why do people think it's okay to kill cows and other meat but not any animals like dogs,cats,etc?!
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Perhaps a lot of people thought that only Asian eat 'exotic' meats but its not true, there are many 'exotic' meats in some western countries too.
But what is considered exotic to one may be just a normal kind of meat to another but basically if one see cows, sheep, chickens and etc as meat, there should be no reason why other animals can't be the meat they are eating too except most of us are more emotionally attached to animals we called as pets. So if one keeps pig as pet, may feel its not right to eat pork too.
And when one animal is allowed and legal to be breed and be eaten, most people in that country will generally treat it as a normal thing but definitely will be a cultural shock for some others.
Because, as you can see by the range of answers, human beings have double standards when it comes to food and pets. Most people cut off to the fact that what's on their plate used to be a cow, sheep or chicken, or if they think about it at all they say "it's the way of things" or something similar because that's easier than thinking about it too deeply. People who think about it too deeply either have to level it with their conscience that they're party to the suffering of animals, or they have to make the decision to walk away from that, and have nothing to do with the whole process and stop eating meat. People are essentially lazy and don't like to change, though, so they generally will make up reasons why it's ok to keep eating meat, not because they enjoy hurting animals, but because they don't want to have to make the changes necessary to be any better than their stone age ancestors.
From an early age we are socially conditioned by parents, school, culture (books and TV etc) to view some animals as "cute" and some as "dinner."
I don't know if you're vegetarian or not, but please don't just resolve this as "the way things are" because that's how so many atrocities happen in the world. Keep questioning until you can get some straight answers. People only get defensive/argumentative when they know you're on the right track and they don't like it. :)
Animal Liberation by Peter Singer,
Vegan Freak by Bob and Jenna Torres,
PETA website: www.peta.org.uk
Good point, I agree. I think it's cos many people own cats and dogs etc. as pets and feel they can 'relate' to them more in that way. They are a bit ignorant of the feelings of cows, pigs, etc. cos they have probably grown up eating them and just see it as a way of life for them, they are used to it and see it as the norm. They probably don't give it much thought either and cos when people eat them as food, they don't have the face of a cow or whatever so it's easy to forget they were even animals before. Maybe if they had visible faces, people would feel differently. These animals have become the associated and stereotypical images of animals it is acceptable to eat sadly.
Mostly a vegan!
It's always been something I feel uncomfortable about, and if I ever got to know a cow or sheep I'm sure I'd feel bad about eating one. I've thought about becoming a vegetarian more than once. I'm on the fence about eating animals since I have four cats I dearly love. Like people have said, it's cultural--in some cultures certain animals are regarded as food and some are regarded as pets. I used to be grossed out by certain people I worked with who killed rabbits and ate them--they would bring their to work and heat it up in the microwave and I'd have to smell it.
That's only in the Western world. In many other cultures, it's different; that is, it's ok to kill dogs and cats (or whatever) but not any animals like cows (or whatever).
Specifically, I agree with you that there should be no fundamental difference between killing a cow for food and killing a dog for food. They're both animals, why is one any more (or less) shocking or horrible than another.
And I'm not a vegetarian either. I mean, boil a live lobster and you're a chef, boil a live kitten and suddenly it's a big deal.
people in many asian countries eat dogs, but in hindu countries such as India, it is illegal to kill a healthy cow. but it isnt legal to make a healthy cow unhealthy, by poisoning or maiming it, then you can kill it. i went a bit off subject there, but my point is, it depends where in the world you live.
Also, it probably has something to do with the fact that the slaughter is hidden, and you only see it if you go looking for it, i think many more people would be against it if cows were killed in the street for all to see.
There are many reasons and you do not need to be a omnivore or veg/vegan to be disgusted with eating dogs and cats.
Most modern nations have the likes of dogs and cats as pets so it will impact a lot of pet lovers of hearing that the likes of cats and dogs in other nations being treated terribly in such a way. Even France get abuse for eating horses!!
Another is that the likes of dogs and cats you are not going to get any or much nutrition out of them, their is a lot of waste energy going into feeding the dogs just for humans to eat them but if you come from an area where food is scarce and you have a high population!!. Even in the modern world a lot of these areas tend to keep hold of traditions even tho they are not relevant to today's standards.
It takes less energy to look after cows and such to provide food!!
All in all I think that the way we see food in the developing and modern world is disgusting, intensive and unnecessary. It is barmy that it costs more to have organic/free range and even still it costs just as much to have vegetables!!
