Editor:
After reading last week’s Farm and Dairy article about HSUS and Paul Shapiro, my curiosity got the best of me and I spent a couple hours on the Internet checking out its board of directors and came up with some interesting facts.
To my amazement, there is not one of these 15 people who list a degree in any kind or form of animal husbandry.
What gives them the right to dictate how a farmer with decades of experience raises his animals? For all of their education, not one of these people has as much experience with farm livestock as a ten year old 4-H kid and yet politicians and giant corporations tremble with fear of them.
Who are these people? Who are these dictators that have congressmen and women, senators, governors, and the CEOs of some of the world’s largest corporations bowing down and kissing their collective feet?
I have been raising livestock for more than 40 years and I have never yet heard a chicken complain about being penned up by itself. In a pen full of chickens there is a pecking order and while some enjoy being on the top, some others are on the bottom and don’t get enough to eat or drink and some of them are even pecked to death by their peers.
These facts do not seem to be very important when HSUS is grinding out publicity to bring in the donations. Of course there is its claim to fame: we stopped the slaughter of horses in this country.
Yes they did. Now horses are crammed into semi-trucks and boxcars and shipped to Canada or Mexico where even HSUS has no control over the method used to kill the horses.
With the cost of shipping so high, buyers are not paying much for horses. So to get rid of a family horse that the family can no longer afford to feed, they often just turn it loose in open country forcing the animal to fend for its self.
Most people will agree it is not right to something like that, but that is what’s happening. That basically amounts to HSUS causing the animal to starve to death instead of letting it be slaughtered in a humane manner. Nice job, HSUS.
HSUS is doing its best to destroy the most successful farming system in the world with their propaganda. Who do they think is going to raise their food supply if they succeed in their goals? Even the vegans they claim to be still have to have protein in some form or other, and some farmer will have to raise their soybeans and peanuts.
Of course, they can go back 10,000 years and try to find enough nuts and berries to survive on, but I seriously doubt if they have the skill, knowledge or willpower to continue their conquest of the world and survive in a situation like that.
Dick Metheney
Quaker City, Ohio
Dear Mr. Metheney:
The hypocrisy goes even deeper than you discovered. The AR movement doesn’t JUST want to force us all to “go veg”. They want to force us all to go ORGANIC “veg”. If you do a little more research, you’ll find that about the only fertilizer one can use and still be allowed to call one’s produce “organic” is the feces of herbivorous animals.
If you want some REAL fun, next time you get the opportunity, ask an “earthy person” just where they imagine they’re going to get all that nummy-wummers “organic fertilizer” if they actually succeed at outlawing animal husbandry.
I grew up in a farming community a small Midwest town and the farmers were very humane to their animals. We eat animals, death is the ultimate outcome. Now I know there are corporate farms that I’ve heard mistreat the animals but people who have no farming back ground or even a degree in the field have no business telling farmers how to farm.
Monroe Wisconsin
Mr. Metheney, Thank you very much for your article. I grew up in the same midwest area I live in now and farmers are the backbone to much of what we do here in the state. While I have known some people who “live off the grid” and ‘grow’ 90% their own food, they still buy seeds from farmers and maybe a chick or two. No one, no matter how educated, can live on their own without the help of neighbors, family and friends. No vegetarian that I know of can grow enough food to sustain themselves year round, especially in the winter. The food has to come from somewhere and someone had to grow it. And what about their clothes? Cotton, flax and even hemp must be grown by a farmer in order for it to become clothing for these people.
I would like for all of these activists to spend some time with those of us closer to the source of all this “cruelty.” Maybe we could set up an exchange like they do for students where one of them comes and lives with us for a month. Oh wait, then we would have to live like them for a month. Maybe that is not such a good idea.
Well, well Mr. Metheney,
Makes me wonder if you are a rancher or farmer how many generations does that go back in your family? I am the 5th generation Daughter of Farmer/Ranchers and I will tell you what I have seen just in my 63 years on this earth. My Grandparents had a dairy and our cows never stayed constantly pregnant to keep them in milk. Their calves were not taken from them shortly after birth. The cows were not kept in small fenced areas devoid of grazing land and steeped in their own feces and urine. I hate these modern farming methods. As for chickens and turkeys I have never seen the killing of one chicken by another when the area they had to live in was adequate for the numbers of chickens. We had over 100 hens and a couple of roosters and they were free range plus gave them mash, came to roost at night in the chicken coop. They were not kept inside of a building 24-7 with out the ability to fly and scratch out food for themselves. Grandparents also raised pigs, turkeys, and steers for meat. It is this big corporation idea of farming and ranching that is making the way we treat animals unresponsible. Shame on all the farmers and ranchers for caving to the big corporation.
