Imagine being abused for something that you have that another person wants for their desire. It‘s not a good feeling to even think about. However, we as consumers, are doing this very thing, It’s probably sitting on top of your plate, in your fridge or in your favorite restaurant. The very meat and animal products we consume daily are coming from animals that are being abused and being restricted to live a happy life. In the article “We can’t stomach the real cost of food” by Elizabeth Renzetti, she talks about the abuse and torture the animals go through, the tactics governments are using to cover up traces of abuse and the consumers are responsible for the abuse towards animals.
I do believe consumers easily forget about the abuse of animals as the author claims. Consumers do have responsibilities towards animal abuse because they are the ones influencing the amount of food being produced, they have the daily choice in how they prepare and eat their food responsibly and the lack of their constant attention on animal abuse.
Firstly, consumers are the main influence on the rate and amount of food and abuse happens to animals Focusing on specifically US. and Canadian consumers, the rate of chicken meat has increased due to its cheap price tag. For example, “In both Canada and the US, consumption of red meat has fallen over the past three decades, but demand for poultry has soared” (Renzetti, 2014). This example talks about consumers being the drivers toward the products they receive.
Due to the cheap price tag and the hunger for chicken, farms will continue to mass produce and abuse chicken at a high rate with little to no consequences if everyone’s mouth gets fed.
Additionally, consumers have a daily choice of how they prepare their food responsiblyr Due to animal products being cheap and widely available, it‘s consumer’s first instinct to go for them. However, consumers have a daily choice of preparing their foods in a responsible manner whether it’s to buy locally or looking for alternative food diets, For instance, Renzetti (2014) speaks about veganism only once, stating that Mercy for Animal could hang up their cameras if we all went vegan. Veganism is one alternative consumers can consider which features a lifestyle of no animal products whatsoeveri This example explains that it is up to consumers to understand what the value of their money is getting them.
There are many alternatives they can consider when deciding to indulge in their food responsibly, It is ultimately up to them in stopping the abuse or continuing it with the daily choices that arises to them. Finally, with the amount of information that we consume, it’s easy to forget about the fact that animals are being abusedjust for our desire of their products. Despite their being multiple videos and leaked footage of animals being abused by workers, there will be a public outcry for a couple of days, which then subsides those following days. For example, Renzetti (2014) states that when a Chilliwack Cattle Sales video of workers abusing their cows for fun, there was a public fury with the company which lead to a boycott of the milk they produced However, that boycott was only temporary and the publics rage soon faded away.
With this example, it shows that people are ready to be on board with a movement or protest, only to soon forget about what they were fighting for. This could be because we have many things that need our attention and we just need constant reminders to help us remember what we truly need to fight for. In conclusion, consumers are responsible for the abuse towards animals because they are the ones influencing the amount of food being produced, they have the daily choice in how they prepare and eat their food responsibly and the lack of their constant attention on animal abuse. All it takes for us to do is to give up what we think is best for us, because everyone and everything deserves to liver
Veganism As a Way Of Life Without Animal Products. (2022, Dec 11). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/veganism-as-a-way-of-life-without-animal-products/