Do you recall all the commotion brought about by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick starting in 2007? Vick was involved in an extremely violent dog fighting operation that disgusted the public. Upon further examination, police discovered “a blood-stained fighting area…54 dogs with scars and injuries… ‘slat mills’ used to condition fighting dogs” on his property in Virginia (“Animal Fighting Case Study: Michael Vick”). This story was seen in the media for weeks and often discussed on television. Vick was discharged from prison in 2009 and soon after was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles. Many Eagles fans were not pleased to say the least. “Now I have to hate the Eagles. Now I don’t have a team to root for anymore. There’s no possible way
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This leads me to the question, is there a such thing as humane slaughter? The definition of humane as Merriam-Webster puts it, is “compassion, sympathy, or consideration for humans or animals” (“Humane”). In choosing to participate in the slaughter of animals one should at least understand what is humane in the first place. Federal law states that cattle and hogs must first be “stunned” with a bullet to the head or electric shock to qualify as humane slaughter. Too often this simple “humane” task gets overlooked. With the worlds obsession with being efficient, low paid factories and poorly trained workers tend to eliminate this step all together, subsequently causing unimaginable and unnecessary pain to the animals. Some might argue that the torture and unnecessary killing of an animal would negate from humane- as defined- …show more content…
“Approximately six to eight million adults in the United States eat no meat, fish or poultry… several million more have eliminated red meat but still eat chicken or fish…about two million have become vegans, forgoing not only animal flesh but also animal-based products such as milk, cheese, eggs, and gelatin” (“Becoming a Vegetarian”). Traditionally, research concerning vegetarianism strictly focused on nutritional deficiencies, but in recent years, studies are confirming and promoting meat-free diets. Nowadays, plant-based eating is well known as a way to reduce the risk for chronic illness and other health issues. Putting this in prospective, “In one of the largest studies with 76,000 participants concluded that vegetarians were, on average, 25% less likely to die of heart disease” (“Becoming a Vegetarian”). This is due to the high amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat in meat and animal products. Hundreds of studies suggest that eating an abundance of fruits and vegetables along with less meat can reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. These objective studies, recommend a minimum of five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. A plant-based diet surpasses the minimum goal of vegetables to reduce the risk of cancer, promotes change in the environment, takes a stance on animal cruelty, and boosts your general health (“Becoming a
This leads me to the question, is there a such thing as humane slaughter? The definition of humane as Merriam-Webster puts it, is “compassion, sympathy, or consideration for humans or animals” (“Humane”). In choosing to participate in the slaughter of animals one should at least understand what is humane in the first place. Federal law states that cattle and hogs must first be “stunned” with a bullet to the head or electric shock to qualify as humane slaughter. Too often this simple “humane” task gets overlooked. With the worlds obsession with being efficient, low paid factories and poorly trained workers tend to eliminate this step all together, subsequently causing unimaginable and unnecessary pain to the animals. Some might argue that the torture and unnecessary killing of an animal would negate from humane- as defined- …show more content…
“Approximately six to eight million adults in the United States eat no meat, fish or poultry… several million more have eliminated red meat but still eat chicken or fish…about two million have become vegans, forgoing not only animal flesh but also animal-based products such as milk, cheese, eggs, and gelatin” (“Becoming a Vegetarian”). Traditionally, research concerning vegetarianism strictly focused on nutritional deficiencies, but in recent years, studies are confirming and promoting meat-free diets. Nowadays, plant-based eating is well known as a way to reduce the risk for chronic illness and other health issues. Putting this in prospective, “In one of the largest studies with 76,000 participants concluded that vegetarians were, on average, 25% less likely to die of heart disease” (“Becoming a Vegetarian”). This is due to the high amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat in meat and animal products. Hundreds of studies suggest that eating an abundance of fruits and vegetables along with less meat can reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. These objective studies, recommend a minimum of five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. A plant-based diet surpasses the minimum goal of vegetables to reduce the risk of cancer, promotes change in the environment, takes a stance on animal cruelty, and boosts your general health (“Becoming a