I totally agree with you. This is where the Animal Rights Terrorists get all their traction from. The intensive farming that goes on in these agribusinesses are a world of difference from the farm. I disagree with the methods, AND the actual agenda of ending animal ownership, but I do think that animals also deserve a humane life, for whatever that lifespan happens to be, AND a humane death. Not producing eggs in a cage the size of a sheet of paper, cows that stand in muddy pens eating food they were never meant to eat.
Somewhere between those two worlds is a reasonable way for animals to live, and feed us too.
Kelly, that is a perfect example of how HSUS lies and how important it is for people to have first-hand experience of animals before voting on regulations. NO hen is in a cage the size of a piece of paper. The HSUS carefully doesn’t tell you that the “piece of paper” is not the size of the cage, but instead is the average, per-hen space alotment in a large cage that holds several hens. Since hens spend most of their time either leaning out of the cage to put their heads in the feed troughs or sleeping tightly nestled together, there is plenty of space for whoever is walking around at any given moment to get exercise, stretch its wings, etc. If one or two of the hens don’t get along with the others, or some don’t do well at that level of crowding, all the farmer has to do is take a couple of offenders out so the others will have more space. And many farmers have always let the hens have more room than the guidelines suggest.
I hope H$U$ Sarah is paying attention to how her employer LIES. If the lower ranks of H$U$ really understood the true agenda of the “animal rights” leadership (NO ANIMAL USE, and punishing humans for continuing to oppose their “true believer” dogma), many would find other jobs, just like D.R. Culp, whom H$U$ has *attacked* for exposing them and offering an alternative that truly helps shelter pets. Of course, in the current economy, maybe it’s not that easy finding a job with a company with sane, reasonable society-friendly goals if your experience is with an animal rights group–at least one that pays as well. H$U$ donations at work, keeping employees to do their dirty work against society.
My Grandparents had a dairy and our cows never stayed constantly pregnant to keep them in milk.
The average length of time a cow will produce milk after calving is 8 months, some dry up sooner, some produce milk longer. If you’re source of income is milk then you can’t give a cow a year off from calving. You’d have a cow out of production for at least a year. In addition the old way of doing things was keeping at least one bull that ran with the cows and when that cow cycled, nature took it’s course. My good friend has a dairy that was passed down from his great grandfather, to his grandfather and eventually to him. His cows graze, they don’t stand in mud and feces unless it’s been a rainy year and then it’s only while entering the barn. The old way was also to hand milk, but now it’s all electronic. If HSUS had their way they’d put him out of business and he’s just one example of how most dairies still do it, it’s much more cost effective to allow cows to graze then it is to feed them year round, but let’s instead agree with HSUS that dairy cattle never graze.
As for chickens and turkeys I have never seen the killing of one chicken by another when the area they had to live in was adequate for the numbers of chickens.
I have chickens that free range and I have saw hens and roosters fight until one gives up and have seen one or both of them so beat up they died later from their injuries, not to mention how many become food for the hawks, stray dogs, coyotes, etc.
It is this big corporation idea of farming and ranching that is making the way we treat animals unresponsible. Shame on all the farmers and ranchers for caving to the big corporation.
It is not caving to big corporations. There are fewer farmers/ranchers than ever in history, yet there are more people needing to eat. Farmers/ranchers are having to do the best they can to grow enough food for all these people in the most economical way possible.
Take farrowing/gestation crates for an example that HSUS has such a fit about. Hog farmers came up with these because sows were crushing pigs, these crates save the lives of piglets. All hog farmers could go back to the old ways, but that means a higher cost to raise pigs for food and most consumers aren’t willing to pay this higher cost.
Same way with chickens, we go on an egg hunt every day of the week, because only maybe half our chickens actually lay in the nests. In addition other hens come in and poop and lay which means we have to wash our eggs. How many employees would a egg farm have to hire to gather eggs, when they’re egg hunting in addition the eggs are not as clean? How much are consumers willing to pay for eggs?
