Kill+or+be+killed

=__**'Kill or be Killed'**__=

**Name:** Kaitlin Cave

 * Student Number:** N8832587
 * Tutor:** Dr. Jess Rogers (Jey)

"Kill or Be Killed"

Ethics and Philosophy behind the treatment of Animals media type="custom" key="24268572" align="center"

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__The Artefact__

This YouTube video of Paul McCartney and his story of “if slaughter houses had glass walls, you would be a vegetarian,” shows pigs, chickens and cows and the cruelty that they receive in our hands. This represents my topic on the ethics and philosophy around the treatment of animals. This video focuses on the brutality on the animals that are helping us with products we use every day. Paul McCartney uses footage that has been shot in the sheds the animals are kept before they go to the slaughter houses. He also uses facts collected from professionals in the specific areas to prove his points are accurate. __The Public health Issue __

Akhtar, A. 2013, state that emerging infectious diseases are evolving due to the lack of proper treatment of the animals before they go to the slaughter house. Due to the increase of population and the need for these products we get from these animals, the farming practices have had to heighten. The stress associated with these new farming conditions has increased the animals’ vulnerability to disease. Pew Commission reported that close contact of animals facilitates the exchange and evolution of pathogens and how stress induced by dense confinement increases the likelihood of infection and illness in animals. Pathogens circulating in these animal populations may lead to human illnesses. []

Overtime there has been a growth in the research and studies completed on the treatment of animals and how it affects our lives. Peter Singer states in his book, Animal Liberation, “the basic principle of equality does not require equal or identical treatment; it requires equal consideration.”
 * __Literature Review __**

Peta Australia (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Australia) is dedicating to establishing and protecting the rights of animals (PETA, 2013). Peta Australia operates under the simple principle that animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, use for entertainment or abuse in any way. They use campaigns like the one above to grasp the world’s attention by means necessary and to remind people that animals have the same parts as humans (Of course vegan, 2013).
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http://healthcultureandsociety2013.wikispaces.com/site/embedthumbnail/placeholder?w=275&h=50 Peter Singer states, “Dogs and pigs have the same capacity to feel pain, but it is prejudice based on species that allows us to think of one animal as a companion and the other as dinner.” In the Paul McCartney’s YouTube clip, it was shown how a pig could play a video game and was described to have the intelligence of a three year old child. People these days do not get the chance to interact with these sensitive animals due to the 6 million pigs slaughtered each year in Australia are brought up in factory farms (PETA, 2013). Pigs are naturally clean and avoid soiling their living areas but in the factory farms they are forced to live in concrete group pens amongst their own wastes (Unleashed, 2013). Mother pigs or sows; spend their miserable lives confined to tiny gestation crates that are too small for them to even turn around in (PETA, 2013). In Australia, it is legal to lock a mother pig in a barren metal cage for the full 16 weeks of her pregnancy (Unleashed, 2013). The sows are impregnated again and again until their bodies give out (PETA, 2013). Before giving birth the sows are moved to even smaller cells where she is treated as nothing more than a milk machine for the babies. She is unable to interact with her young (Unleashed, 2013). In the natural world for pigs, sows form a very strong bond with the piglets and have been known to sing to their babies (Unleashed, 2013). Most sows do not survive more than 2 years on a factory farm. Therefore 1 in 10 sows die every year at piggeries, but many more are killed because of lameness, injury or inability to get pregnant (Unleashed, 2013). Almost 2/3 of mother pigs are replaced every year on factory farms (PETA, 2013).



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As Paul McCartney has shown on the clip, if piglets are born too small for the companies required lengths they are killed. In nature a sow walks away from feeding when the piglets’ start to hurt her nipples due to their sharp teeth. In the cages they are kept in she cannot move away and her nipples can get torn till they are hanging by a shred (Unleashed, 2013). For this reason, piglets’ teeth are cut or grounded, exposing the soft sensitive pulp inside (Unleashed, 2013). This is done without pain killers and the pain can last for weeks (PETA, 2013). After a few weeks, piglets’ are torn away from their distraught mums’ to have their tails chopped off and the males are castrated. Again no pain relief is given to ease their suffering. The animals are known to scream in agony, vomit and suffer leg shaking due to the trauma (PETA, 2013). Once the pigs reach 4-6 months old they are forced into trucks and transported kilometres through all weather conditions (PETA, 2013). Some die of heat exhaustion whilst others are severely injured during the journey (Unleashed, 2013).

Dr. Bernard Rollins, Colorado State University Distinguished Professor states “Contrary to what one may hear from the industry, chickens are … complex behaviourally, do quite well in learning, show a rich social organisation, and have a diverse repertoire of calls. Anyone who has kept barnyard chickens recognises their significant differences in personality.” For chicken meat, the birds are selectively bred to grow much faster than their bodies can cope. At 5-7 weeks of age, the survivors are grabbed by the legs and shoved into cages to be trucked to slaughter (Unleashed, 2013). Birds exploited for their eggs are crammed together in wire cages without sufficient room even to spread one wing (PETA, 2013). The birds have part of their sensitive beaks cut off so that they will not peck each other. The male chicks of these birds are unable to lay eggs and are then gassed to death with carbon dioxide or ground up alive immediately after hatching (PETA, 2013).



