to ask friends not to post pics of animal cruetly on facebook?

[dwarfrabbit]

I'm a 'soft' animal lover: rescue dog, eggs from happy chickens etc. I have two dear friends who regularly post really disturbing images such as dogs being skinned alive in Vietnam, screaming rabbits plucked in China, piglets being drowned etc. I respect the fact that both are committed vegans, but these images make me sad all day ( but not sad enough to give up bacon) AIBU to ask them not to post on facebook, and if so, how do I word it?

[twizzleship]

yep, your def being massively unreasonable......why not just hide their posts from your feed?

Afterall, it's just seeing the reality of animals suffering that you can't stomach - not the fact that it DOES happen regularly or that the bacon you consume most likely came from a tortured animal.

[twizzleship]

yep, your def being massively unreasonable......why not just hide their posts from your feed?

Afterall, it's just seeing the reality of animals suffering that you can't stomach - not the fact that it DOES happen regularly or that the bacon you consume most likely came from a tortured animal.

[CocobearSqueeze]

Just hide them? I hate people who do that too but it's their wall they can do as they please.

[Bulbasaur]

Are they sharing from a page or just posting it as themselves? You can block pages from showing in your news feed.

Kids die every day too twizzle, you don't need to see pictures of it.

If it's just themselves I'd just ask nicely that they don't post images like that. If they're truly friends, they'll understand and maybe make a compromise, like posting a link to the images instead.

[dwarfrabbit]

I don't want to hide their posts as then I'd miss the lovely ones of their kids growing up ( they're both overseas). I can appreciate that you think I am massively unreasonable, but what to do? ( other than giving up bacon )

[dwarfrabbit]

bulbasaur - love the idea that they post a link to images instead. Wording of email would be appreciated. I am generally very quick to dish out advice, but am stuck on this one...

[Bulbasaur]

You wouldn't block their posts, just the page they're sharing. Unless they're uploading it from their personal image folder. It'll say on top "Bulbasaur shared AnimalGore's photo".

Also, those images are tragic and all, but... let's face it. It doesn't make bacon taste any less delicious.

[Darkesteyes]

The fact that the photos exist in the first place mean the photos have already been taken by the RSPCA no? So therefore its highly likely that an investigation is already taking place.


I have an old schoolfriend who is always sharing photos like this As an animal lover i find it upsetting too.

[twizzleship]

ah yes bulb but if i don't want to see those pictures i either ban them from my newsfeed or just scroll over them without being drawn in.

OP, if your friends feel so strongly that they regularly post those types of pics/videos then i doubt very much they're going to stop doing so just because a 'meat eater' is emotionally affected by them - it is afterall the the whole point of such advertising campaigns

[dwarfrabbit]

You are both very funny and a social media whizz. marvellous combo. Thank you for the advice!

[dwarfrabbit]

twizzle - I have never, to my knowledge, eaten a skinned Vietnamese dog. We crossed messages - I meant that Bulbasaur was funny, and not you, as you are making a serious point.

[twizzleship]

yea it's a serious point but i say it lightheartedly...i can just imagine the reaction of the 'die hard' vegan anti-animal cruelty campaigners if/when you ask them to moderate their posts in any way i still think banning the pages etc is better than emailing them, or speak to them and drop it into conversation casually.

[dwarfrabbit]

twizzle how do you drop it in a conversation casually on a skype call? ' oh, on the subject of screaming chinese bunnies...' and you're right - they are die hard vegans , but they are friends who I don't want to offend and who I want to keep in touch with via facebook because of the distance. just checked facebook and the images of their kids ( nice ) and animals ( horrid )just pop up without any link, so they must be posting them from their images.
I'm on a right old rant now. I care deeply about protecting children from sexual exploitation, but if I posted pics of that, I would ( quite rightly) be arrested.

[claraschu]

Yes, but the difference is that torturing animals is perfectly legal and that anyone who isn't vegan is involved in supporting the industry which does the torturing. Your vegan friends are on a political crusade.

A better parallel than your sexual exploitation one would be posting images of people working in horrible conditions to make products we buy in Primark. Do you think that should be illegal because it is hard to look at?

