Opinions on animal welfare

This has nothing to do with Tameside as a borough, but it has a lot to do with humans, many of whom live in Tameside. The reason I am posting this here is to gauge the opinions of people who live in Tameside and post on this site. I am in interested to know what posters thoughts are on animal welfare and animal cruelty.

The reason I post this now is because on the bizarre ‘grow your own spuds’ item, I was engaged in debate by a poster who agrees with whaling. So now is the time where everyone can have their say on the controversial issues surrounding animals - and their rights. Please keep the politics and council related matters on the item below featuring Councillor Bell.

Firstly I would request posters watch the short (1 minute) video clip from the BBC featuring Blue Whales which is narrated by David Attenborough. This sets the tone of the debate from my angle.

I will lay my cards on the table here and now and declare myself a hypocrite. I eat dead animals! I love animals and wildlife, but despite this, I am still addicted to eating them. I have tried ever so hard - and this is still ongoing, to quit eating meat, but me, king of the lecturers, yes, the one who is always giving advice on how people should “use a bit of willpower” to quit smoking or cut down on alcohol consumption, cannot myself stop eating dead animals.

I have been described recently on this blog as a Humanist. I can assure the person who accused me of this that they are wrong. My standpoint on animals - and the abuse of animals is purely of my own doing.

I have just stated that I lack the willpower to stop eating meat, this is true, because meat is so easy to come by. I often get invited to Bem Brazil on King St West in Manchester. If you are a meat eater - this place is heaven. You sit at your table and all manner of assorted dead animals are brought to you for your delectation and you can eat them to your hearts content. However, if things were a little closer to nature and the deal was; first you go into the field armed with a spear, axe and knife, then you slay the beast, when dead you remove what you want to eat from the carcass, after that you wash the blood from your hands, face and hair before you sit down to eat it, I dare say following this my quest to give up meat would be somewhat easier.

I do accept that the scenario I have just stated is going to extremes, but I stand by my point that we as a people have lost touch with nature. I also accept that meat is an integral part of our diet and has been since the dawn of man. My real gripe is not with using animals as a food source, but with the abuse of animals for a whole host of reasons.

I will start with issue of whaling. As stated elsewhere on this blog - I am totally opposed to it in all its manifestations. People may say the Japanese do it for scientific research, the Norwegians want to do it for cultural reason and the Icelandic people because it is a tradition. I say; to want to wilfully destroy and in some cases virtually wipe out an entire species is evil. In less enlightened times the oil and blubber from whales was a valuable resource. We now have synthetic alternatives and the whales should left to roam the seas in peace.

What about the grotesque trade in endangered animals body parts? We are all aware of the slaughter of rhinoceros so their horns can be ground down and used in oriental medicines. The Orientals also like to see tigers slaughtered so their penis’s can be used in aphrodisiac potions. Sharks too, 100,000’s of thousands of sharks every year are caught, have their fins cut off and tossed back into the sea to drown, why? So the fins can be used to make soup in expensive restaurants!

Religious ritual slaughter; wicked beyond belief - and widespread beyond imagination. I was talking to a retired ‘slaughter man’ not long ago. He said slaughter is a nasty and bloody business. He said the animals, especially the large cattle, know they are doomed, but the bolt through the brain is relatively quick and keeps the suffering to a minimum. This is however not the case in religious ritual slaughter, in this barbaric process of say a cow, the doomed beast is forced onto a half barrel type contraption, it is then clamped and spun upside down with hooves in the air and neck exposed. Here a supposed holy man sets about sawing open its throat with a knife while the beast roars in agony and he recites a religious chant. This sickening practice has no place in civilized society.

Bullfighting is another savage practice that I am totally opposed to. I have never been to nor would I go to a bullfight. I have however been to Spain many times - but not since watching a programme about bullfighting on a German satellite channel. This grotesque animal torture is as bad as anything you can imagine and anyone who enjoys this wanton bloodlust is, in my opinion - a sadist.

Anyway, that is enough from me for now. If anyone has any views on this please feel free to share them. I will close by saying; we are the undoubted masters of the animal kingdom. We reign supreme with no challengers we are all powerful and can decide the fate of entire species. But as we know; with power comes responsibility. Just because we can kill and abuse lesser creatures - doesn’t mean we have to!