No More Animal Abuse

About 8.7 million species of animals roam the Earth. A significant number of these
species are mistreated for industry purposes, including the 56 billion land animals
slaughtered immorally every year just for the purpose of food (“Animal Rights”).
Nonetheless, it’s not the matter of animal population at hand; the manner in which animal
rights are consistently violated for the sole benefit for humans is unethical.

I grew up in a community where animals are treasured. Domestic animals are treated with
such respect and love that it has become easy to neglect other existing species. At a
young age of 7, I adopted my first pet, a baby mixed-breed chihuahua. I valued that dog,
Spot, a great deal and was beyond excited to go home every day. Having a pet taught me
patience, responsibility, and compassion. It is far more rare for these animal species to
suffer as opposed to industry animals.

It isn’t fair. It is a fact that some animals are relied on for food and laboratory use;
however, they are still entitled to ethical treatment. Currently, animal cruelty is the price
we pay for cheap meat, cheap products, and cheap laboratory work. My heart breaks
when I come across new articles and new horror stories about animal abuse. As I snuggle
up with my pets, I wonder: How does society regulate ethical animal treatment in
industry?

Animals fulfill countless needs for people and are a vital pillar of society, of the economy,
and of the environment. As societies evolved from hunting and gathering, to agrarian,
industrial, and beyond, so has the relationship between humans and animals. These
creatures provide companionship, service, stabilization in ecosystems, and remorsefully,
sustenance. As history unfolded, “animals have aided in the establishment of cities,
beautified the countryside, and added to the joy of recreation” (Demello). Household
pets, for example, hounds, felines, birds, reptiles, and fish have been distinguished as
companion animals. They exclusively convey delight and joy to a pet proprietor, acting as
a wellspring of friendship and recreation. Service animals assist individuals in living and
work; they are fit for supporting a substantial assortment of handicaps, from mental to
physical. Some service dogs likewise fight crime alongside officers of the law, existing as
an integral force of police canine units (“Animal Rights”). In addition, animal organ
transplants have saved innumerable lives in the medical field. However, perhaps one of
the most influential contributions of the animals of society is livestock to the
conservation of soil and soil fertility (Evans). Cattle are also essential to the food chain
and allow humans the privilege of rich nourishment. Humans consume increasingly more
animal products; “global meat consumption has more than doubled since the 1960s and is
expected to double again by 2050” (“Farm Animal Welfare”). Animal sources even
provide clothing, jewelry, accessories, and other unnecessary luxuries. But, despite all the
advantageous effects animals have on humans, somehow the relationship between the
two remains riddled with injustices that are detrimental to entire species.

Animal cruelty can be differentiated into two main categories: passive and active. Passive
acts of abuse include neglect, sometimes born of ignorance rather than intent. Besides the
neglect of domestic animals, people actively mishandle animals all too often. In fact,
“much of human society is structured through its interaction with non-human animals,
and human society relies heavily on the exploitation of animals to serve human needs”
(Demello). Industrial animal farming leads as the most evident abuser of animal rights.
Next, animal testing for the purpose of science has been proven to be devastating to the
health of the chosen animals, commonly inflicting fatalities. Furthermore, landscaping
and infrastructure have threatened and disturbed natural habitats, harming multiple
wildlife populations. Lastly, certain activities designated as entertainment such as hunting
are unjust towards the creatures involved. Humans commit all these active crimes of
ethics towards animals and awareness needs to be spread.

