The truths about animal cruelty are widespread knowledge that a majority of people see as upsetting and ethically wrong. Whether it is through donations to the ASPCA to help animals find homes or protests against the infamous SeaWorld, a large amount of people are of the opinion that animal rights are at least somewhat important. However, one facet of this issue is often conveniently ignored or avoided: the meat industry. Now while I have strong opinions about the morality of meat consumption, I will simply reveal facts about the industry rather than giving my personal opinion. It is a controversy that should not really be a controversy because the facts are evident and haven’t changed in years. Instead of speaking about the ethics behind taking animal lives for food, I will direct my attention to the treatment of animals prior to their deaths.

One main concern of this industry is the space these animal are given on a daily basis to live out their short lives. Chickens, 6 to 8, are caged into a square foot of area where they have little to no room to breathe, eat, defecate, etc. There ‘habitats’ are rarely cleaned and they are left to moving about in a filthy, dim-light warehouse where they do not see the light of day. These chickens are loaded up with chemicals and hormones which makes them two times heavier than their normal weight. Their legs cannot bear the  burdens of carrying this weight and they often end up sitting in their own waster. The same scenario is for cattle, pigs, and many other animals.  Sows are left in 7 by 2 feet of caged space for the entirety of their lives.  They are given minimal space to the point where they are not actively living their lives.

Some animals are simply discarded for not having any worth to the meat industry. Holstein milk cows that give birth to male offspring do not have any use and are consequently discarded before they live more than a month.

Those infant animals that are kept alive are raised for months and force fed unnatural diets to make veal. They are contained in very small cages to build up the fat in their body that gives veal its unique feature. The calves are separated from their mothers and have no relationships with other animals for the duration of their life.

In addition to overall mistreatment of nutrition and habitat, animals raised for meat are often abused by the farmers that raise them. Farmers have been caught on video beating and tormenting animals, even playing sick games that involve poking them in the eye.  They punch and kick young animals and old. The treatment is just shocking.

These facts, from this article (WARNING: there are some graphic images on this site, take caution before proceeding to the link), barely cover the surface of the problematic meat industry. There is so much information that is still unknown and may never be discovered because of laws that prevent investigation nowadays. But the fact remains, whether you eat meat or not, the meat industry is a culprit of animal abuse that is a growing market as long as there is a demand.