To think that we're not such a nation of animal lovers?

[Breadandwine]

Saw this in this morning's Mirror.

Then there's how we treat chickens with male chicks being killed at one day old.

Then there's fox-hunting - cruel to both the fox and the hounds.

I could go on...

So, in what way are we a nation of animal lovers?

[LurkingHusband]

So, in what way are we a nation of animal lovers?

We're the worlds #1 for cat vidoes on YouTube ?

[OhShutUpThomas]

How is foxhunting cruel to hounds??

But YABU. The UK has some of, if not THE highest animal welfare standards in the world. It'll never be perfect, but we do pretty well on the whole.

[ToastDemon]

Completely agree. People love to express their outrage on social media regarding any pet cruelty cases, or share pictures of cute animals, yet most people don't seem to give a shiny shit how animals in food production are treated. Out of sight, out of mind.... oooh, lets post another picture of a kitten.

[Stanky]

We do have some of the highest animal welfare standards, and they're not good enough. I agree, as a nation, we treat animals appallingly. There are just no words for how animals are treated in other parts of the world. I've seen live turtles wrapped in plastic and sold as a key chain, live rabbits in tiny cages used as parts of a game, entire festivals and events dedicated to torturing and setting live animals on fire for fun. We see whales in tanks, and live animals crushed into transport. Any animals receiving kindness from humans are a lucky minority.

[araiba]

i hate peta

[AdrenalineFudge]

I disagree, I'd say that we are a nation of 'domestic' pet lovers i.e. cats and dogs but largely ignore animal cruelty as demonstrated in the links you posted, iyswim?

[Pootles2010]

Agree with adrenaline - we love them when we choose to. Did you know that when it comes to gaining a license to test on animals, if its a 'companion' animal its much tougher? So much easier to get a license to test on a sheep, say, but a cat it's really quite hard. All kinds of wrong.

[BarbaraofSeville]

Our food production animal welfare standards are amongst the best of a very bad bunch but far too many people want meat to be cheap and be able to eat lots of it.

But people treat domestic animals appallingly too. Only this week a vet in my local area has been struck off for keeping a load of starving animals in a 'dungeon' at his practice. I've read about a cat torturer in Richmond, and people neglect, starve, beat their animals or make them fight .

[Breadandwine]

You're right, Fudge, it's as if we're all wearing blinkers - it takes reports like those linked to above to (partially) remove them.

How is foxhunting cruel to hounds??

This.

[araiba]

every meat eater in the world knows than animals die so they can eat

all that can be done in minimise any suffering the animals go through

fox hunting should be banned as unnecessary likewise bull fighting etc

[OhShutUpThomas]

Bread that article made me laugh out loud.

I am no longer pro hunting, due to believing lamping to be a more humane way of controlling foxes.

HOWEVER - I have extensive inside knowledge of how hunts work, how kennels are run, and how hounds are treated. If you are worried about hounds being 'clubbed on the head' and 'tortured,' then please don't be. It's bollocks.

Hunting may not be great for the fox, but it's an amazing life for a fox hound. They are amongst the most well cared for and loved animals in the world.

There may be plenty of animal welfare issues in the uk, but please don't worry about fox hounds - they're not one of them!

[Breadandwine]

every meat eater in the world knows than animals die so they can eat

They most likely do, araiba. But are they all aware of the suffering that often occurs during the animal's life and at their death? Most people, IME, avoid thinking about it.

I don't doubt that's your experience, Thomas, but it's still only anecdotal evidence.

Here's what appears to be a reasoned article on the subject.

[Breadandwine]

Just came across this:

"If you support an industry that slaughters one hundred billion animals every year, then in what sense are you an animal-lover?"

[ghostyslovesheep]

I am not an animal lover I love my pets and I try and buy the fairest meat I can afford (free range local sausages as a treat, free range eggs) - I like animals - very nice but I also EAT animals

If we didn't eat animals they wouldn't be skipping happily through the fields you know!

and fox hunting is banned I thought

[CreviceImp]

It never ceases to amaze me that people who bang on about being animal lovers whose dogs are part of the family etc who aren't vegan.

Just hypocrisy.

[ghostyslovesheep]

ewwww swedish glass and lentils with no cheese - nope I'd rather be a big fat animal hater

[ghostyslovesheep]

I wouldn't eat my cats though, or my guinea pigs, or the hamster or the guppies

[Equiem89]

It is much kinder to put down hounds then to rehome them they do not make good pets