Bolling, Faith Mrs.

Verdunn English February 26, 2014

Have you ever witnessed an emaciated dog being pitched out of the window of a moving car? Are you aware of what baby chickens endure just so that we can eat scrambled eggs? I am sure that you have not because the topic is rarely broadcasted. Half of the country may not even want to be aware of this unnecessary abuse, but others just may not know that it actually exists. I strongly believe that animal cruelty should be stopped because testing products for human use is inhumane, because the farm industry only cares for money and because animals are killed while conscious is insensitive. Mascara, toothpaste, extremely loud rock and roll music, insulin, cancer drugs, and shaving cream are just some of the products that animals have to tolerate for us humans to use these products. Why does a pig or innocent mouse have to go through painful chemicals, used to create cosmetics like mascara, burning his eyes so that we can wear it? I feel as though humans should use the cosmetics that are not tested on chemicals because although it may cost a bit more, it is saving the life and painful death of another animal. Scientists first try on the creation of these products are most definitely not the product that will be sold to people; as they have to make changes from how the animal reacts. Lets say the mascara had too much harsh chemicals; well that is just that animal that has to endure the pain and burning sensation. The scientist then has to keep modifying the mascara until it gets to the right stage that is functional for us humans.

Yes, I know that some may feel it is right to test certain medicines on animals and I agree with this. I know I would not want to be the first person to ingest a bad drug and die from the after-effects. Therefore, I do agree with medicines and cancer drugs being used on animals as we humans need this to survive life. Scrambled eggs, fried chicken, and pork chops are all very tasty foods, but does society know how we come about getting these foods? Animal abuse is at an all-time high and locals are not even aware of this. Broiler chickens which make up 8.5 billion of the nearly 10 billion animals raised for food each year are often drugged and genetically manipulated to grow very large very quickly. They often cannot support their own weight, leaving their legs malformed or broken. Many die of heart or lung failure because these organs cannot keep up with their unnaturally rapid growth.(http://facts.randomhistory.com/animal-cruelty-facts.html) This is only the beginning. Laying hens live 98% of their lives in solitary confinement. Just imagine yourself living in your shower along with 6 other humans. This is where you would live for the entity of your life which would eventually cause your bones to become fragile and wane and you just live a slow, agonizing death. Animals should not have to tolerate such brutality. They have emotions and physicals feelings just like us and they can become depressed. According to the Humane Society of US, turkeys and chickens are exempt from the Humane Slaughter Act. Therefore, those animals do not have to be stunned before their death. That includes them being slit by their throats while still alive and are then thrown into scorching water. Almost 200 million of these turkeys and chicken suffer through a failed death annually. It is very satirical because chickens make up about 90% of the animals that are slaughtered every year. This is just the beginning.

It is not only chickens that have to withstand this cruelty; it is horses, dogs, cats, pigs, and several other animals. Billions of rabbits are killed each year for their fur. There are several alternatives to artificial furs that look the exact same that does not cost an innocent animals life. Some of the abuses done to these animals are done intentionally. A video that was privately recorded captured footage of industry workers punching and stomping live birds. The workers violently rang the chickens by their neck causing their neck to break. These are the type of activities that occur to destitute, innocent animals. Reports from House of Raeford Farms show that an amateur boxer practiced his boxing skills on suspended turkeys on the conveyor belt. They could not help themselves and had to endure the powerful blows from the ruthless worker. If a farmer decides to use a method to cause an animal to become unconscious; then the most popular technique is stunning them with electricity. Between April and June of 2011, a Mercy for Animals investigator documented that piglet testicles were pulled out without any anesthetics. The poor babies had to endure such pain when it could have been much simpler to just give them a pain killer so they do not feel the pain. Piglets also have to endure dull clippers chopping through their tails and the process of yanking the rest of the tail off. Mother pigs often suffer from uterine fatalities because of the constant force to give birth. Most of the pigs slowly die from puss-filled festering sores, broken bones, and infections because they do not have the proper veterinarian care. Have you ever eaten Fin Soup? Or heard of this delicacy? This soup includes shark fin. The demand for this soup is so high that is has caused an enormous number of sharks to be captured. After hunters have captured the shark, the cut off its fin and throw it back in the water to die a slow, excruciating death. This is a waste of an innocent animal just so people can eat it

fin. This is a prime example of animal cruelty as the animal endures pain when his fin is being sliced right off of his body and when he slowly drowns in his home. It is not just the farm industry that animal abuse takes place. Animal cruelty takes place in your own neighborhood. In media-reported animal cruelty cases, dogsand pit bull-type dogs, in particularare the most common victims of animal cruelty. Of 1,880 cruelty cases reported in the media in 2007: 64.5% involved dogs, 18%, involved cats, and 25% involved all other animals. (http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/abuse_neglect/facts/animal_cruelty_facts_statistics.html)

Animal abuse really needs to come to an end. There are several alternatives to this type of cruelty. We can begin by using products that were not tested on animals. These products may be more expensive but it is worth the life of an innocent animal. Also, buying more cage free foods; supporting this cause will eventually cause the farm industries to not participate in the act of keeping birds and other animals trapped in small cages that they cannot even turn around in. Once they notice that we were not buying it, things will change. Finally, the act of killing animals while still conscious is just harsh. Those animal endure more than you think and we can stop this.

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