in thinking that this behaviour in British slaughterhouses is horrific and needs to be stopped?

[Vallhala]

www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/pr_factory//2188//

I haven't seen the film footage as I can't face it. FYI I don't eat meat (for animal welfare reasons) but this isn't designed to convert others or to spark yet another veggie vs meat-eater debate.

Its to ask whether any decent human being would think these practices reasonable or acceptable and to pray to goodness that those who don't will forward the link to their MPs/press contacts/whoever in order to obtain tighter legislation and closer surveillance on what goes on in our slaughterhouses.

This is surely so wrong... or AIBU?

GentleOtter I refer to the real free range type of set up - farms were animals are genuinely reared with a decent quality of life, not those which have been given some standard or another just because their animals have 2 square metres to live in rather than 1 and are allowed to see daylight occasionally.

thesecondcoming, I assume you belong to the 'don't give a fuck' brigade then- quick with the insults but very slow with any constructive comment.

I have never seen the type of farm that you describe and have seen quite a few....

I thought the OP was discussing the filmed slaughterhouses so it is a poor argument to lay blame with the farmers.

I know people don't care, Riven, I have met many like that when (many moons ago) I was at uni - these were professors, tutors & students who were educated people but did not consider animals other than as research tools/meat producing machines.

I can also say that I have met many very humane farmers who treated their animals very well.

It's the unnecessary cruelty and lack of care I can't stand. Animals certainly suffer pain and fear - this is not attributing them with human feelings, but is fact. (However, the animals do not actually care if they are eaten AFTER they are dead - they don't know anything about it.)

thesecondcoming - like I said, you don't give a fuck. I didn't say you were deluded. I certainly don't understand why you would accuse me of not caring.
GentleOtter, my point was that there are farms that have a more humane approach but the majority of our meat is factory farmed and slaughtered in the manner shown. In fact many free range farms do not slaughter their own animals of course so despite them being given a better quality of life they still end up at the same abbatoirs, meeting the same sorry end as the factory farmed animals.

"However, the animals do not actually care if they are eaten AFTER they are dead - they don't know anything about it."
How could you be so certain? Have they told you?

Rollmops, this is a weird question you ask me, but no, of course, I cannot be certain! However, I am certain about the unnecessary suffering they may have to endure whilst they are alive.

so - having read the piece, id like to know what we are able to do about stopping bad practice.

i eat meat. not much but i eat it and i like meat, but i would pay more to ensure that the animal is humanely reared and slaughtered.

i think im going to investigate getting my meat delivered from a free range meat company that has some guarantees in place...

Morloth, I shall try your curried sausages, the recipe sounds positively yummy. However, Rollmops' household are aware of the unmentionable bits that go into your average supermarket sausage (and duly retch at the thought)so our friend the super butcher will do the supplying of the free range lovelies

Thanks for the recipe Morloth!

And I do find that the most insulting people on this thread are the veggies/vegans. I already stated that the trend for buying free-range and organic produce is testimony to the fact that people do care where their meat comes from and how it is killed.

That excellent programme 'Kill It, Cook It, Eat It' also debunked many myths surrounding abattoirs and told it as it is.

May I also remind you that without farmers you wouldn't be able to munch into those lovely carrots or potatoes of yours. Many meat farmers also produce agriculture too. My dh came from a family of dairy farmers - having given up the dairy farming when they got too old, they have set up conservation areas throughout their farm and have converted a large part of it into a outdoors centre for disabled and disadvantaged children - hardly the image of cruel farmers that you'd like to portray.

My husband has told me tales of staying up all night beside a cow in calf, encouraging her, doing all they could for her. They never put a calf down, male or female, none of the horror stories associated with dairy farming that animal rights brigades like to harp on about.

Not one person has said they weren't horrified by the footage. But our questions are reasonable and so are the points we are making. However if you want to cover the whole of the farming industry under the blanket of cruelty then you do so, just don't expect us to agree with you.