These beautiful animals were headed for slaughter, to be sliced up and served as replaceable meals. Instead, these lucky ones were rescued. They now live their lives surrounded by other rescued animals and the care and respect of compassionate people. Thank you to Brightside Sanctuary for the use of these photographs. To read the stories of Cherie, Pablo, Esther and Annabel click here: Brightside Farm Sanctuary
  
Cruelty
Why do we love some animals and treat others with such disrespect and disregard?
The majority of people have companion animals; a dog or cat they love very much and treat as a member of their family. Most people care for and look after their dogs and cats well, loving them, providing them food and water, appropriate shelter, spending money on medical bills etc. This shows that most people like or love animals and realise that they are living, feeling beings with individual personalities and yet farm animals are no different from cats and dogs. In fact, pigs are extremely sociable and playful and even more intelligent than dogs. All animals feel the same feelings of happiness, fear, loneliness, anger, sadness, grief, frustration, excitement and fun. Each one has a unique personality, needs and feelings. Despite this, farm animals are treated as though they are inanimate objects - products whose only purpose is profit. If most people who say they love or respect animals or hate animal cruelty really knew how farm animals suffered in life and in death, they would not be able to continue to support such suffering. As Paul McCartney said, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would become vegetarian."
Make the Connection
One of the best ways to get an overview of the way animals are treated by humans is to watch the film EARTHLINGS.
Earthlings is an award- winning, feature length documentary about humanity's absolute dependence on animals (for pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and scientific research) but also illustrates our complete disrespect for these so-called "non-human providers." The film is narrated by Academy Award nominee Joaquin Phoenix and features music by the critically acclaimed platinum artist Moby. Powerful, informative and thought-provoking, EARTHLINGS is by far the most comprehensive documentary ever produced on the correlation between nature, animals, and human economic interests. (paraphrase from www.earthlings.com)
The full version of Earthlings has been provided on line for free. Click DVD cover above.
Animal Rights and Animal Welfare
If you are becoming vegetarian for reasons of compassion and respect for animals, you may be interested in exploring animal rights and animal welfare. Although Animal Rights and Animal Welfare people and organisations are both aiming for better lives for animals, the philosophies underlying each are quiet different. For more information about animal rights and animal welfare, a good start would be:
RSPCA and Animal Welfare League (for Animal Welfare)
Animal Lib and PETA (for Animal Rights)
Whether you are an animal rights supporter or an animal welfare supporter, the facts are still the same - billions of animals are suffering in hellish living conditions and then slaughtered while still very young. For more information on farm animals go to The Awful Truth page on this website. All animals fear death and fight violently for their lives right to the very end. Many people have the fantasy that animals in countries such as Australia or America are killed humanely. To find out what really goes on in a slaughterhouse, read the description of an animal lib worker who went undercover in a chicken slaughterhouse in Victoria recently: Chicken Slaughter or look at some of the video footage here: Animal TV
The average meat eating Australian
"It is estimated, will consume in a lifetime, around 17 beef cattle, 92 sheep, 15 pigs, 1000 fish and 1171 chickens. You can see that by becoming vegetarian/vegan, makes a big difference! "From Vegetarianism Questions and Answers By becoming vegetarian or vegan you are personally helping to reduce the suffering of animals and living a life of respect for animals
Help animals right now
As well as eliminating animals from your diet, you can also help animals right now. The Animal Rescue Site provides food for some of the 27 million unwanted animals given to shelters in the U.S. every year. Click on the purple logo above to go to the site and then "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button. Every time you click, food will be provided for a rescued animal living in a shelter or sanctuary. Funding for food and care is paid by site sponsors and distributed to animals in need supported by the GreaterGood.org foundation. This is a completely legitimate website. It will only take a few seconds and costs nothing. You don't need to give email details unless you choose to be sent reminders to click regularly or to receive news.
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