My kids had show chickens growing up and there was no way I was letting expensive show chickens be free range. They were kept in cages for their protection and my wallet. They were healthy, fed and never became the dinner for a hawk or coon. Just like the chickens on most egg farms, they never had to worry about being hot or cold because they were in a heated and cooled barn.
Too many people want to go along with HSUS and PETA without really knowing the facts and going off hearsay and not knowing what really goes on or thinking a large farm can do things like the small family farm raising food for their own family with a small percentage of the number of animals.
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Um, chickens can’t fly Jeannette. Well, maybe about ten feet for the stronger breeds. So, what kind of chickens did you raise as a girl? Even free range chickens peck and kill each other, they will also smother each other. Your story does not fit well with reality and I smell something amiss. Anyone who raises poultry knows this about the birds.
Well said!
I don’t comment much, but I agree with you.
I don’t eat meat or dairy, but still support family farms.
Animals raised for food on them are for the most part treated well, I hope.
But the ag business is nothin but corporate greed via animal cruelty.
The consumer is swamped with TV ads promoting meat of all kinds and are encouraged, like ravenous monsters, to eat nothing but the dead flesh,
McDonald’s is just a middleman between cruelty and bad diets. It’s just a catalyst in the cycle.
We all have to die, the human and non-human of us, but living your entire life in a box, etc is …I have no words for it.
Hurrah for a REAL FARMER standing up to the bloated non-knowledge of non-farmers! I do not hold a degree in farming but I understand that if someone does not have qualifications in a field of study then they have NO BUSINESS sticking their nose or their overbearings on people in that field. Nobody would expect an automechanic to dictate how your dentist is going to install your next filling… I sure as chit would not expect a podiatrist to dictate how a fifth generation dairy farmer should care for their animals… I am certain that the state-appointed milk inspectors and regular farm veterinarians who already provide QUALIFIED and PROFESSIONAL judgements for them, relevant to their field. So, the entire idea of 3rd and 4th parties like non-qualified individuals like HSUS, PETA, etc pulling heart strings with their dying dog videos and lost cat pictures are – in my opinion and from report research I have seen – little more than the equivalent of marketing scams to suck money out of hard working Americans pockets and place it into garbage lobbyist pockets to push legislation that is very often not only misguided and unnecessary, but based on the sheer aggressive nature of HSUS towards farmers in America – akins groups like theirs to terrorist on their sheer anti-farming (and thereby Anti- Food Production in American by Americans) stance because IF groups like HSUS truly would get their way and get ALL the legislation passed that they desire then there would be NO farming whatsoever possible. Man can not live on tree bark and soy alone.. we must ask ourselves this simple question… ‘Wheres The Beef’ in HSUS supporters qualifications to swoop into random situations that they have no experience with, no qualifications for, no field experience to dictate, no background to guess at, and by and large no field study degree within the relative scope of agriculture or agribusiness with which to even begin to postulate the first hint of intelligent thought about the topic of farming, farm design, or animal care about which they purport to “care” so much about? The aforementioned general lack of knowledge can only lead me to conclude that HSUS and groups like them are, in the best of lights, mis-guided and mis-led by their executive officials into this theatrical act for the purpose of raising campaigning dollars, and in the worst of lights… perhaps a purposeful and deliberate attempt to systematically and woefully decimate farms, farming, and the associate practices and businesses in America one family and one farm at a time – each time with the greatest of fanfare and heart-wrenching media publicity possible – perhaps even in some cases with HSUS agents embedded within the farming community to sabotage otherwise conforming communities of agri-business.
But, this is all one persons opinion posted on one blog, in response to one mans letter to the editor… Right?
HSUS has grown to be the richest “animal rights” (AR) organization on the planet by deceiving the public.
Please read the following quotes from HSUS leaders, and decide for yourself.
QUOTES FROM HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENT/CEO WAYNE PACELLE:
When asked if he envisioned a future without pets, “If I had my personal view, perhaps that might take hold. In fact, I don’t want to see another dog or cat born.” —-Wayne Pacelle quoted in Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote, 1993, p. 266.
“I don’t have a hands-on fondness for animals…To this day I don’t feel bonded to any non-human animal. I like them and I pet them and I’m kind to them, but there’s no special bond between me and other animals.” —Wayne Pacelle quoted in Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote, 1993, p. 251.