Before the development of factory farms, formally called Concentrated Animal Feeding
Operations (CAFOs), good animal cultivation was broadly accepted to be as beneficial
for the producer as it was for the creatures (“Factory Farms Abuse Animals”). When
people treated animals well and kept them in good health, the higher the quality of the
product was. Unfortunately, now animals in CAFOs spend their whole lives in
unbelievably cramped conditions. They are “forced to endure living on concrete in their
own excrement with no access to pasture, fresh air, or natural light” (“Factory Farms
Abuse Animals”). Moreover, due to the unacceptably high ratio of animals to workers,
sick and suffering animals are not acknowledged. To simply keep creatures alive until
butcher, CAFOs likewise routinely feed them chemical antibiotics. This abuse is clearly
impacting the human population’s health. In their 2013 Threat Report, the Centers For
Disease Control and Prevention confirmed “antibiotic overuse in factory farm animals
contributes to antibiotic resistance in people. 23,000 people die each year in the U.S. due
to antibiotic-resistant infections” (“Factory Farms Abuse Animals”). In the money-hungry
and heartless market of today, industrial farm animals are no longer treated as living,
breathing, feeling beings. They are stripped of their rights and handled like merchandise,
unable to carry out natural behaviors with absolutely no quality of life.

CAFOs also perform extremely invasive procedures, or mutilations, on livestock without

anesthetics in order to conserve space and restrict movement. To reduce aggression in
piglets from overcrowded environments, their tails are amputated and their teeth are
clipped shortly after castration. Calves are often immobilized by being risen in tiny veal
crates, sometimes dehorned and endure tongue resections. Hens and chickens are caged
in high density, de-beaked to reduce stress, and consume overdoses of steroids to rapidly
increase growth. Broiler chickens often suffer weeks of crippling pain due to these
steroids because their bones, hearts, and lungs simply cannot keep up with the fast
development; many die before slaughter (“Farm Animal Welfare”). All of these
procedures have been confirmed by secret photography taken by undercover agents from
animal welfare organizations posing as factory employees. E.K. Silbergeld, a professor at
the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health, analyzes the conditions established at
CAFOS:

“CAFOs are comparable to poorly run hospitals, where everyone gets antibiotics, patients
lie in unchanged beds, hygiene is nonexistent, infections and re-infections are rife, waste
is thrown out the window, and visitors enter and leave at will.” (“Factory Farms Abuse
Animals”)

However, the slaughter process itself is far more inhumane than the housing and
development stages. After a lifetime of agony in CAFOS, the animals are killed in
industrial slaughterhouses. Industrial slaughterhouses are nothing like smaller plants,
where cautious consideration can help guarantee swifter and an increasingly sympathetic
death. Industrial slaughterhouses execute and process thousands and thousands of
animals with no hesitation or humanity, all to save pennies. The quick processing lines in
modern slaughterhouses guarantee that disastrous oversights routinely occur, including
“animals not being rendered unconscious before being killed and animals who are merely
stunned being skinned alive” (“Factory Farms Abuse Animals”). Meat is likewise
commonly tainted by fecal matter and other natural liquids amid the killing procedure, a
hazardous issue that is expanding as modern slaughterhouses continually accelerate their
execution lines (“Preventing Animal Cruelty”). Not only are these methods of preparation
of the ordinary meat people consume increasingly unethical and abusive, but the quality
and safety of the food people eat directly correlates to the health and welfare of the
consumed. It is critical that steps are taken to reform this crime.

Animal testing is the utilization of animals as subjects in medicinal or product research.

This exploration can vary from tests to check the adequacy of new untested medications
to deciding whether a cosmetic item causes skin or eye disturbance. The history of animal
testing is extensive, dating back thousands of years. In the fifth century B.C., Greek
physician Galen of Pergamon dissected animals that were still breathing to analyze and
study their anatomy and physiology (“Animal Testing”). As more researchers employed
animals as test subjects, the public began to argue that the institution was cold-blooded
and agonizing for the creatures. Some banded together to inspire reform; in the nineteenth
century, animal rights advocates “formed groups in England campaigning against the
dissection of live animals. In 1876, England passed the Cruelty to Animals Act, which
made researchers conform to certain regulations in order to obtain a license to test
animals" ("Animal Cruelty"). With the progression of therapeutic science and as new
medications and treatments were being made accessible, researchers increasingly
depended on animal testing to judge their viability.

