rights activists (of the hundreds who participated) are facing trial here in Sonoma County for investigating and exposing the reality inside Sunrise Farms (2018) and Reichardt Duck Farm (2019) and rescuing 69 birds between the two. The activists repeatedly reported violations of animal welfare laws to the authorities, but the authorities did nothing. Instead of investigating reports of illegal conduct at these facilities, and prosecuting the real criminals, the Sonoma County DA is prosecuting the activists who were merely extending love and compassion to farm animals.
We cannot claim to love animals, but then only love the ones we keep for pets and forsake the ones whose flesh, or eggs, we eat. We’ve been tricked into believing that this hypocrisy is acceptable and a necessary evil, but all the money in the world will never make it okay. And make no mistake, factory farming is about money, not nutrition. I eat a plant-based diet, and I am healthier than ever. We can and must do better. Show your support here: https://righttorescue.com/
About Sarah
Sarah Van Mantgem, a Sonoma County resident, is a former energy efficiency consultant with a background in environmental studies, as well as a former high school earth science teacher. She now volunteers as a member of Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), a Bay Area based, grassroots, animal rights advocacy group.
