Animal Writings

If you're vegan or involved in animal advocacy, your experience may be similar to mine: It seems like all my non-vegan friends, relatives, and co-workers want to know my take on the Michael Vick case.

They are, to a person, appalled at the hideous and callous cruelties inflicted on the dogs who lived — and who were killed — on Mr. Vick's property. Usually they condemn dogfighting and indicate that they think it should be outlawed.

I thank the person with whom I'm talking for his or her concern for animal welfare, and typically express my thought that the silver lining in all this is that it is making people aware of a widespread heinous practice, and that hopefully this new awareness will translate into stronger anti-dogfighting and anti-animal cruelty legislation and enforcement.

But then I let them know that:

• Tortures on a par with or much worse than those inflicted on Michael Vick’s dogs happen every day – every hour – at slaughterhouses.


• For the most part...Unlike the cruelties that occurred on Michael Vick’s property, the suffering and slaughter of farm animals is a direct result of our purchasing decisions, and we have the power to undo all those wrongs by buying vegan alternatives instead — and it’s not that hard, and there’s plenty of support and guidance available, including from me. (At this point I may hand out some vegetarian literature if it feels right — I try to keep some handy at all times.)

The Vick tragedy, awful as it is, provides us with an opportunity to ask the rhetorical question: Ethically, what is the difference between a dog and a pig?

Why do people detest dogfighting but eat pigs and chicken? Here are three reasons:

1. There is no conflict of interest when condemning dogfighting. People (in the West) don’t eat dogs or knowingly wear their skin. There is no implied self-incrimination when meat-eaters—sincerely—condemn dogfighting.


2. Tens of millions of households have dogs as family members.


3. People are conditioned to think of pigs and chickens (and cows and so forth) as "food animals." Eating meat seems as natural as breathing to most people. And humans are frighteningly good at compartmentalizing, for example pushing thoughts about the suffering and killing of farmed animals out of their minds.

I’m not defending any of the above reasoning, but I think it's important that we understand the psychology of meat-eating so that we may become more adept at wresting people away from this cruel and destructive addiction.

One last thing: Although there is some circumstantial evidence that looks like it may implicate Michael Vick, he has not yet had his day in court. I try to focus on the issue, not the person, as I think this will a) better convey that the Vick incident is not an isolated case, b) avoid getting us sidetracked on "Is he guilty?"

Labels: advocacy, dogfighting, dogs, farmed animals