- Feb 28, 2009
- 9
- 0
- 6
Hello,
A little meandering but something to consider....
When I was an undergrad. I worked in a laboratory that used rats for research into what is commonly called miscarriages and birth defects. We learned things that helped women with epilepsy have healthy, full term babies. I thought the research was important and, although the rats and any pups accidentally born had to be killed, we had our own little "eco- system" where another laboratory's owls and snakes were fed the kill from our lab... I heard some students in the lab. speak negatively of the students who actually killed the rats... well one of the students- a young man named Ben - did kill the rats... and I asked him how and why he did so. Ben said that he had seen animals slaughtered humanely and not so - he could not work in a lab and benefit from the animals death without being a part of it so he knew the animal was respected. He said he thanked every single rat before he killed it....After that I volunteered to also kill the rats for the lab. I did so humanely and with respect for lives and their sacrifice and I too, thanked each one. I was a vegan at the time and I realized that I was vegan because of the huge disconnect many people have with their food.
Now I do eat some meat and animal products . I prefer to eat meat from animals I know lived well and were killed as humanely as possible (home raised or locally produced whenever I can). That's why I raise and slaughter my own chickens....and I still thank each one when I do.
Shooting something or fishing for something wild and separate is a very different thing than raising it and killing it yourself. Name calling seems unnecessary- I belonged to the poultry club and we made good money around Thanksgiving every year from local farmers who brought us their livestock to slaughter and dress- no shame in that in my humble opinion. You're still very connected to the process.,..
A little meandering but something to consider....
When I was an undergrad. I worked in a laboratory that used rats for research into what is commonly called miscarriages and birth defects. We learned things that helped women with epilepsy have healthy, full term babies. I thought the research was important and, although the rats and any pups accidentally born had to be killed, we had our own little "eco- system" where another laboratory's owls and snakes were fed the kill from our lab... I heard some students in the lab. speak negatively of the students who actually killed the rats... well one of the students- a young man named Ben - did kill the rats... and I asked him how and why he did so. Ben said that he had seen animals slaughtered humanely and not so - he could not work in a lab and benefit from the animals death without being a part of it so he knew the animal was respected. He said he thanked every single rat before he killed it....After that I volunteered to also kill the rats for the lab. I did so humanely and with respect for lives and their sacrifice and I too, thanked each one. I was a vegan at the time and I realized that I was vegan because of the huge disconnect many people have with their food.
Now I do eat some meat and animal products . I prefer to eat meat from animals I know lived well and were killed as humanely as possible (home raised or locally produced whenever I can). That's why I raise and slaughter my own chickens....and I still thank each one when I do.
Shooting something or fishing for something wild and separate is a very different thing than raising it and killing it yourself. Name calling seems unnecessary- I belonged to the poultry club and we made good money around Thanksgiving every year from local farmers who brought us their livestock to slaughter and dress- no shame in that in my humble opinion. You're still very connected to the process.,..