“ One generation and out. We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals.” —Wayne Pacelle, quoted in Animal People, May, 1993
“We would be foolish and silly not to unite with people in the public health sector, the environmental community, [and] unions, to try to challenge corporate agriculture.” —Wayne Pacelle, at the Animal Rights 2002″ Convention, July 1, 2002.
“The entire animal rights movement in the United States reacted with unfettered glee at the Ban in England …We view this act of parliament as one of the most important actions in the history of the animal rights movement. This will energise our efforts to stop hunting with hounds.” —Wayne Pacelle, London Times, December 26, 2004
“If we could shut down all sport hunting in a moment, we would.” —Wayne Pacelle, Associated Press, Dec 30, 1991
“Our goal is to get sport hunting in the same category as cock fighting and dog fighting.” —Wayne Pacelle, (Bozeman (MT) Daily Chronicle, October 8, 1991
“We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States … We will take it species by species until all hunting is stopped in California. Then we will take it state by state. —Wayne Pacelle, Full Cry Magazine, October 1, 1990.
“The definition of obscenity on the newsstands should be extended to many hunting magazines.” —Wayne Pacelle, quoted in Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote, 1993, p. 265.
QUOTES FROM HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES MANAGER JOHN (“J.P.”) GOODWIN:
“My goal is the abolition of all animal agriculture.” —JP Goodwin, employed at the Humane Society of the US, formerly at Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade, as quoted on AR-Views, an animal rights Internet discussion group in 1996.
“The industry has produced a booklet that they are sending out to farmers. This booklet describes security techniques that they can adopt. Security techniques which the (Animal Liberation Front) A.L.F. dismantled in Utah, putting the industry to shame. We haven’t gotten a copy of the booklet yet…”
“Sadly, some so called “animal defenders” are not so supportive of these raids. Ann Davis of the Salt Lake City, Utah based Animal Rights Alliance has stated that she has already talked to the FBI, and will continue to do so. The FBI is working for the fur industry. Anyone that works with them is working hand in hand with the fur trade and is a traitor. If you don’t want to be investigated then don’t associate with turncoats. With friends like these, the mink are screwed…”
“Let it be stated loud and clear, that myself and the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade support these actions 100%. We will never, ever, ever work with anyone who helps the FBI stop the A.L.F.” —JP Goodwin, “Fur Wars Heat Up. A.L.F. is on the Warpath! No Compromise, Issue 4, Fall 1996.
“We’re ecstatic,” (of the fire that did almost a million dollars of damage and could have killed a caretaker family sleeping on the premises.) —J.P. Goodwin, ALF Spokesman, Deseret News (Utah), Mar. 11, 1997.
Sorry, I meant for this post to be a reply to Ms. Barnett H$U$
Thank you for sharing your opinion Jake and please keep sharing it in your thoughtful, well written way. Your delivery breathes life into an otherwise boring realm of common sense, factual, realism and neutralizes the emotional ‘trump’ card in this game of public opinion. Fortunately, continued conversation in this way will expose these extreme organizations that do not have the foresight to see the unintended consequences of their actions on the future of the United States and the world. The most important characteristic of a leader (someone people will follow / support) is trust, whether it be an individual or an organization. Every day, more and more people are questioning their trust in these organizations and questioning if they are spending their donations in ways they believed they would be spent when they contributed to them. Everyday, that trust is eroding. Thanks again for your opinion and taking the time to post it. Also, thank you to the author of the editorial. It was a brave thing to do.
Here to the 5th generation farmer. I knew kids in FFA who treated their animals better than house pets. They grew up knowing the reality of what their animals purpose was either beef or dairy but the still grew close to them and loved them and relinquished them when it was time.
I work at the HSUS, and one of our biggest strengths is that we do have people working here with broad ranges of experience. This includes farmers such as our Director of Rural Outreach, Joe Maxwell (http://www.humanesociety.org/about/leadership/subject_experts/joe_maxwell.html), as well as those on our ag councils who are also actively farming.
We are comprised of, and work with people of all different backgrounds – farmers, shelter workers, hunters etc; those are just a few of the backgrounds of the people we work with (and also of those who work for us). We want to increase dialogue with those in the agriculture community, and support farmers and ranchers that treat their animals humanely.
I’m not here to get in a back and forth with folks, but did want to just clarify what we’re really about.
