It seems that some of my vegan friends would like me to treat the Humane $ociety of the United $tate$ more “humanely”, and be more in the spirit of “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you”. After all H$U$ hasn’t criticized Go Vegan Radio for having a pig “farmer” vice president. But since we are talking about animals here, should the golden rule be to treat H$U$ – as it would treat animals? Perhaps we need to emphasize that this is a “metaphorical” golden rule (or a speciesist golden rule), as a literal one might appear to condone violence, and, of course, we never ever do that. But what does “humane” mean to H$U$, and consequently its followers, many vegans who support “humane meat” – and would they ever entertain such “humane” treatment for themselves or family members?
H$U$ does support and campaign for “humane slaughter”, for example, also saying “humanely” raised animals have a good life until that “one bad day”, as H$U$ CEO Wayne Pacelle likes to chuckle. But if it’s “humane slaughter” as Pacelle is quoted as supporting ( https://www.goveganradio.com/2009/09/05/5-september-2009/ ), “Humane Slaughter Day” shouldn’t be so bad after all. It should be just one more good day in a good life of good imprisonment, good torture, and good mutilation. It’s probably such a good day that maybe when grandma isn’t so useful to society or the family anymore, it would be the “humane” way to treat her. I have asked H$U$ to provide video or photographs of “humane slaughter” so that we can all feel good about killing again, but thus far, I have no examples for display, even though the H$U$ vice president (of “pork” production) Joe Maxwell could just send some recent family business pictures.
But I don’t want to deprive you of your “happy meat” experience, so you can still watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC3o0AfQtCI
– And now, I am as happy as “happy meat” to tell you what the law says that you are endorsing when you support the animal exploitation profiteers of the H$U$ corporation and “HUMANE SLAUGHTER” –
Either of the following two methods of slaughtering and handling are hereby found to be humane:
(a) in the case of cattle, calves, horses, mules, sheep, swine, and other livestock, all animals are rendered insensible to pain by a single blow or gunshot or an electrical, chemical or other means that is rapid and effective, before being shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut; or
(b) by slaughtering in accordance with the ritual requirements of the Jewish faith or any other religious faith that prescribes a method of slaughter whereby the animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia of the brain caused by the simultaneous and instantaneous severance of the carotid arteries with a sharp instrument and handling in connection with such slaughtering.
According to the law, animals should be stunned into unconsciousness prior to their murder. The most common methods used are electrocution and CO2 for the stunning of pigs, and captive bolts into the heads of cows, sheep, and goats. Animals are considered properly stunned when there is no “righting reflex”; that is, they are not trying to stand up and “right themselves”. None of this “humane” treatment even applies to 9 billion chickens, and even if it did – who is inspecting or enforcing?
Are you happy now, now that we have a “humane” society? Treat each other “humanely”.
