"Regardless of whether people feel it could ever be ethical to consume animal products, the consumption of them, as they are produced today contributes to cruelty many people would find unconscionable."
This is a quote from Karen Dawn's latest book, Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals. This book is not lighthearted reading, but it is eye-opening and educational.
In our opinion, the only persons who could enjoy reading about animal abuse would be those who enjoy doing the abusing. Abuse is just not a fun subject. But, unfortunately, animal abuse of all types abounds in this world and changes can not be initiated unless the subject is faced head-on. So, that said, this is a book to read on the subject.
Dawn covers a gamut of abuses: zoos, the circus, factory farming, canned hunting, puppy mills, the capture and "training" of elephants, animals in research .....
The book contains a lot of information. That's why it has taken 3 months to read the book and post this review. We took the time to check out the information on the websites Dawn mentions.
Dawn is an animal rights activist who would prefer we all abstain from slaughtering and eating any animal meat or products, but the book is written more to inform than to convert anyone to her point of view.
This is good since you can guess the Funny Farm isn't planning to go vegan. On the other hand, we are glad we weren't born in China or any other country where dogs and cats are brutally killed and sold as clothing or served as food.
As Dawn writes, "One of the most important things we can do is to be willing to raise our voices and say that what is happening to the animals matters. The power of just one voice can have enormous impact."
Yes, what happens to the animals definitely matters.
Meet the Funny Farmers: (l-r) Marcus, Taylor, angel Cyndi, angel Rusty, Micah, angel Merci & angel Percy.
Another eye opening book was Fast Food Nation and how poorly our food animals are treated in feed lots. While being a healthcare provider my human always tended towards organic, grass fed beef, now she really looks at the quality of life of the animal too and that pushes her even more towards grass fed beef and cage free hens.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your inspirational words this past week. With both Fatty and TT gone, I feel half empty but know they are in a good place.
ReplyDeleteMommy Bean Laure
My maid gets a stomach ache when she only hears the word "China" - I guess we are all lucky (animals and humans alike) to not live there.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless - it is no paradise right here either.... Humans by nature are cruel because they are unconscious and ignorant.
Education and the revival of some kind of values in this society that are not called "money" and "profit" would be a good step in the right direction....
Thank you for this post!
Mrs. OZ
Don't miss my post tomorrow!
As for Chey's comment - our staff was like that: grass feed beef, cage free hens - but they all go to the torture of the slaughter house.
ReplyDeleteSo now our staff is vegetarian, trying to shift to vegan with still keeping their own health. Not that easy as humans are omnivores, not herbivores!
It's a shame, it's a shame. We don' even want to think about it... And what's going on here in Africa.... oh my, oh my....
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a very interesting book. My mommy has been a vegetarian for a few years. Even though that choice isn't feasible for everyone, it's great for all of us to become more informed, so that we can find our own ways to make a difference to improve the treatment of animals.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very hard subject to read about and something we don't like to face. Talking about it can only help spread the word. Knowledge can sometimes bring action.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the very informative post. How we treat animals does matter very much. Thanks for pointing out that I forgot the link to Fat Cat Muffin's blog. I have fixed it now.
ReplyDeleteHOWDY! As you can see, we have managed to open the door to the basement and have used our own special password to get online.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post!! Very informative!!
I think we will read that book, too. My Mommie has been a vegetarian for over 15 years.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great review. And what Dawn wrote about one voice having a big impact is so true...
ReplyDeleteHow can humans be so inhumane? It's really sad...
Good review. Have you seen any of Jamie Oliver's new shows, esp. the one about chickens? I quite liked his approach; informative but not accusatory or condemning. That's what this need: a high-profile personality to show everyone what's going on. The more accusatory these issues are presented, the less people want to listen to them.
ReplyDeletelicks & slobbers
-Charlie
Hi, Thanks again for visiting my blog. The cutie in the drivers seat is Maxima, she is Ruis's sister, part of the Katten Pratt group.
ReplyDeleteplease excuse my human, she meant no offence by bring up the chickens and is very sorry. She says she wishes she could be a big wolf and go bite all of those heartless people in their bums so every time they tried to sit down they would remember not to be cruel to animals.
ReplyDeletelicks
-Charlie
That sounds like an ecksellent book to read. thankies fur the reckommendation!
ReplyDeleteKittyhugs and purrs from MaoMao!
My mom loves steak but she also has to separate seeing a calf running happily in a meadow or a cute baby pig from what she eats. She just can't give up her steak (vegetables are hard on her system anyway). But we can work to make sure the animals have a comfortable life and are euthanized humanely. Well, she is eating LESS meat anyway so maybe that will help some. This is a tough subject but we have to face it, fix it, or make better compromises for the animals' sake.
ReplyDeletelove & wags,
River
It is sad there is so much cruelty in the world. Only this week on the news, it said the cases of cruelty against animals, and cats in particular had risen on last years numbers. It makes me cry to hear what some people are capable of.
ReplyDeleteOur blog hasn't been unblocked. We can read it and leave comments on others, but we can't create any new posts. The email we got from Blogger said they would review it and unblock it in two working days if they were satisfied we were not spammers, otherwise they would delete it completely in twenty days time. We would be devastated to lose two years of blogging.
That definitely sounds like a book worth reading. Great review!
ReplyDeleteWow, thank you for such a great book review. Our society really does need to realize that many animals are more human (in terms of thoughts, feelings and the need for proper care) than we realize.
ReplyDeleteWe would like to present you with an award. You don't have to participate in the details if you don't want to, but we just wanted to show our appreciation. :)
It sickens me the way animals are held captive in cages for zoos, circuses etc just for our enjoyment. And animal testing is so barbaric - if we want to test drugs why not test them on humans who agree to be guinee pigs, not poor lab rats and mice, etc. Thanks for posting about this important topic.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight. We are do not like the cruelty that goes on either. We are glad that you share our thought on the subject.. These people who do this should be subject to letting the animals pay them back. It only seems fair to us...
ReplyDeleteBig Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie
Hey pals, thanks for visiting my blog and your kind comment. It really means a lot to the Js and I. J x
ReplyDeletewe are their voices - we are to care for all God's creation ... if not us then who?
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