Examples Of Animal Cruelty In American Agriculture

Animal Cruelty in American Agriculture

Avoidable cruelty and unnecessary abuse of factory farmed animals is a crisis epidemic in the United States which warrants immediate action. In every country, “large numbers of factory farmed livestock are raised indoors in conditions intended to maximize production at minimal cost” (Merriam-Webster). Cows, pigs, chickens, sheep, horses, other animals, and fish are treated as dollar signs rather than living beings, around the globe. While there are several organizations that lobby and promote laws for more humane treatment of farm animals, very little is being accomplished or enforced. Consumer awareness, education, and purposeful advocacy are necessary to combat animal cruelty in American agriculture,
and possibly throughout the world. The average factory farmed animal spends all day and night squeezed into a very small space with only cement underfoot. This animal is many times force-fed food that they would not consume naturally; an herbivore being forced to eat animal byproducts. Waste sometimes leaks into the food or water due to the compactness of housing, and therefore high amount of antibiotics and other substances are given by force daily. Frequently it is beaten or otherwise rough handled, especially when moved or led to slaughter. Web news writer, Namit Arora, shares a story in The Humanist: Gati 2
[A] cow awaiting execution went berserk, jumped a five foot fence, and escaped. She ran the streets for hours, dodging cops, animal control officers, cars, trucks, and a train.
…a tranquilizer gun brought her down. Her ‘daring escape’ stole the hearts of the locals, some of whom had even cheered her on. …Sensing the public mood, the slaughterhouse manager mad a show of ‘granting clemency’ to what he dubbed ‘the brave cow’. Given a name, Molly, the cow was sent to a nearby farm to live out her days grazing under open skies, which warmed the cockles of many a heart
(Arora).
Animals, like Molly, experience pain and fear and should be treated humanely to avoid it.
Most factory farmed animals lives end in a torturous death; they are beaten or cut open and left to die slowly in agony. Most of the meat consumed in America is yielded form factory farming. Because state and federal laws in the United States do not support nor enforce laws that protect factory farmed animals against cruelty, it is indeed a crisis. At least thirty seven states in the US have changed laws against animal cruelty in farming practices to exempt common farming practices (Carlson). Included in those common farming practices are the very acts that mistreat the animals. In the article “How AG-GaG Laws Could Stop Animal Cruelty Whistleblowers”, Cody Carlson states, “Unfortunately, there is not a single federal law in the U.S. protecting animals from cruelty on factory farms. Most state laws do little better” (Carlson). There are some ways which individual consumers can impact this epidemic in a way that supports appropriate and humane treatment of animals. One solution is to stop buying meat or using any animal based products and become a vegetarian. For people who do not chose to go vegan, there are still ways to eat meat without supporting companies that are cruel to animals. Gati
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Consumer can research companies that offer ethically raised and cruelty free meat products. Many local farmers offer cruelty free meat, including eggs and fish, available through direct purchase or through community supported agriculture programs. Another way to contribute to the better and more humane treatment of animals is through education and awareness. Advocacy groups such as the ASPCA, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and others offer a lot of information and suggestions. Each individual consumer has the right to stand up against the injustice of animal cruelty. Recently the FBI announced an upgrade of animal cruelty to be a class A felony, however, it does not include factory farming at this time. At the same time the new law is a step in the right direction, our country needs more laws to protect factory farmed animals from animal cruelty as well. There is no good reason for maltreatment of these living creatures to be abused or tortured prior to their death. Just like humans, animals should be treated with compassion and protected from suffering; however, most lack even the most basic protection. We, as a nation and as individuals, support more humane farming, choose more welfare conscious shopping, and reduce the consumption of animal products (“Farm Animal Cruelty”).