Cultural norms. In the West at least, dogs and cats are much more commonly kept as pets than cows, chickens, pigs, etc. So people feel less comfortable eating them. Also, some religions forbid their followers from eating carnivorous animals, and both dogs and cats are carnivores.
But in some parts of the world, such as parts of Africa and the far East, dog and cat meat is eaten. I myself have eaten cat meat on a couple occasions.
Well, depends of the place of the world. Chinese and Koreans would also think that kill cats and dogs are ok to kill and eat.
I am not 100% sure myself, but I believe it is because cats and dogs are much closer to us as our company than other animals. But I had seen a lot of cases of people that have porks and cows as pets and they also don't eat meat of those animals.
I don't, I think if you eat meat, then you should look at fluffy kittens the same way.
I don't understand the cut-off mentality.
Some countries eat horse and squirrel, so the boundaries are different each place you go.
SOme people have pigs for pets.
I think it's hyppocrisy to get disgusted about eating cats. You think Chinese people don't eat cats?
Your computer and Nikes are made by cat eaters.
Its how we were brought up. We were raised with cats and dogs in our houses from young children. We almost look at them as our own species. I am a cat and dog lover, but to be honest...Pig/Swin are actually closer to humans then dogs/cats are genetically. (Not saying they are as close as Primates, but they are more similar...especially their skin/flesh)
I also notice that in America we rarely eat carnivores. Yes, some people eat shark and crocodile, but its more of a delicacy.
Because humans are shallow.. also because the animals we are eating are weak to attack..
cow, pigs, chicken, sheep = looks weak, also they not as cute looking as a cat, dog, rabbit..
which i know is not true.. people tend to pick on the weak ones!
did you know a cow lays a tear drop when its being chopped...
Its just the way we where taught growing up... its like how people look at veg's sometimes and go "where do you get your protein?!" "You CAN'T have good nutrition on a veg diet!" and so on, so on...
We're just not used to the idea.
In asia somewhere (somewhere else?) they eat fried guinea pigs... true.
Cultural influences. Same as how people from India would shun our cow eating diet as they consider the cow sacred because it provides many things for them, such as dung for fuel. Its incredibly wrong and stupid but it all has to do with what people have been conditioned to accept.
Actually, in some parts of the world, people do eat cats and dogs--though, in some of those places, like China, laws are being proposed to make it illegal to eat cat and dog meat.
http://www.economist.com/node/15580840
I guess some don't really think about it when the eat beef etc. I mean it doesn't really look like a cow when it's on your plate. I suppose they think it's just a way of life that they eat these animals.
I think it is because cats and dogs eat meat. Most other animals we eat are herbivores. I eat rabbit and they are considered a pet. Horse meat too is delicious, another pet? I also bought some goats meat to try.
Cultural norms. Go to many Asian countries, and they eat dogs and cats (and also have them in their homes). Is it right? No. But society has put a double standard on cruelty towards animals.
Dogs and cats are DOMESTIC animals - cows and sheep are FARM animals
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speciesism
Because many people believe dogs and cats were put on earth to be our companions and they believe that cows and chickens were put here to feed us.
It is because cows are seen as food, Ruby.
Cats and dogs are seen as pets.
because we are used to seeing cats and dogs as "friendS"
If we didnt keep them as pets we would eat them too
Culture/tradition. It is the way that they have grown up, nothing more.
To some Eastern people cat and dog meat is a delicacy. Over here in the West we stick to the more traditional meats. It's as simple as that.
cows are big and have alot of meat on them. plus, cats are cute
Well cats and dogs were welcomed members of families in a society while cows are used as food to keep people strong and healthy. It’s only natural to kill cows for the meat but it should be made as quick and painless as possible.
Killing cats and dogs are not for food or survival so it’s just plain animal cruelty. You could argue that dogs are food in China and such but dogs and cats have been proven to be very friendly and works very well with humans, much more than most animals and the way they kill dogs in those countries is just barbaric. For people that own cows, they don’t get attached because they see it as an investment, either to sell for meat or to milk. It’s not a family pet.
I do think its ok. In some parts of the world they do eat dog and cat. They even eat horse. In Europe I did eat horse. Here in the US there really is no need to eat dog, cat, or horse. We have so many other meats to choose from. Plus these are the types of animals most Americans have chosen to keep as pets. Why eat a pet when there are plenty of other choices at your local butcher shop.
Don't you have any thoughts of your own DNA? You and your sources! lol
How about some incite from some real world experience! Oh that's right, you have none.
because they taste good