# The sad reality



## AnnabellasMomma (Oct 30, 2012)

Tonight on the news was a report on Industrial Pork farming in Canada. The images shown were brutal, pigs kept in cells to small to turn around in, baby pigs slammed on the ground and killed by workers, dirty water or no water, pigs that would get sick were treated even worse by getting kicked, pulled by tail or ears as well as slapped and punched. All pregnant pigs were also kept in a small cell that they were unable to move in and were expected to stay there during birth and when the baby pigs were feeding. There was no sunlight or even any light for that matter. These images and more braught me to tears. I am an animal lover and do my best to make sure animals are treated right. I am spreading the word about this farm, it is called Puratone and is located in Manitoba Canada, soon it will be baught out by Maple Leaf foods of Canada. Just because the name will change doesnt mean this abuse and neglect will. Im urging everyone to spread the word not to buy products from these companies. I do not eat meat myself but know that most people do, but farming can be done in a humane way! I hope one day it will. Its more then just pigs this abuse and neglect happens every day in Industrial farms around the world to all types of animals, it's time to stand up for Animals rights :!: The reason i am saying something now about this is because it was the first documented video of animal neglect and abuse in Canada.


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## SpiritWolves1 (Apr 5, 2012)

makes me sad to live in canada


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## AnnabellasMomma (Oct 30, 2012)

me too, me too. After seeing the footage i was embarassed and ashamed. I will do what it takes to be part of stoping this neglect and abuse though!


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## SpiritWolves1 (Apr 5, 2012)

ya, but i still love bacon ^.^ but we dont buy from them, their over priced and treat everything like crap.


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## AnnabellasMomma (Oct 30, 2012)

Well im glad you dont buy from them


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## SpiritWolves1 (Apr 5, 2012)

lol me too, i cant believe that the country allows that


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## pickles17 (Feb 18, 2012)

The sad reality is that all factory farms run like that, which is where 99% of Canada's and the U.S. meat comes from.


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## Tinkerbell (Nov 13, 2012)

Factory farming to "feed the masses" has taken the dignity and respect away from all living things...plant and animal. Honestly? I am afraid of food today.
I grow what I can myself, buy from friends and neighbors or local farms or I just go without. It is really that simple for us anymore. 
Want to do something more than boycott? Tell a friend, and support a local small family farm - go and buy your meats, fruits and veges from them directly. It is safer all the way around, not to mention it helps the local economy. Around here, we are very anti-corporations lol, so we are all about supporting our local folks who make, grow, raise or build things.


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## eskye (Oct 5, 2012)

Read a book called "Eating Animals" by Jonathan foer. It's very enlightening, and will give an all-encompassing view of the industry, inside and out.


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## rodeoRcer87 (May 5, 2011)

While I am NOT defending the actions of a majority of the things they do, some of the things do have a purpose. The farrowing crates, where the moms and babies are, are designed so that the mom can not lay on the babies or kill them in another way. While there are other ways to avoid this, farrowing crates are commonly used because they do work better than the alternatives. Slamming them on the cement, commonly called cementing, is used to put them out of pain/life/ whatever. And while I took a LONG time to understand this, I do "get" why it is done. Unfortunately for a piglet, it is the fastest way. Now, I am also an animal lover. Big time. I wouldn't have the ones I do if I didn't love and want them all. I have two pigs that were kept in a garage and being fed cheese and grapes. But my degree is in Agricultural Education, so I also see the point of SOME of the things that are done. The water, the punching/kicking, and the no light are not ok with me. The cementing I hate, but understand. And the farrowing crates, unfortunately, work. There are people like Temple Grandin who are put there putting perspective on these operations and helping make them more humane. She is very inspiring imo  I did not see this particular documentary, but have seen several over the years. I am happy to say that some of these things are getting better, while not as fast as they should. Just my view/take on it.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

rodeoRcer87 said:


> While I am NOT defending the actions of a majority of the things they do, some of the things do have a purpose. The farrowing crates, where the moms and babies are, are designed so that the mom can not lay on the babies or kill them in another way. While there are other ways to avoid this, farrowing crates are commonly used because they do work better than the alternatives. Slamming them on the cement, commonly called cementing, is used to put them out of pain/life/ whatever. And while I took a LONG time to understand this, I do "get" why it is done. Unfortunately for a piglet, it is the fastest way. Now, I am also an animal lover. Big time. I wouldn't have the ones I do if I didn't love and want them all. I have two pigs that were kept in a garage and being fed cheese and grapes. But my degree is in Agricultural Education, so I also see the point of SOME of the things that are done. The water, the punching/kicking, and the no light are not ok with me. The cementing I hate, but understand. And the farrowing crates, unfortunately, work. There are people like Temple Grandin who are put there putting perspective on these operations and helping make them more humane. She is very inspiring imo  I did not see this particular documentary, but have seen several over the years. I am happy to say that some of these things are getting better, while not as fast as they should. Just my view/take on it.