Yes, the HSUS does hire people with broad ranges of experience. For example, John Goodwin (aka J.P.Goodwin) has extensive experience – and criminal convictions – for sneaking onto the property of farmers and fur retailers, destroying structures and equipment and training underage activists to do the same. HSUS New York State Director Patrick Kwan, of the radical Animal Defense League, expressed his admiration for the Animal Liberation Front while still in high school. Wayne Pacelle assisted in J.P. Goodwin’s rehabilitation by introducing him to the world of white collar crime, particularly by having Goodwin sign the notorious Fay/Faye fundraising letter. Another HSUS staffer with an unusual background was Scotlund Haisley, who also enjoyed illegal raids. In Haisley’s case, impersonating law enforcement officials was part of the rush. Pacelle loved it too, until the lawsuits started arriving and he was forced to fire Scotlund. And lets not forget Michael Vick – HSUS works with a diverse bunch of animal owners, that’s for sure.
HSUS is trying to repair its horrible reputation with informed animal lovers by pretending to work with hunters and breeders and by making a cynical deal with the United Egg Council. One of the most vocal critics of the UEP-HSUS partnership is Nedim Buyukmihci, DVM. He co-founded the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights in 1981. HSUS took over/”merged” with AVAR a few years ago. Just another betrayal in the life of career politician and opportunist Wayne Pacelle, who did the same thing to Cleveland Amory and many others who helped him along the way.
HSUS has grown to be the richest “animal rights” (AR) organization on the planet by deceiving the public.
Please read the following quotes from HSUS leaders, and decide for yourself.
QUOTES FROM HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENT/CEO WAYNE PACELLE:
When asked if he envisioned a future without pets, “If I had my personal view, perhaps that might take hold. In fact, I don’t want to see another dog or cat born.” —-Wayne Pacelle quoted in Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote, 1993, p. 266.
“I don’t have a hands-on fondness for animals…To this day I don’t feel bonded to any non-human animal. I like them and I pet them and I’m kind to them, but there’s no special bond between me and other animals.” —Wayne Pacelle quoted in Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote, 1993, p. 251.
“ One generation and out. We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals.” —Wayne Pacelle, quoted in Animal People, May, 1993
“We would be foolish and silly not to unite with people in the public health sector, the environmental community, [and] unions, to try to challenge corporate agriculture.” —Wayne Pacelle, at the Animal Rights 2002″ Convention, July 1, 2002.
“The entire animal rights movement in the United States reacted with unfettered glee at the Ban in England …We view this act of parliament as one of the most important actions in the history of the animal rights movement. This will energise our efforts to stop hunting with hounds.” —Wayne Pacelle, London Times, December 26, 2004
“If we could shut down all sport hunting in a moment, we would.” —Wayne Pacelle, Associated Press, Dec 30, 1991
“Our goal is to get sport hunting in the same category as cock fighting and dog fighting.” —Wayne Pacelle, (Bozeman (MT) Daily Chronicle, October 8, 1991
“We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States … We will take it species by species until all hunting is stopped in California. Then we will take it state by state. —Wayne Pacelle, Full Cry Magazine, October 1, 1990.
“The definition of obscenity on the newsstands should be extended to many hunting magazines.” —Wayne Pacelle, quoted in Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote, 1993, p. 265.
QUOTES FROM HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES MANAGER JOHN (“J.P.”) GOODWIN:
“My goal is the abolition of all animal agriculture.” —JP Goodwin, employed at the Humane Society of the US, formerly at Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade, as quoted on AR-Views, an animal rights Internet discussion group in 1996.
“The industry has produced a booklet that they are sending out to farmers. This booklet describes security techniques that they can adopt. Security techniques which the (Animal Liberation Front) A.L.F. dismantled in Utah, putting the industry to shame. We haven’t gotten a copy of the booklet yet…”
“Sadly, some so called “animal defenders” are not so supportive of these raids. Ann Davis of the Salt Lake City, Utah based Animal Rights Alliance has stated that she has already talked to the FBI, and will continue to do so. The FBI is working for the fur industry. Anyone that works with them is working hand in hand with the fur trade and is a traitor. If you don’t want to be investigated then don’t associate with turncoats. With friends like these, the mink are screwed…”
“Let it be stated loud and clear, that myself and the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade support these actions 100%. We will never, ever, ever work with anyone who helps the FBI stop the A.L.F.” —JP Goodwin, “Fur Wars Heat Up. A.L.F. is on the Warpath! No Compromise, Issue 4, Fall 1996.
