Living “Cruelty Free”
I believe in quality of life for all creatures, even the ones that end up on my plate.
When I was young my mother brought home 2 one year old hens from a local battery farm. They were malnourished, had only a few scrappy dirty clumps of feathers, had clipped beaks, open wounds, ammonia burns & large clumps of feces & dirt cemented to their feet. We named those chickens Anna & Bella (short for anorexic & bulimic because they were so skinny). They were afraid of sunlight for months but eventually, bit by bit, they got better. Those chickens lived for about happy 3 years scratching & basking in the sun like chickens should & would have lived many more if a fox hadn’t got in & bitten all thier heads off.
Many people are unaware of the pain & suffering still endured by animals by modern farming practices & the cosmetic/pharmaceutical industry.
When it comes to food I purchase organic/free range meat & eggs. As far as “vanity products” (cosmetics, soap, laundry items, household cleaners ect) are concerned I buy certified cruelty free items wherever humanly possible & make quite a lot of my own household cleaning products. Pharmaceutical products are a whole other kettle of fish (pardon the pun) though & if I am sick unfortunately it is sometimes a reality of life that one must take prescription medication.
FAQ:
Q: If you’re so “cruelty free” why aren’t you a vegetarian/vegan?
A: While I respect the choices of vegans/vegetarians. I personally don’t think it is cruel to consume meat or animal products that have been farmed & harvested in a humane way. I believe in giving these creatures the best possible life & think that the only reason animals should die is for the nourishment of other animals higher up the food chain (humans)
Q: Isn’t free range/organic expensive?
A: Unfortunately it is more expensive than lower welfare items, however as consumer demand increases the prices will come down slightly. One must also remember that when buying low welfare products the animals are bred specifically to be fast growing & are usually also poor quality.
Q: Are you some kind of liberal hippie?
A: Nope, just a regular kind of person with a job & everything. I am not out to make a martyr of myself, I just choose the best welfare items I can find.
Q: How can I become cruelty free & do I have to miss out on my favorite things?
A: Becoming cruelty free is simpler than you might think. Don’t go throwing out all your cosmetics or emptying your freezer, just do some research & make a note of what products you have that might be tested on animals or farmed in poor welfare situations & next time you’re shopping buy something cruelty free either marked free range/organic or for beauty products there is usually a small rabbit symbol somewhere on the packaging. You may have to miss out on some your favorite brands but there is nearly always a subsitute that matches the price & quality.
Links:
http://www.choosecrueltyfree.org.au/