rodeoRcer87 has hit the nail on the head as far as what I would want to say in this thread. This is pretty much how I feel based on the animal production courses I've taken. The majority of the population is very removed from and knows nothing about what it takes to get their food on their plate. Then you only see the worst select few videos of animal cruelty (even if what you think is cruel, isn't always in the mind of the animal or in the grand scheme of things). Would you prefer a sow be restrained from moving, or would you rather tiny piglets get crushed and die? Farrowing crates are for their own safety. As mentioned, "cementing" is a quick and painless as long as you do it right. People will freak out about different things like using growth hormones to increase growth rate in beef cattle, claiming it'll affect them when they eat it, but in reality you simply digest that hormone and it does nothing because you are the wrong species. Even cattle need it to be injected, because if they eat it, it's just digested and has no effect. I could go on... but there are a lot of people running different production animal operations that care and do their best, along with the bad (which are the only ones people ever see/care about). On top of that most people simply don't understand what's going on and why.


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## AnnabellasMomma (Oct 30, 2012)

Thank you so much to every one for your responses and views. I agree that many people have no idea of the process it takes from pig in a farm to their plate. In a magical world i would love all animals to live but i do understand that wont happen. I am also get the reasons why and everything that they do in industrial farming. Some things do work. I only start to have a sever issue when animals are purposly mistreated and when regualtions and rules arnt being followed. Makes me sick to think some people can just abuse these animals because it is funny to them.


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## pickles17 (Feb 18, 2012)

I think it would be less cruel to let some piglets die then to have the mom-pig be over bred and suffer stuffed into a crate her whole life where she can't move. I mean, how do pigs possibly manage to have their young and not crush them in nature? I'm sure it can be done. 

eskye, totally agree, "eating animals" by Jonathan Safran Foer, great book.


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## Chihirolee3 (Nov 27, 2012)

I don't know much about Canada (although Alberta apparently has no rats)....but I do know more about this sad topic than I really care to. My father-in-law used to work at a hog farm here in Iowa, and when he was sick, my husband (then a teenager) would have to step in for him. Boy did he hate it. His job was to impregnate the sows, so he didn't have to kill piglets, but he saw it happen. They usually whack the piglets heads on the floor to kill them if they are runts, unhealthy, or deformed. My hubby also told me about how groteque the adults looked (nothing like sweet little Babe from that adorable movie). I have seen and had contact with free range farm pigs and I can truely understand some people having them as pets. But at these hog farms, it is absolutely horrible to see them. And, the meat from these farms are so disgusting that they have to go through a deep process of tenderizing and salting. I still love bacon (which is a monthly treat for breakfast, and yes our cat gets some too {he's spoiled}) but I will not allow my husband to have pig meat for his lunches. 
Sadly I know that some chicken farms are just as bad if not worse! Chickens are stuffed in tiny cages, and are treated similarity as pigs are. Some places don't even feed their chickens; instead they are injected with so many hormones that they are 'full grown' by the time they are 10 days old. At that time they are then killed and prepared for market.  (I have seen 10 day old chicks at auctions and they are so ADORABLE) Many store chickens are absolutely chock full of hormones, whether they come from one of these farms or not (unless they are organic). I swear, I am comming every closer to becoming a vegetarian, but we are lucky to be able to buy food from the local amish, and being from Wisconsin originally, I cannot say no to beef or dairy (my one true weakness is cheese, you name it I've eaten it). Anyway, this winter, I am preparing for my first hedgie, and by next winter, I want us to be ready to get some baby chicks for we plan to raise our own.


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## Kam (Nov 7, 2012)

I'm a chef, one of the things I hate about people is how much they love food but are unwilling to even consider where it came from, for many meat is a product not an animal.
I've had many friends and family say quite horrible things about me because I choose to grow or raise and butcher what I eat rather then purchase it from a store.
I'm quite brutal and backwards in their opinion because I'd rather lovingly raise an animal just to send to "freezer camp", then buy meat that I have no clue about the conditions it was raised and. processed.

Not that many people can do what I do but finding and supporting your local farmers is a good step forward.


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## Chihirolee3 (Nov 27, 2012)

Amen Kam! 

So many comercial foods have so many additives and preservatives that it seems like there is not much 'real' meat in what we eat at all!. I am all for real farm rasied animals, but the only thing I fear is saying goodbye to the animals you raise.