“We’re ecstatic,” (of the fire that did almost a million dollars of damage and could have killed a caretaker family sleeping on the premises.) —J.P. Goodwin, ALF Spokesman, Deseret News (Utah), Mar. 11, 1997.
@Sarah, can you tell me what your agricultural background is? In regards to Joe Maxwell, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Maxwell, it doesn’t seem like he is much of a farmer. His family may have livestock but again it does not seem that he does.
So SarahH$U$, you get paid to write this drivel, paid out of the pockets of those donations that people expect to go to shelters.
While the rest of us are just trying to defend our livelihoods or hobbies, not getting paid for having to defend ourselves.
I will say this again. The crux of their power is that the general public does not KNOW a person in the industry being targeted. I have been in animal entertainment since I was a child. These animals are treated well and strictly regulated, but we were an easy target because people will believe the worst if they have no personal experience to the contrary. Animal Rights is a philosophy bordering on religion and it requires only belief, not evidence.
I completely agree with you. I think the challenge for us on the other side is opening their eyes to what really goes on. It is really easy to exploit the one horror story that comes out once in a while and ignore the day to day harmless stuff. They humanize the animals and dehumanize those of us who work in the industry and the fact they can use sensationalize to their advantage is unfortunate. I wish I could see a headline somewhere that screams: Poll – Cows extremely happy with farm conditions. Or something like that. But unfortunately cows don’t respond to polls very well.
I will continue to do my best to educate everyone who will listen to me about the reality of the animals in these fields.
I Spent a few summers travelling to the fairs in the area with a friend and her pony ride business– These ponies were some of the fattest animals I ever saw. This friend has one pair of ponies– That work ONE night a year– bringing Santa into town, The pony ride ponies– 6 weeks a year– six weeks where hopefully, they will work down to a healthier weight before the fall sets in. The ride ponies LOVE their job– sure, they may walk in a circle all day, but every morning, when the saddles came out– they were pulling us to the sweep. We offered water every half hour– and more times than not, the ponies blew bubbles rather than drink–
yes, some animals like to entertain us– the larer animals that willingly head for teh work site, the animals that seem to enjoy thnking up ways to make us laugh– MY Service Dog–both a piece of ‘durable medical equipment’ with an outstanding work ethic and a ‘comedian’. And he even gets to ‘be a dog’ for several hours a day. HSUS would have me give up my independence, become less independent, and not provide the mental stimulation of a JOB that most of our animals need and want. MY poultry do not attack me when I take their eggs–they follow me around like little shadows. The sheep come when they see me– no need to call them with grain..
I am pleased to see this article. I am not a farmer, though I grew up in a farm community. I am, however, a dog breeder, and H$U$ is doing the same thing to dog breeders. It is time we stood together. Thank you.
One of the ways we can fight back against the animal rights fruitcakes is to come up with a few extremely clear responses to educate the non-farming general public and repeat them over and over the way HSUS does. Only, unlike with HSUS, in our case the responses would be the truth! Here are a few suggestions:
1.Animal rights is a vegan political philosophy intolerant of all other points of view.
2.When you want to find out about animals, listen to the REAL authorities, the people with a lifetime of experience working with actual animals, not to groups like the HSUS whose expertise is public relations, advertising, and propaganda.
3.HSUS only pretends to care about animals as an excuse to create regulations carefully designed to make it more and more impossible to own or raise any animals at all.
4.Most of the practices HSUS complains about developed as a way of protecting animals from themselves!
5. The rest are the result of trying to feed more and more people as cheaply as possible, including vast multitudes of the world’s poor, who as a result are much less hungry than they used to be.
6. If customers really want a change, they are in control right now: They can simply vote with their pocketbooks by buying only meat and eggs raised the way they want. But it will cost them. And the poor will suffer.
This is a wonderful accurate depiction of the problem…HSUS has no background or indepth knowledge about animal husbandry, whether the animals are cows, dogs or tigers. Yet, the HSUS is busy promoting anti-animal laws, lobbying state and federal legislators, and SUING state and federal agencies to force them to change the laws and regulations related to animal care of many different animal species. The public does not have the general animal background to recognize the animal care misinformation or consequences of the HSUS recommended changes in animal husbandry. I just don’t know how the majority of the public can be educated about this anti-animal belief system. It is truly an effort to change the entire nature of our society, with little regard for the fact that humans have lived with, worked with, consumed, and SURVIVED based on our relationship with the many different animal species.
