Tuesday 1 December 2015

Chickens Are Food, Not Friends*...

'Guardian' opinion on animal charities:
Although animal charities receive less money than charities that help humans, animal causes are clearly important to many people. So if you want to help animals, what should you do? As the Charities Aid Foundation survey shows, most people find it difficult to know which charities to give to when there are so many charities out there, and they also want to know that their money is actually helping. This is where effective giving comes in. When we give effectively, we give to those charities that we have the best evidence are making the biggest difference in a given cause area.
Something I always point out!
If we want to donate to charities that make the biggest difference to animals, it’s important for us to realise that...
...the RSPCA and WWF are going to hose our money on PR flim-flam & lavish HQs?
...animal suffering and death don’t just affect domestic animals such as dogs and cats.
Ah. Good point. Must think of the hamsters, snakes, rabbits and...

Wait. What?
In fact, Animal Charity Evaluators – an organisation that researches the effectiveness of different animal charities – points out that for every individual dog or cat euthanised in shelters in the US, about 360 farm animals were killed. In the UK alone, about 90 million chickens are slaughtered every month.
Errrr.... Well, yes. That's what they are bred for!

*With apologies to S Weasel, for whom they are most definitely the latter!

6 comments:

Bill Sticker said...

Julia, have you heard the one about PETA stealing a Chihuahua off someone's porch and killing the poor creature within 24 hours?

http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/jen-gerson-the-day-peta-killed-a-pet-dog

Ted Treen said...

Bill,
One of the problems with some charitable organisations like PETA is that viewed in isolation, their stated aim(s) appear very laudable, and they're aims with which I find myself in great sympathy.

Unfortunately however, many operatives are drawn from the pool of inadequates whose only raison d'ĂȘtre is to wield authoritative power over others - and these inadequate incompetents are sufficiently cerebrally challenged that they have no idea how to exercise any authority appropriately.

Bill Sticker said...

Ted, no argument from me. PETA have the unenviable reputation of killing more cats and dogs than any other similar society, then they have the nerve to tell us that wearing farmed fur or eating meat is 'wrong'.

While I too detest people who treat animals badly, I recall what it's like to go out hunting Mink because some Animal rights idiots (Sometimes PETA affiliated) raided a fur farm and let dozens of the nasty little predators out into the countryside. Because what do Mink do when let loose into the great outdoors? Wreak havoc with other wildlife. Upset ecosystems. Ruin fishing.

If organisations like the ironically titled 'People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' could do joined up thinking, they would be at the forefront of promoting good animal husbandry practices in food species by forming partnerships with food producers and marketing the hell out of the 'ethical feelgood factor'. Unfortunately that day will be a long time coming.

John M said...

It's probably time to euthenase a few cuckoos as well. Some of them seem to have evolved tothe point where they can write and speak out for animal charitees...

Ted Treen said...

No argument from me on either Bill S's or John M's posts...

JuliaM said...

"...have you heard the one about PETA stealing a Chihuahua off someone's porch and killing the poor creature within 24 hours?"

If that had been my pet, they'd be one fewer vegan in the world, and I'd be in a cell!

"Because what do Mink do when let loose into the great outdoors?"

Pretty much what PETA members do, it seems!