While my chickens are indeed my pets and I couldn't personally slaughter them or cook them without sobbing uncontrollably, I staunchly oppose the industrial meat complex that is deeply entrenched in North America. Raising meat animals in the current, inhumane conditions that is the norm may produce cheap meat. I believe there is a large and growing number of people who agree with me that the sacrifice we make for cheap meat is that these animals live horribly stressed and unhappy lives that lead to poor quality meat severely lacking flavor. While I can't slaughter my pet chickens myself, I would gladly purchase meat chickens, beef, pork, etc. from responsible farmers who provide their animals with humane living conditions and slaughtered their animals in the most humane way possible. I would happily pay the extra difference (and do, when it is available to me) for meat raised in this manner. If this means that my family of carnivores can only afford to eat meat once or twice a week, then that is the sacrifice we would be willing to make.
As someone who greatly appreciates good food, you can easily taste the difference between an animal allowed to happily graze or free-range in the products they produce. To me, nothing more clearly demonstrates this case than cheese. Cheeses made from cow's, goat's, or sheep's milk given the ability to graze all day on fresh grasses have a much more complex and earthy flavor than those raised on grains.
We have the power to change the industry. By identifying your local farmers and putting your money where your mouth is, we can tell the big meat producers that we will not tolerate the inhumane treatment of the animals who provide us with meat. I know I've been guilty of buying the cheap, industrially produced meat in the past but I vow to only support humanely raised livestock from now on. If we commit to this change, we can then change the industry. I commit to doing my part.
