We like to consider ourselves a benevolent nation of true progress, compassion and justice but did you know that while farming practices widely considered to be cruel, inhumane and unacceptable are being phased out elsewhere in the world, Australia is lagging behind. Did you also know that most egg, chicken and meat products sold on supermarket shelves today come from factory farms? Yes, your bacon and egg fry up comes at a cost and it is completely unrelated to money. The majority of eggs produced in Australia today come from crowded battery hen farms where birds are given a miniscule ‘living space’ smaller than an A4 piece of paper. In Australia, it is completely legal to confine a pregnant mother pig to a space so small that she is unable to turn around. Despite having the same capacity to suffer (and in the case of pigs, comparable intelligence) animals raised for food are inexplicably excluded from animal cruelty laws
that protect the same animals we call ‘pets’. If you were to treat your dog
like an animal in a factory farm, you could be charged with animal
cruelty. And yet those raised for the purposes of food are treated in the most abominable ways possible.
It’s time to do something about it. And, thanks to our friends at Animals Australia (donate here), now you can. Here are five reasons why you should put ethics before profits and help put an end to factory farming.
1) Because if you have ever loved a pet then you know they can feel joy and pain – just like all animals who equally deserve protection and kindness.
2) Because factory farming is the #1 cause of animal cruelty in the world today but it is also the easiest to solve!
3) Because it’s not only about animals – factory farming contributes to world hunger with 1/3 of the world’s edible cereal harvest fed to farm animals. That’s enough to feed 3 billion people!
4) Because our planet will thank us. A farm of 5,000 pigs can produce as much waste as a town of 20,000 people and livestock production is responsible for 1/5 of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
5) Because unlike so many other issues, the power to improve the lives of these animals isn’t in the hands of governments – it’s in our own hands and in the choices we make as consumers every day.
If this information upsets, appals or angers, please know that little old you is completely capable of changing it. Here are four easy and immediate ways to do so…
Fight with your wallet: The harsh truth is that the best way to protect animals is not to eat or farm them at all. For some people, that choice is easy. For others, not so much. If you fall into the latter category, that’s cool, many of us do. Just be aware that unless clearly labelled otherwise, all eggs, ham, bacon and pork products sold in today’s supermarkets are produced from factory farms. Demand dictates supply so what you choose to buy – or choose not to buy – sends a clear message to/impacts the bottom dollar of the farmers, supermarkets and everyone else involved in the Australian food industry. Let them know what you think by striving to purchase ethically produced food products wherever possible.
Educate people: Most Australians are appalled by animal cruelty. Because of this, factory farms
only exist because the suffering they cause has been hidden from public
view. If you care about animals, then tell everyone you know about what’s at stake, what goes on behind closed doors and how their voice can help change the industry. Tell your supermarket
manager or the assistant at your local deli why you won’t buy
factory-farmed. Order a free Animals Australia Action Pack which includes leaflets, a bumper sticker, a shopping
trolley sign, campaign postcard, and all the other materials you’ll need
to spread the message about the brutal living conditions endured by factory farmed animals. While you’re at it, share your views through your social media channels.
Donate To Animals Australia: Animals Australia’s important work to expose the cruelty of factory farming is funded entirely by public donations. With limited staff and resources, they need your support to inform all Australians about the brutal truth behind the practice of factory farming. Every contribution, big or small, helps! But to win the fight against factory farming, their campaign needs to be smart and relentless. Consider joining the Make it Possible Fighting Fund by becoming a regular giver to Animals Australia and help sustain Make it Possible throughout 2013 and beyond!
Take the Pledge: Join over 110,000 other Australians who have jumped online and taken the pledge to help end factory farming by 1) refusing to buy factory farmed products; 2) eating fewer animal products; or 3) going meat-free. There is something each and every one of us can do right now to help end this cruelty. Take the Pledge now at www.makeitpossible.com
For more information head to www.animalsaustralia.org