Excellent article and on target. How absurd that people who have no clue about the *realities* of animl agriculture should be able to control and even destroy animal industries AND erode the human/animal bond. More and more people are wising up to the “animal rights” philosophy and how anti-societal it is. The members of the “animal rights” INDUSTRY (that makes millions will getting laws passed to *control* and *destroy* animal industries) are immoral and unethical in our society. These include, but are not limited to H$U$ (and its owned organizations such as DDAL), PeTA, MFA, BFA, ALDF, and AWI. Staff of these AR industries often have ties or are interwoven with overt terrorist organizations such as ALF. Out legistlators need to wise up also, reject the donations of these domestic terrorists, and support animal industries in the U.S. before we wind up importing most of our animal products (or starve because we can’t afford them). Yeah, I want a kid of mine to be raised vegan and have diminished mental capacities–NOT. Makes the populace easier to control if they are sub-intelligent though.
Some of the comments are funny but so true. I worked for a company that made a type of drainage tube for farmers and the office was right on the farm. This was in Montfort WI. At lunch time I would go out and pet the cows. They came right up to to fence and were as friendly as horses or dogs. They seemed pretty content as a matter of fact I am sure one of them winked at me.
Robin
I agree with the person in the animal entertainment industry. Animals just like people like to entertain. They love the applause of the crowds. I have a house pet that dances and loves to hear me laugh at his antics and I am sure he would have loved to have been a circus dog. Animals just like people have different personalities and my experience with animals if they don’t want to do it they won’t! Just watch the dog whisperer they are animals and need to be treated as animals. They aren’t human and as much as we want to attach human qualities to them they are what they are.
Robin
Re: Animals aren’t humans. I’d go even farther and say that even if animals WERE more like humans that would STILL not justify banning animals from the entertainment industry, because lots of humans love being entertainers, and we don’t stop them. Why shouldn’t we let animals be entertainers, too?
I completely agree that people outside of the agricultural industry are not qualified to judge it. Although many of the ideas, which eventually become passed into law, may start out as well-meaning, often they are poorly researched and miss the bigger picture. They don’t take into account that people in farming have been in the business for generations and may actually know what they are doing.
Then, people who know nothing about the industry come in to make changes and make things “better”. Any person who blows up about how cruel farrowing/gestation crates are has obviously never seen a sow turn around and brutally cannibalize her own young or smash them to death as she stumbles around in her farrowing stupor. That same sow will kill you for looking at her young a day after they are born, but sometimes those hormones get the best of her and she needs to be confined during birthing because, frankly, nature is cruel. Introduce young pullets to a farm where there are established hens…even free range…and you have a pecking, chasing, squawking mess. Don’t dehorn your cattle and watch what happens when they get pushing each other, even in play, or when normal behavior during estrus gets a little awkward. Those people have never seen a heifer with blood running down into her nose from her dangling, gouged out eyeball, the victim of an errant head toss.
And for those people who think that “freeing them” is the answer…you also have not done your research. Most domestic animals have been selectively bred for hundreds of generations. These animals have become specialized to a purpose. They cannot survive without humans, and if they do miraculously manage, they most certainly will not do so happily or comfortably. It took us thousands of years to make them this way…do you really think we can unmake them in the time it takes to open a fence and say “shoo?”
People need to take the time to educate themselves before passing judgment on the way things are done. If you see something you don’t understand, don’t go running to your legislator and try pushing something you know nothing about. ASK. We’ll give you a hundred examples of why it is the way it is. Once you have all the facts, then tell me how cruel I am. I guarantee I have a much bigger and softer heart than the animals I work with every day.
