very disturbing trend

[platy]

I agree, Tobi. I think people do completely detach what's on their plate from what it actually is, where it came from and what it went through. Good on you for becoming vegan. I think that would be challenging.

I see what you're saying Catherine. We haven't perfected the standards of the meat industry and yet we're adding more animals into the mix. To a lot of people a guinea pig isn't a pet, and I can't really see the difference between eating that or a rabbit or duck or quail. (not that I've ever eaten any of them). It does get very complicated.

Tarantula's are a delicacy in Cambodia. They fry them and eat the whole thing. Ew!

[Catherine]

Quote:Tarantula's are a delicacy in Cambodia. They fry them and eat the whole thing. Ew!

When you look at the picture of my new pet Oscar, you will understand why this upsets me.

The whole meat industry has problems. We need to do a lot in that area to make it less cruel. What is disturbing about the guinea pig thing is that people who grew up seeing guinea pigs as pets are now starting to eat them. It is moving things in the wrong direction.

We hope people will start to treat animals better, but if they are now starting to eat what they think of as pets, then things are worse. If you add to that the fact that the pets as food industry is really unregulated, then things are much worse. People at home can kill and eat a pet animal and there is no one to monitor how it is done. It is as if we are importing the worst animal practices instead of exporting better ones.

[platy]

I did briefly look at your picture of Oscar, but I have a terrible fear of big hairy spiders. Curious to learn more about them though!

Can taking a life ever not be cruel?

[Tobi]

Becoming vegan, and being very healthy on a vegan diet isn't as hard as it sounds.
The only tricky parts of it are:
Finding good balanced meals when eating out (unless you happen to live in an area where Vegan is cool)
And,....managing to fend off friends/relatives' inability to handle your choice. They almost always will label you as a "Faddy eater".....unless they have very open minds.

But there are some very tasty, very quick to prepare, and very nutritious vegan recipes!

[Knight of Albion]

This lady died in 2012. But she didn't do too bad on a vegan diet ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8X3jJho4zE

[Tobi]

That lady looks good for 108! Her skin is so clear and healthy looking!

[Catherine]

Quote:I did briefly look at your picture of Oscar, but I have a terrible fear of big hairy spiders. Curious to learn more about them though!

Can taking a life ever not be cruel?

I used to fear spiders, when I got over the fear I found I was fascinated with them. Oscar is still just a little hairy spider.

Taking a life is a tough ethical question. In self defence or to protect another, I think I would take a life. When I have been faced with an animal that is suffering, I have made the choice to end things mercifully. I prefer to let nature take its course and let death come in its own time, but sometimes that just isn't the kind thing to do. I don't agree with hunting and some of the cruel ways people kill animals. I don't think cruel farming practices are ever okay. Animals deserve better from us.
Do we need to eat meat?
At best humans are omnivores. We were never meant to live on meat as our primary food source.
Can we live meat free?
Are there are healthy vegans and vegetarians?
Look at the lady in the video.
One hundred and eight! Remarkable.
She was a pretty amazing lady. Clearly you can be healthy on a vegan diet! I have known lots of healthy vegetarians and vegans.

Do I hope that we are all moving in that direction.....yes.
Do I find it disturbing that people are expanding the types of meat they will eat...yes.
It is a step in the wrong direction.

[Tobi]

Fairly recently, I read of a place in the Far East (I have forgotten exactly where now) and in this area, dog and cat meat is very popular, and there are restaurants devoted to either one or the other.
As if that isn't truly awful enough, to add to it, the cats are kept as pets, given fairly decent lives. They all look healthy and bright. They live as inside/outside cats. But when they reach a certain age (can't remember what that is now, but it is not very old) they are used as food. The so-called caretakers of these cats do not view this practice as unusual or even cruel, it is just the custom.
I honestly don't know how they do it.
I think it would be the same here concerning sheep, pigs, etc. If a person keeps the animal as a family member, then it becomes near-impossible to kill it for food. (Although in the case of a sheep or goat, its wool or milk might be used.)
Yet in that country they can pet the cats with one hand and slaughter them with the other. It is not as if the people have no other source of food or are in terrible poverty.

[Catherine]

It is an act of betrayal. The animal is raised and cared for and trusts the person and then is killed for food. I would not trust a person like that.

I worry about unregulated animal slaughter. We know that the regulated slaughter is terrible. The unregulated killing is going to be brutal. People have no idea how to kill mercifully and they are brutal in their actions.
A lot of people on this planet have not learned to respect life and live cruelty free. These people killing their "pets" for food are obviously cruel, but what about the person who buys products tested on animals and does not care enough to check. They probably think they are not cruel.

[Tobi]

Yes concerning products people mostly don't think. They don't mean to be cruel, they are just uneducated most likely, or the thought has never cropped up. I have done it myself. Even only a few months ago I had some products, (shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste) which when checked, originated from manufacturers who do test on animals!
It's a question of waking up and starting to think about where our 'stuff' comes from, and its story.