[BlairBass]

I have the same thing with a very dear friend and absolutely hate it - I am, by the way vegetarian, but seeing these pictures can ruin my day.
I've tried to scroll quickly past... Doesn't really work. Sorry I don't have any advice except to say that talking to them about it would probably go really badly. If you find a solution please let us all know!!

[Moln]

Blocking the page it's linked from, as described above, works well. You might find it takes few times of blocking as there are many different pages that they'll probably link from.

When you click that little 'v' in hte top right hand corner of the post you'll get a few options one will be 'i don't want to see this' and, if it's something they have shared from another facebook group/page there will also be a 'Hide all from 'name of page image is shared from'

[Tiptops]

Bulbasaur Does the enjoyment of the perpetrator factor into your opinions of other violent acts too?

OP, I think yes you would be unreasonable to ask your friends to censor what they post. Your discomfort is essentially what is needed to make a change towards the treatment of animals in this world. Out of mind, out of sight equates to bliss in ignorance. Far better to be aware and make a conscious choice regarding your purchasing of animals/ animal products than to be able to pretend there is no cruelty and abuse involved.

[tinkerbellvspredator]

Torturing animals is not legal in the UK. You could maybe make a point that you find these images upsetting, as you also would do if you saw other images of illegal violence e.g. people being attacked/tortured which are also sometimes shared on Facebook. You support the principle of taking action against this but as this happens in other countries where it is presumably legal there's not much you can do about it - if they have any charities they support that take action perhaps they could promote the charity. If your meat eating is raised you could say yes but you only eat meat which has been slaughtered in what is deemed to be humane in this country and you would not mind if they shared photographs of animals being stunned and prepared in abattoirs to try to raise awareness (presumably these wouldn't upset you - they wouldn't me).

[marne2]

I don't like it either, we all know that animal cruelty goes on and I don't see why showing us pictures of skinned dogs is going to help ( I wouldn't buy any fake uggs made in Vietnam anyway ), we know dogs get used for fighting and we know people miss treat pets and a lot of us donate to charities that help stop cruelty and help animals in re homing centres.

I hide these posts and have in followed people that post other links that upset me.

[claraschu]

Tinkerbell, you are right, torturing is not legal in the UK, but if you look how animals raised for meat are treated, you will find that their condition, even in the UK, often amount to torture. Most British people would be horrified for dogs to be treated as meat animals are treated.

A lot of the meat sold here is imported and raised under much worse conditions. This is not always clear on the packaging of meat. There is a very bad record when it comes to transparency in the meat industry.

[Bulbasaur]

Does the enjoyment of the perpetrator factor into your opinions of other violent acts too?

If people tasted like bacon it might.

But I suppose if you truly want to go down that route.

You're on a computer. A device that likely replaced the old computer you had. That old one was sent over to another 3rd world country as electronic waste, where it causes all sorts of health problems to the residents.

You presumably eat chocolate, which is made off the sweat of child slaves.

Even if you're vegetarian, working conditions for migrant workers who harvest the crops is appalling. Not to mention they constantly violate child labor laws, unless you're in the US and there is no child labor laws for agriculture.

Unless you want to go live an Amish lifestyle, everything you enjoy and ever will enjoy is made from human cruelty and inhumane conditions for the workers involved.

Animals really are the least of my concern.

But I will buy fair trade goods and from a local farmers market when I have the opportunity. :)

[dwarfrabbit]

Blairbass - glad we're on the same page, and if and when I pluck up the courage to speak to them, I'll let you know! Kind of hoped one of them would be a mumsnetter and see my point of view...

[raltheraffe]

I did a post in caps lock as it looks like I am shouting:

DO NOT POST GRAPHIC IMAGES OF ANIMAL CRUELTY ONTO MY TIMELINE AS YOU WILL BE UNFRIENDED.

I got a load of accusations about not caring about dog fighting (I work as a volunteer for a charity that helps reunite lost dogs with owners so I DO care about dog fighting scum bags).

So I unfriended them. End of.