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## AnnabellasMomma (Oct 30, 2012)

I also find it sad that since everyone seems to be so uneducated about where their meat comes from, it usually takes the worst case scenerio needed to be put right infront of them so they want to do something about it. I have for year now been doing small things here and there for animals. I also do not eat meat ( only in the past year did i stop, my blood type requires meat so past attempts ended up in the hospital)


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## eskye (Oct 5, 2012)

AnnabellasMomma said:


> I also find it sad that since everyone seems to be so uneducated about where their meat comes from, it usually takes the worst case scenerio needed to be put right infront of them so they want to do something about it. I have for year now been doing small things here and there for animals. I also do not eat meat ( only in the past year did i stop, my blood type requires meat so past attempts ended up in the hospital)


The problem is that everybody usually knows, but chooses to ignore. That's the cruel part.


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## pickles17 (Feb 18, 2012)

Yep, or choose to remain ignorant.

You know how many times I try and recommend a movie or a book, or tell someone about meat production and I hear in response "I don't wanna know", or "I don't want to hear about it". Frustrating! People are selfish!


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## eskye (Oct 5, 2012)

I think one of the worst things is the vegetarians that don't want to hear about these things. I am not allowed to ever mention the fact that I breed mice for feeding to my snakes to my friend, though I do so humanely and make sure they are properly euthanized. Nor does she want to hear about those people who raise their livestock at home and eat consciously. She seems to think that just ignoring meat herself is the difference. She also happens to feed her snake frozen/thawed mice that she buys, yet she doesn't want to know where they come from. Isn't that just as bad as not knowing where your chicken comes from?

That's also another part. People turning a blind eye to the things that happen while pretending to be conscious about it. Just being a vegetarian isn't solving the problem - that will not change the amounts that are raised and slaughtered inhumanely. Making conscious decisions on where to buy your meat to support the small farms enough for them to stay in business - that makes the biggest difference. I myself am a pescetarian, but that is for dietary issues. I simply can't digest meat. I will, however, consciously pick the right meat to cook and feed to my girlfriend and our meat eating pets.

Vegetarians may find it to be a moot point, but they can too make the right decisions on meat, as a vast majority of people have pets. If you don't eat meat yourself, make the right meat-eating choices for your pet that doesn't know the difference between a pus filled antibiotic jacked-up turkey and some nice well-fed free range organic chicken (and real free-range and organic, if you think everything with this label is up to par then you need to do more research).


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## Chihirolee3 (Nov 27, 2012)

Just saying....the purposeful ignorance of people can involve many different things, not just food....


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## cinnicotsucre (Dec 21, 2012)

oh this is horrible! I have seen documentaries like that as well. With dairy cows, a lot of the time they are kept in conditions like that. The babies are also horribly abused by workers. I understand the need to farm animals, because we were built to eat meat. but we should respect the fact that these animals live to feed us, and that they do feel and need to be treated well in the time that they do have on earth. it really does make me want to do extensive research on were my food comes from! Have you heard about battery farm chickens? it is really horrible. you should look it up if you are interested in this sort of thing. I hope that one day people will stop treating animals in this way simply because there are no laws against it. This is the sort of thing that makes me believe that animals have more right to live then humans.


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## pickles17 (Feb 18, 2012)

Here's a compelling article for anyone interested that explains why humans are natural plant eaters.

http://michaelbluejay.com/veg/natural.html


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## eskye (Oct 5, 2012)

pickles17 said:


> Here's a compelling article for anyone interested that explains why humans are natural plant eaters.
> 
> http://michaelbluejay.com/veg/natural.html


I could also post this and say its a compelling article: http://www.tgdaily.com/general-sciences ... an-thought

That site is a bit of vegetarian hype - trust me, after going to a college where 70% of students were vegan or vegetarian, I have seen a lot of that hype.

It's generally agreed by our teeth that we were designed to eat a good portion of plant matter, given our now unnecessary wisdom teeth: http://scienceline.org/2007/02/ask-cooper-wisdomteeth/

But you can also see on that same site in the FAQ the admission: http://michaelbluejay.com/veg/myths.html
That is, that humans are designed to eat meat "On occasion". These are all articles and sites with a biased view on our diet as humans.

This is a comprehensive look at the diets of hominids in history:
Kaplan, Hillard, et al. "A theory of human life history evolution: diet, intelligence, and longevity." Evolutionary Anthropology Issues News and Reviews 9.4 (2000): 156-185.

And some related papers on bone analysis to determine diet: http://www.pnas.org/content/97/25/13506.short
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ar00105a001

Personally, I trust peer-reviewed papers over the sites given. It has been determined multiple times that humans were designed to eat a large amount of plant and insect matter, and smaller portions of small animal meat. No, we probably did not eat large and dangerous animal meat naturally - such as boar, cow, etc. But the fact is that by developing social constructs and societies, humans were made capable of taking down those larger predators through cooperation. Are the changes that were made through evolved intelligence natural? Who knows.

Anyway, just stating some opposing arguments to that. I myself only eat fish as a meat once a week as a pescetarian that is far closer to vegetarian. There has to be a devil's advocate, especially given a site of limited credibility such as that one.


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