In the U.S., over a hundred million innocent animals are taken every year for
experimentation (Isacat 51). The vast majority of these creatures are rodents, fowls, fish,
and other small mammals such as rabbits. In the twentieth century, this pool of test
subjects has expanded to include canines, felines, hogs, and primates. Proponents of
animal experimentation contend that the process is essential for medicinal progressions
that can improve and spare human lives. Adversaries argue it is savage and unscrupulous,
questioning any advantages that originate from such testing (“Animal Experimentation”).
Animal testing, often merely curiosity-driven, is unethical because the procedures lack
any consideration of the wellbeing of the test subjects. It is savage and insensitive; no
measure of scientific research merits the torment of the innocent creatures. The total
absence of natural environmental enrichment and the anxiety of their living circumstance
cause some creatures to create masochist sorts of conduct, for example, unremittingly
turning in circles, shaking forward and backward, picking out their own hide, and
incessantly gnawing themselves. In the wake of persevering through an actual existence
of torment, dejection, and dread, practically every one of them will be executed (“Animal
Experimentation”). Examples of animal tests include “forcing mice and rats to inhale
toxic fumes, force-feeding dogs pesticides, and dripping corrosive chemicals into rabbits’
sensitive eyes” (“Animal Experimentation”). Animals feel suffering just as people do, and
it is purely evil to subject these creatures to such torture.

Animal rights activists additionally question the outcomes that originate from creature
experimentation. Animals are not dependable subjects in light of the fact that their bodies
are not physically comparable to people. The results of many tests demonstrate that “the
organs, nervous systems, and cellular makeup of animals are so different that
experimentation would yield inaccurate information. Results from these tests would be
potentially dangerous to humans and the waste of an animal’s life” (“Animal
Experimentation”). Progressions in present-day science have likewise made creature
testing out of date since computer technology and hereditary designing offer more precise
testing techniques than animals can. Research laboratories are no place for any creature.
They are commonly sterile, indoor environments in which the creatures are compelled to
live in enclosures – prevented total opportunity from securing development and
command over their lives (“Animal Research”). There has been significant progress thus
far, with new regulations and laws regarding animal testing. However, companies abuse
the right to utilize this tactic all too frequently. Many organizations seek to abolish
inhumane animal experimentation; over 70 companies have strayed away from animal
testing due to the conversion strategies brought forth by the Humane Society of the
United States (Ma).

Infrastructure, such as landscaping for buildings and roads, interfere with natural

ecological conditions and habitats. Consequently, these projects have reduced numerous
wildlife species and have enlarged the issue of endangered species. On a chilly March
1st, animal advocate Lillian Ma from the Humane Society of the United States shed some
light on the topic in a phone interview. From HSUS headquarters in Washington D.C., Ma
assists her team in rescuing wild species in disaster zones and works toward abolishing
and proposing laws to protect the rights of animals. Ma explains that “when it comes to
wild animals, landscaping and construction destroy the homes of so many species,
including endangered ones.” The most significant process that devastates the animal
population has proven to be large-scale landscaping. Humans are now responsible for
altering the environment, both physically and chemically. “We take up more area on
Earth for our commercial buildings and housing. We pollute habitats. We illegally hunt
and kill animals. We remove exotic species from habitats. All of these activities take
resources and habitats away from plants and animals,” Ma contends. Some living beings
are more at stake than others. Ma emphasizes:

“Plants and sessile creatures in these territories are typically directly affected,

predominantly resulting in adjustment or decrease in biodiversity. Versatile creatures,

particularly fowls and warm blooded animals, retreat into leftover patches of
environment. Despite the ability to migrate areas, proximity to infrastructure has
obliterated a total of 201 bird species and 33 mammal species thus far, just two numbers
that will continuously rise at this rate.”

Society needs to reconsider its priorities and guard the wildlife that populates natural
habitats, rather than burn them to the ground in order to build infrastructure.

