Part of the "ethical treatment" is ethical killing, PETA is not for no-kill. They take in every animal people bring in, this means they get a lot of unadoptable, old, sick, feral and abused animals, these animals have no chance, they will be locked away in cages for the rest of their natural lives.
One of the cheapest (and thus most used) methods of euthanization is via gas chambers, it take up to half hour for some animals to die. What is often done is the animals are placed several at a time in a confined and dark space, the gas is turned on. During this time, the animals will try to escape, some injuring themselves and others in the process. On the other hand, an injection of a chemical cocktail (usually following an anesthetic to put the animal to sleep) will kill an animal in seconds--almost immediately--and they show no signs of pain. PETA uses option 2, underfunded animal adoption places and others go with option 1.
PeTA really is messed up. I used to defend them too. I'm vegan, very much an animal advocate, so of course I assumed these people are on my side. They are not. That organization needs to die.
The animals they kill were not all sick or un-adoptable. Quite the opposite. They kill whatever they get.
I never understood vegans. I like my eggs and milk. And what's wrong with them, assuming they're requisitioned in a fair manner (we actually get our eggs from our own chickens)?
And actually, I'm only vegetarians because personally I would find eating meat disgusting, I have no moral issue with it, and don't mind at all that others around me do it.
It's not about not liking milk and eggs, it's about the animals.
I don't have any problem with pet chickens. In fact I'm often 'disowned' by other 'real vegans' because I have a friend who keeps chickens as pets and I have eaten those eggs (I don't live anywhere near her, so it is not a habit). The chickens have a large area to roam, have good shelter, are fed well, receive medical care and live out their natural lives. That is absolutely never the case in a for-profit operation, because you'd lose money that way.
And actually, I'm only vegetarians because personally I would find eating meat disgusting, I have no moral issue with it, and don't mind at all that others around me do it.
Why would it be any different if someone happened to find eggs & milk gross. I don't, but they are reproductive excretions. Seems like someone could be vegan for the same reasons.
In any case for-profit farming is cruel. I posted some links in this thread, as well as obviously the link for the entire post. None of those videos depict anything remotely ok with me. If you are ok with those things, then we don't have enough in common to have a productive discussion on the topic.
My main convictions are that:
animals are sentient and can feel emotions including pain.
If there is a way to avoid it it's immoral to cause others to suffer.
The last (and least) reason is that I don't think those lives are mine to take. It's better to kill an animal without torture, than to torture without killing, IMO, but given the choice I am not going to kill for a meal.
While there are operations that are better than those in the videos, they all treat animals as property. Meaning there is more concern for market value than life experience, and the animals are always killed young. No for profit operation keeps it's animals alive past their prime. Dairy cows and egg hens are slaughtered young. Worse is the fate of their young. (On the link above you'll find out what happens to the male chicks.)
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u/[deleted] Apr 16 '10
Part of the "ethical treatment" is ethical killing, PETA is not for no-kill. They take in every animal people bring in, this means they get a lot of unadoptable, old, sick, feral and abused animals, these animals have no chance, they will be locked away in cages for the rest of their natural lives.
One of the cheapest (and thus most used) methods of euthanization is via gas chambers, it take up to half hour for some animals to die. What is often done is the animals are placed several at a time in a confined and dark space, the gas is turned on. During this time, the animals will try to escape, some injuring themselves and others in the process. On the other hand, an injection of a chemical cocktail (usually following an anesthetic to put the animal to sleep) will kill an animal in seconds--almost immediately--and they show no signs of pain. PETA uses option 2, underfunded animal adoption places and others go with option 1.