Animal Sunday

[m_cobweb]

Shoreline UUC had their animal blessing this morning. With some trepidation, Sean and I chose to take Ross to church, rather than simply a photograph of kitties. He's our most gregarious cat and we thought he might even enjoy the morning--once he realized he was NOT going to the vet. (Site of many traumatic events for him, poor guy.)

We tried the little rope harness on him last night and he was completely unfazed. So this morning we popped him into a carrier (not as easy as it sounds!)and we were off. Ross was a little agitated as we hit the freeway, but once he realized we were arriving somewhere new, he started to relax. We were running late and arrived just in time to join the parade of people going up front to introduce their pets, so we got the harness on him quickly and got in line.

Ross did very well except for the time he tried to climb out of Sean's arms onto a stack of chairs and left a couple of deep scratches on Sean's chest. Otherwise Ross was pretty easy to hold onto. He started to enjoy himself once we had taken our seats, looking around at the new surroundings and people. I let him wander on his harness--but unfortunately he got it off within 30 seconds and we had to transfer him back to the carrier. (I gave him the harness to play with when he got bored.)

This was followed by a slightly harrowing sermon on the dichotomy between the treatment of our beloved pets and the treatment of other animals--specifically those on factory farms. Factory farming really is one of my issues; I have so many problems with the concept. Makes me feel better that when I do succumb to the lure of poultry, I can at least go for free-range/organic meat. And now Sean will be off this afternoon to game with people having a beef barbecue. I should call down there and demand to know where the beef came from...:-)(Sean plans to have chicken, btw, and avoid beef from now on now that BSE has turned up in Canada.)

I would like to do more to protest factory farming. I'm amused that Thomas (our minister) recommended supporting PETA...I understand the position, but I can't agree with all their tactics so I'd like to find another approach.

Comments

There are a number of farms in our region.

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

I reccomend that you actually go to a few of them, and see how things are done in *this* state before you jump on anyone's bandwagon for protesting.

It gets you nowhere to point fingers at people that are innocent. Make sure the shadow of accusation is actually landing on a guilty party.

Washington Beef has been lumped in with the factory cattle ranching on more than one occassion, and always by people who did not do the research. Because of this, cattle ranchers that are commiting the heinous acts that were the original target were let off. If you do not *know* for certain that there are crimes against animals being commited in the name of production and start raising a lot of noise about it, you cast yourself as a crackpot, and your cause as emotional ranting. It makes you seem no better than the crazy people downtown that stand on the corners spewing whatever their schizophrenic minds will give them.

Fair animal treatment is a cause for you. Keeping fair animal treatment protestations focused where the problems are is mine.

Re: There are a number of farms in our region.

[m-cobweb.livejournal.com]

I would certainly feel much better knowing that there are farms that are not mistreating animals. Is there a way to learn this without personally visiting, or would there be only biased information?

I would not protest particular farms, certainly, without proof of what I was protesting. Rather, I would prefer to take action by promoting legislation or disseminating information that would encourage people to treat animals humanely.

I can no longer bring myself to eat mammals anyway, so that statement is already made...

Re: There are a number of farms in our region.

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

:)

that is the best idea I have ever heard on doing something about it.

Really, the only way to know for sure is to *go*.

Washington Beef actually does treat their animals very humanely... They let them roam around (even the small ones) and they feed them from locally grown Hay, Alfalfa, and corn (from Walla walla, land of the Jolly Green Giant). When the cows are slaughtered it is very fast and painless so they do not feel a thing (which can not be said for a lot of the organic/free range ranchers). The meat packing plant is crazy clean, and the workers are very sanitary (it looks like a pharmaceutical lab from what they are wearing). This is why, when I do eat beef, I eat Washington Beef (even down to only eating fast food from local chains that use Washington Beef [Red Mill, Dicks, and Kid Valley}).

:) ok, so that was from my first hand vists.

And that is why knowledge of finger pointing is a soap box for me. I have actually *been* there. ;)

It gives you an amazing feeling of knowledge about what is going into your body to go to the places where it is produced. (even the vegetable farms!!).

:) Yay that you are doing something in a positive helpful way, and not just a ranty freaky, "I'm a vegan cause it is wrong to eat things with faces" way. That always seemed to be too much of a "I'm vegan so I can be cooler than you" kinda thing in the long run.

*Smoochies*

[vorona.livejournal.com]

I considered taking Corby to one of those, even
though he was more of a scientific/existentialist
crow, who was fully free to choose his own religion;
who ate kosher by default; most likely not a Christian
crow, but certainly interested in the art... so I think
he would have dug it. And the whole "sanctuary" aspect
of walking in there with wildlife on my shoulder... ah,
but I never did. Sounds pretty cool though.

[m-cobweb.livejournal.com]

Sounds like he would have fit in very well in a Unitarian church! It would depend a lot on his feelings towards dogs, though, as to how much he would enjoy the event.