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These studies and research has helped with the Queensland Government to develop regulations and laws to help protect animal welfare. The Queensland Government’s Animal welfare program has four main aims. []
 * || __**Aims **__ ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">1 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Promote the responsible care and use of animals ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">2 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Provide standards for animal care and use that
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Achieve a reasonable balance between the welfare of animals and the interests of people whose livelihood depends on animals
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Allow for the effect of advancements in scientific knowledge about animal biology and changes in community expectations about practises involving animals ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">3 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Protect animals from unjustifiable, unnecessary, or unreasonable pain (eg. cruelty) ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">4 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ensure that the use of animals for scientific purposes is accountable, open and responsible ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">In breach of the regulations set by the Queensland Government a maximum penalty for an individual convicted of cruelty to animals is $220,000 or 3 years imprisonment. Duty of care places a legal obligation on those in charge of animals to provide for an animal’s needs in an appropriate way. The maximum penalty for an individual convicted of a breach of duty of care is $33,000 or 1 year imprisonment (Queensland Government, 2013).

__** Cultural and Social Analysis **__

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Society and culture are important to consider when trying to understand the effects of treatment on animals effects our public health overall. The impact that poor treatment of the animals has on the outcome of the meat is a critical issue with regards to public health in Australia. In the literature review, many issues of how the animals were disgustingly treated were highlighted and the effects it has on these innocent animals. When analysing this issue, factory farming can be perceived as the McDonaldization of the traditional method of farming. McDonaldization refers to the process of rationalization in which traditional ways of thinking were being replaced by an ends/means analysis concerned with efficiency and social control (Crossman, 2013). George Ritzer outlines five major themes within the process of McDonaldization; efficiency, calculability, predictability, increased control and the replacement of human by non-human technology. As the country expands with the population growth, McDonaldization is being used to help with the increase demand on the meat products. With the transformation into this the lack of focus onto the care and treatment of animals has been ignored and our own selfish needs have had to be put first. Meat production had doubled over the past fifty years and is only available to those who can afford it (Currey, 2011). With more and more meat production we can conclude that people are consuming it at a higher rate. To keep up with the demand the factory farms have had to develop and implement new methods of raising, fattening and slaughtering animals to maintain a high supply (Currey, 2011). These farms are able to produce high quantities of meat within such short periods of time because of the feed and hormones. The entire process rests on the productivity and profits, therefore making it difficult for the farming companies to be concerned with the environment or health of the animals (Currey, 2011). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The new farming techniques that have been brought in to maximise the McDonaldization of the meat industry has provided farmers with greater control over animals while disregarding their welfare (Smart, 1999). Playing a significant role in encouraging factory farming is Capitalism and globalization by proposing that industrialized meat production is the only way to supply the current demand for meat (Smart, 1999). They have done this by emphasizing the importance of meat in the daily diets of the consumers (Smart, 1999). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Many organisations such as PETA and Animals Australia are trying to encourage the public that the meat production practices will not change unless we, the public, stop supporting them by purchasing their meat products. Factory farming has serious consequences for the environment, human health and the welfare of the animals involved and therefore makes livestock production a problem that affects all social and cultural groups. At this present time though most people believe that eating food is a necessity of everyday living and will not cut meat out.

__**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Analysis of the Artefact and own learning Reflections **__

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Paul McCartney’s video on factory farms is a very gruesome, eye opener into the lives of these animals. I selected this video as I found it to be quite precise on how the animals are treated and does not hold back on showing the truth. I also found the fact that he has used facts backed up by professionals to support his accusations. This video made me feel sick to the stomach and I feel needs to be shown to more people, to open their eyes to what is happening in this world. The more awareness that can be put out there, more chance that something will be done to fix the issue. To me it seems unless something happens to people in their everyday life nothing will ever change. Coles and Woolworths have committed to making a difference. By the end of 2013, all Coles brand eggs will be cage free and Woolworths will have no battery hen eggs by 2018. Before I study this unit, PUB209 I never fully understood the horror that animals were put through just to give us a piece of bacon, chicken breast or a steak. I now see the cruelty that these poor innocent creatures go through for me. This has made me rethink my thoughts of meat and I have helped by encouraging my family and friends to watch the clip and realise what is happening around us.


 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Reflection Task and Learning Engagement __**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Comment One:

http://healthcultureandsociety2013.wikispaces.com/%27The+Junkie%27s+Prayer%27+-+Illicit+Substance+Use%2C+Criminalisation+and+the+Overlooked+Cycle

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Comment Two: http://healthcultureandsociety2013.wikispaces.com/%27I+just+really+love+meat%27+-+So+is+Factory+Farming+and+Animal+Cruelty+justifiable%3F


 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Reference List __**


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12px;">Akhtar, A. (2013). Journal of Public Health Policy. The need to include animal protection in public health policies, 34, 549-599. doi: 10.1057/jphp.2013.29
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Animals Australia: The voice for animals. (2013) Promoting animal rights by promoting reform. Retrieved from []
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Crossman, A. (2013). The McDonaldization of Society. Retrieved from []
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Currey, A. (2011). The Evolution of Industrial Food Production: McDonaldization and Population Health, 15(1), 121-132.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">George Ritzer. (2007, Oct 24). McDonaldization Theory of George Ritzer [Video file]. Retrieved from []
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Good Reads. (2013). Peter Singer Quotes. Retrieved from []
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Of Course Vegan. (2013). Why protest naked? Retrieved from []
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Peta Australia: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Australia. (2013) About Peta Australia. Retrieved from []
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">PEW Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production. (2008) Industrial farm animal production, antimicrobial resistance and human health. Retrieved from []
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Queensland Government: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. (2013) Queensland’s animal welfare law. Retrieved from []
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Smart, B. (1999). Resisting McDonaldization. London: Sage Publications
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Unleashed Animals Australia. (2013). Pigs. Retrieved from []