Humans love entertainment. Whether it is visual, auditory, or physical stimulation,

humans crave it. Recreational activities are generally beneficial for the mind and soul, but
when they inflict harm towards animals, they are no longer ethical forms of
entertainment. First, hunting is a cruel and outdated sport that is commonly practiced
today. Hunting may have been essential for human survival in prehistoric times; however,
today most hunters stalk and kill creatures just for the thrill, not out of need. This
pointless, brutal type of "amusement" tears animal families apart and leaves countless
creatures stranded or gravely harmed when hunters

miss their objectives. Fast executions are uncommon, and numerous creatures endure
delayed, excruciating deaths when hunters severely mar yet neglect to slaughter them. A
member of the Maine BowHunters Alliance estimates that “50 percent of animals who
are shot with crossbows are wounded but not killed. A study of 80 radio-collared white-
tailed deer found that of the 22 deer who had been shot with traditional archery
equipment 11 were wounded but not recovered by hunters” (“Hunting”). Other studies
have shown that 11% of hunted deer suffer 15 minutes or more before passing, enduring
multiple shots. Hunting likewise disturbs relocation and hibernation patterns and
separates families. For creatures like wolves and geese, who mate forever and live in
affectionate nuclear families, hunting can crush whole networks (Boyle 31). The dread
and the unpreventable, earsplitting clamors from the gunfire and other upheaval that
hunters caused chased creatures to live under colossal pressure. In fact, “this [stress]
severely compromises their routine and their eating habits, making it hard for them to
store the fat and energy that they need to survive the winter” (“Hunting”). Uproarious
noises can also disturb mating customs and may cause parents to escape their sanctums
and dens, leaving their offspring helpless against natural predators (“Hunting”). Hunting
is referred to as a sport to convince the public that it is socially-acceptable to go on these
cruel killing-sprees. However, sports involve healthy competition between two
consenting teams; they never end with one party blatantly murdered.

On a cloudy March 6th, I met with PETA associate and former hunter Anthony
Avizenis. Avizenis participated in hunting as sport for much of his adult life. Currently, he
is a consultant for the PETA organization, fighting against atrocities such as hunting. He
recalled, “I grew up in Texas, surrounded by a very conservative family. We owned guns
of all sorts, and every month my father took me hunting.” Avizenis explained that in his
family, hunting is a simply entertainment, an activity to foster patience and shooting
skills. “It wasn’t until I took my own daughter hunting for the first time that I abruptly
realized how unethical the activity is. She merely asked why I kill animals,” Avizenis
said. He confirmed that hunting does nothing positive for the environment. Contrary to
what hunters frequently state to defend their savage hobby, hunting has nothing to do
with protection or population control. In fact, many animals are specifically bred and
raised for hunters to slaughter. “If left unaltered by humans, the delicate balance of
nature’s ecosystems ensures the survival of most species. Natural predators

help maintain this balance by killing only the sickest and weakest individuals”
(“Hunting”). Avizenis asserted, “Hunters aim for the superior prey, which affects the
genome pool and eventually produces weaker species. Nature has its processes to
combating overpopulation, and hunting is not the way.” Avizenis now advocates against
hunting, spreading awareness of the immoral form of entertainment. In predominantly
liberal California, hunting is less popular than conservative states. However, it is quite
clear that the “sport” needs to be modulated.

To say the least, industrial animals deserve more from humans. Their lives revolve
around a person’s thought, a person’s want, a person’s decision. Without animals, society
simply cannot function. In economics, the topic of scarcity is very prominent. No
resource has an endless supply. If humans continue to abuse the lives of animals,
eventually there will be dire consequences. To answer the question of society’s regulation
of ethical animal treatment in the industry, it doesn’t exist. Society currently demonstrates
no regard for the wellbeing of industry animals. Throughout the twentieth and twenty-
first centuries, numerous international organizations formed to help protect animal rights.
Nonetheless, organizations need the public on their side in order to enact real
improvement. Fight for the neglected, love the animals who lived to be used like one’s
household pets.

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