Wednesday 24 October 2012

Earthlings: A Film about the Human Use and Abuse of Animals

This film deals with humanity's use and mistreatment of animals in food, clothing, as pets, entertainment, and in experimentation.

Earthlings - Watch the Documentary <~ see video - Director Shaun Monson


Earthlings.com <~  Nation Earth web site

Anybody and everybody that consider themself to be an "animal person" or eats meat and/or dairy products probably needs to see this. I have no affiliation except that I have watched the film.

WARNING: It is disturbing and DO NOT allow children to see it that will be sensitive, because it will likely give them nightmares!!! Seriously - I'm 46 and having a hard time dealing with a few of the images.

The only thing that I saw in the film that is debatable is the fur seal slaughter. I believe that that is not done anymore. White coats/baby seals are no longer harvested, but adult seals are. They call it a sustainable hunt. My jury is out on that one. Feel free to make comments to this post after watching the film or about the general use and abuse of animals in our world.

It's hard to deny the images. There is nothing that I can tell is fake, and it doesn't really matter what all the #s and statistics are. These things do happen. The proof is in the video clips. It is really disgusting how some people can be so callous to other living things. And I do believe that the slaughter house type of abuse goes on ALL the time EVERYDAY. Think about the recent meat recall from Excel Foods, an Alberta meat packing house [link to that story below]). There is no denying that there are thousands (up to 1 million per year) of shelter pets being put down and disposed of as garbage. The disturbing pictures of animals being kept in horrible conditions, killed, and skinned (while still alive in some cases), all for someone's vanity of a fur coat are unacceptable.

I realize that this film is intended to create an awareness that is aimed at growing the Vegan movement. Regardless of whether you intend to be or are Vegan, or if you want to continue eating meat and dairy products, we should all be aware of how animals are treated in the food production system. We need to all become more aware and pressure all involved along the chain of production to do better.

There needs to be a change in the way all domestic and wild animals are treated. The corporate model only tries to seek more and more profit and efficiencies, without regard to the animal's welfare. And then the live transport to the slaughter house, where again the workers are forced to manage a production line that is too fast to properly deal with the animals in a humane and respectful way.

Animals that are raised and kept for the intention of food need to be respected and revered while living and for eventually giving the ultimate sacrifice of their lives for human benefit. We need to ensure that they are treated humanely and with respect in every step of the production line, including ample sized pens or cages, fresh air, natural feeds, and the most natural existence we can possibly provide.

Growth hormone treatments need to be abolished. Growth hormone is not allowed in Canada’s dairy industry, but I believe it is still being used in the USA. It is a horrible injustice to the cow and causes unnecessary infections and suffering and therefore, more antibiotics, which all filters into the milk, cheese and butter. The use of antibiotics and hormones has been linked to other effects down the food chain and into humans and our water supply, including antibiotic resistant diseases in animals and humans.

I want to advocate going back to the local family farming model that can allow the animals to live a decent natural and social life, where there is less disease and stress and thereby allows the animal to be healthy and not require ongoing antibiotic injections, and less vaccinations. The meat we eat will be purer and more natural and not cause unforeseen cancers or side effects down the road. As well, the government needs to allow for more local abattoirs (slaughter and meat cutting) where consumers can see the cleanliness or humanness of the operation. Until we conduct the business of food animals in a transparent manner, we should all be worried about the animal products that you are feeding to yourself or your family members.

National Post XL Foods to Reopen Slaughtering Plant After E-coli Recall





Check the date: 24/7/01?

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