Some Thoughts on Using Animals

Thoughts About Animal Use | Meat Your Future
Photo credit: Jo-Anne McArthur (creator of We Animals and featured photographer in The Ghosts in Our Machine)

The words “oppressing” and “enslaving” are sometimes used to describe our society’s use of animals. These are certainly loaded words, with many people believing that our use of animals is perfectly “natural” or part of some “circle of life”.

But the uncomfortable fact remains that our use of animals for food, clothing and other purposes necessarily involves immense harm, suffering and death imposed on countless billions of sentient beings. They are the victims of our mindless habits, continuously force-bred into existence, confined, dominated, and killed against their will at a mere fraction of their natural lifespans.

We may not like to see it or think about it; but, notwithstanding the ubiquitousness of animal products, by consuming or paying for these products, you are directly participating in (and perpetuating) horrific and needless animal abuse and exploitation – no matter how “local” or “humane” the animal product may be labeled.

Using animals for food is not necessary and easily avoidable, as we can thrive on a plant-based (vegan) diet.

Happily, more and more people are making this connection. If you haven’t already, please consider and familiarize yourself with these issues, embrace nonviolence, and go vegan. It’s easy, healthy, urgently needed for our environment, and – most of all – withdraws support from the needless mass harm and violence imposed on the most vulnerable beings among us.


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