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Original poster

We are not a nation of animal loveras. More a nation of pet lovers

115 replies

fortyfide · 03/06/2015 11:37

We kill animals by the million every year for meat But we do love our pet dogs , cats and other cute pets.

I am not a veggie. But would never call us Brits a nation of animal lovers

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 03/06/2015 11:43

Oh I don't know

I love bacon, chicken, beef and lamb.

NomiMalone · 03/06/2015 11:47

Well they shouldn't be so bloody tasty then.

WhatALoadOfOldBollocks · 03/06/2015 11:51

I know what you mean forty. There are plenty of people around who like to think they're animal lovers but actually tend to cherry pick which ones they love, eg pets (but generally only the cute furry ones). The rest they turn a blind eye to (farm animals) or actively hate (because they're "pests" or "vermin").Sad

Original poster
fortyfide · 03/06/2015 11:52

We have been off lamb, beef and rabbit for years. But do eat chicken .
We dont eat mince because you can never tell what it really consists of.

There was a chicken scare recentlysupermarktswere said to have cleared their shelves.
And then the is "factory farming" some of which beggars belief. America is said to rear pigs in crates which are never allowed to exercise. How do they get away with that?

OP posts:
TedAndLola · 03/06/2015 12:02

America is said to rear pigs in crates which are never allowed to exercise. How do they get away with that?

It's not just America Confused

WhirlpoolGalaxyM51 · 03/06/2015 12:07

Yes I think this is true.

Pet lovers. And maybe animals which people want eg people who like to attract or see birds in the gardens, pointing out squirrels to children, that sort of thing. But animals in general, not so much. Out of sight out of mind & try not to think too much about it as animal products taste good and are useful. I am guilty of this myself BTW I love meat and cheese try not to think too hard on the industries that produce it.

DamnBamboo · 03/06/2015 12:10

Very true and as flippant as some of the comments are on here, we are most certainly not a nation of animal lovers!

It's shocking that people know how the average animal reared for food is treated, and yet still chooses to eat them.

Dairy is no better and arguably a lot worse.

BathshebaDarkstone · 03/06/2015 12:13

I love all animals, I have a softer spot for the non-cuddlies, I'll eat anything though. I try to buy free range wherever possible.

NoelHeadbands · 03/06/2015 12:15

Probably true yes, I adore my dog but happily eat meat.

GobblersKnob · 03/06/2015 12:18

Very true, 56 million land animals a year killed (admittedly worldwide) just because we like the taste of cooked flesh.

Iamannogginandanoggin · 03/06/2015 12:21

Not so sure about this. I think people in the UK are actually pretty good at caring about how animals are treated, certainly moreso than some other countries, which is why if the truth was made clear about how horrendous some farming techniques really are, people who could afford it would probably change their buying habits.

I think the real issue is that we (as a nation) find it easy to overlook if we can't see it, and are perhaps a little to ready to let that situation continue.

I wouldn't agree there is a choice between eating animals and loving them, if we went that far. I breathe air but love the wind, I drink water but love the rain. I am an omnivore but I love animals and plants.

I've known people who farm or hunt or just eat animals, who love animals more than most.

DamnBamboo · 03/06/2015 12:23

I think a significant percentage of meat eaters know how badly their meat is treated when it's alive. I won't hazard a guess as I have no basis on which to make one, but even if just 10% did, that's several million people still eating meat anyway.

I breathe air but love the wind, I drink water but love the rain

Alrighty then Hmm

TedAndLola · 03/06/2015 12:23

I wouldn't agree there is a choice between eating animals and loving them, if we went that far. I breathe air but love the wind, I drink water but love the rain. I am an omnivore but I love animals and plants.

There's a fairly obvious different - air and water aren't sentient beings!

TedAndLola · 03/06/2015 12:24

difference*

mijas99 · 03/06/2015 12:25

It is natural for human beings to eat meat

I have no problem with killing animals, but it is important to focus on the quality of their lives. Most people are focussed on how much their meat costs, not the quality of that meat

The quality of the meat and the quality of that animal's life go hand-in-hand

So whenever possible we buy from freerange and well-kept animals. That is pretty easy in the North of Spain because you can get eggs from your neighbours and talk to the local farmers and see the conditions the animals are raised in. Should be no different in rural UK I guess

That is also why I have no problem with bull fighting. The bulls lead a wonderful life up until that fateful day. If I could "come back" as any animal, it would be a bull fighting bull, certainly not a battery hen!

DamnBamboo · 03/06/2015 12:26

And I don't see what affordability has to do with it.

If free-range meat is virtually no better than standard and organic not much better still!

If people really wanted to make a difference, they'd go meatless and potentially dairyless too.

You don't love animals if you eat most supermarket meats, that's for sure.

You love the animals you see, not animals generally. And that's fine. Most people do, I make no real judgement on that. But it's really not the same thing.

DamnBamboo · 03/06/2015 12:27

That is also why I have no problem with bull fighting

Holy shit! You have no problem with bull fighting! You sound lovely!

How about cock fighting? Or pitbull fighting etc?

Any views on those?

charlestonchaplin · 03/06/2015 12:29

I wouldn't even say the UK is a nation of pet lovers. Most care for their pets, yes, but to a great extent pet ownership is just part of consumerism. It's part of a lifestyle people want to have which they pursue regardless of whether it is in the best interests of the pet or not.

For example, medium-sized or large dogs in small properties with little outside space. Fine if they can be taken on extensive walks daily, but realistically how many achieve this?

People mainly take on pets to meet their needs and wants. They don't do it because they love those animals for their own sake.

QuiteLikely5 · 03/06/2015 12:29

Yes but the slogan:

Nation of cat, dog, budgie et al lovers just doesn't sound as good does it?

ArabellaStrange · 03/06/2015 12:35

I worry far more about how humans treat each other personally. Until that improves for the vast majority, animals don't stand a chance.

mijas99 · 03/06/2015 12:35

Damnbamboo - Animals should be given a dignified life. Battery and intensive farming of animals is appaling (for the animals), and yet 95% of the UK population has no problem at all in eating the meat from these animals

But bring up bull fighting and all agree that is terrible. It is pure hypocracy and ignorance

mijas99 · 03/06/2015 12:37

charlestonchaplin has it spot on

People "humanify" their pets, they don't want the best for them at all. It's pure egotistical greed

DamnBamboo · 03/06/2015 12:41

Have you read my posts mijas

My view is that anybody who would pay to watch an animal be tortured to death, irrespective of the life it lived, is nothing but a cunt!

Make of that what you will.

Iamannogginandanoggin · 03/06/2015 12:42

"There's a fairly obvious difference - air and water aren't sentient beings!"

Oh, I'm certainly for treating animals kindly and not causing them to suffer - a vet, farmer, slaughterhouse, gamekeeper, pest controller or hunter should endeavour to kill an animal cleanly and as quickly as they can, always avoiding undue suffering to the best of their ability.

I don't think people have an overwhelming desire to see animals suffering in this country - as I say if the lid were blown on some of the stuff I have seen, I think people would be keen on putting a stop to it. I am thinking of some of the more business-like farming methods ...shudder.

echt · 03/06/2015 12:44

That is also why I have no problem with bull fighting. The bulls lead a wonderful life up until that fateful day.

So you have no problem with an animal bred to run, but confined, baited and killed, entirely for human fun? Do come back and defend this position, why don't you?

I have no time for battery hens, but at least no-one pretends they're having a laugh while the beasts suffer.