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Examples of how HSUS lies: See my chicken crate comment to KellyS up near the top of the comments. Another example is pig crates. Most people do not understand that pig crates protect baby pigs. They have been used for a few days before and after birth for literally thousands of years. Look at old paintings and photographs to see the odd triangular wooden cages that they used to use. HSUS also does not tell you that the new laws they propose don’t actually forbid the pig crates; they just limit their use to a week before and a week after birth, which is all that most farmers use them for, anyway. A few of the biggest operations had started using them for longer periods, but for most farmers, that law won’t change how the pigs live. It will just subject them to extra fees and paperwork and permits and inspections, and usually the TAXPAYER pays at least part of the salaries for the inspectors and the bureaucrats who manage the office work. All this in a business that rarely makes a profit in the first place – why do you think farms are so often used as “tax havens”? They have a special tax incentive because the government knows how rarely they break even: Farms are allowed to subtract their losses against their owners’ other income (most farmers have side businesses because they cannot make a living at farming) for more consecutive years than other types of businesses are allowed. If that tax incentive didn’t exist, most farms would already be gone.
Re: “Although the ideas…may start out as well-meaning, often they are poorly researched.”
Shannon, actually these ideas are not poorly researched and the only people who are “well-meaning” are the ignorant legislators and voters unfamiliar with animal husbandry who are duped by the propaganda. These laws are carefully planned to SOUND humane but not actually BE humane, because the organizations that write and promote these laws are vegan political lobbyists who are trying to force their ideology on the rest of us. They don’t want to keep pets or keep meat, and they want to make it impossible for us to, also.
Sorry, that should have been “eat” meat.
I’am so happy to see more farmers and ranchers here in OHIO get envolved in the fight against HSUS and the Animal Rights movement.We got stand together and get these groups out of this great state of OHIO. I have only lived here since 09 and the way the ar groups are takeing over is very scary.I raise cattle,horses,and goats,I take very good care of my animals,sell my calves and my goats for meat or what ever.I know that most of you,like myself,have set up over night with a sick animal,I bet no one from these groups have or would do it. We care for our livestock,we put our own money,time,and heart into careing for these animals.To have some one come in to this or any other state and say we don’t care and we are not doing it right is just unthinkable and it needs to stop!
I would like to see Pacelle covered in feces, blood and you name it, like farmers who do sit up all night with their animals.
I’d like to see him bring a newborn calf or goat into his house when it’s Mom has rejected it. I’m sure he would say animals don’t belong in the house even if it’s to save their life.
Pacelle’s answer to any of this would be put it down, then beg for a donation to save the calf or goat that he didn’t the gumption to do the dirty work to keep alive.
Folks, this website is the watchdog– lots of info on WHERE H$U$ puts it’s money
http://humanewatch.org/
An animal cruelty case in Olalla Washington was just dropped, Butnot before a low income families’ livlihood was ruined- and to top it off- ALBC listed rare breeds were sterilized! The rescue toht took in the larger livestock actually posted on their web and facebook pages, video of how they DRAGGED the seized Duroc sow to move her. Poultry died in their care- for ‘unknown reasons’
Another farm was raided last week- camelids, goats, horses–
justice4pnw.weebly.com
In Colorado, a 4H go-to person was convicted of cruelty– her 20+ years of championship rabbit breeding RUINED!! The media reports on her barn temps had me wishing I lived in her barn– during a week of record high heat levels, her rabbits were cool and comfortable! Some time later, another rabbit breeder was hit by the same people…At the first person’s trial, an ‘expert witness– a vet’ stated the rabbits she had in the freezer, slated for a wildlife center, would have been more humanely kiiled if they had been ‘smothered’ rather than cervical dislocation used. And get this– the judge refused to let the word ‘livestock’ be used— and one of the original cruelty charges (dropped) was because she had an 8 year old rooster that was missing a dang toenail!!
I try to communicate with my local extension office and 4H people– but they have their heads in the sand– (my local 4H does not have a meat pen for rabbits, because they are the’pets’ of the kids– excuse me? then why are they “MARKET Animals?
if you want to show an animal in Washington state– better have a health certificate for it– even if it is a snake or a mouse!! In California, it is now illegal to butcher a ‘domestic animal’ in ofder to eat it.
I, personally, find it very frustrating that our County fairs are not supportive of agriculture- they are just huge carnivals- that extension offices ignore or minimize their real purpose– to FOSTER agriculture. When your extension agent says he milks every morning, yet his hands are soft and smooth, one wonders what his role is… The complacency of extension offices– seems to help reinforce that perhaps, the AR people are paying the salaries, and not our tax money. Why have land grant colleges and extension offices if they are not serving their purpose? Yes, AR thinking has infiltrated every aspect of government, and one of the ways to control a population, is to control the choices they have– including how and what to eat–
HSUS needs to be stopped.