Some We Love, Some We Eat: Our Complicated Relationships With Animals
The infamous pig trial will begin again on October 3. In an instance of synchronicity seemingly arranged by Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, World Animal Day is October 4. For those who haven’t been following the case, last summer Anita Krajnc stuck her arm through a vent in a truck stopped at an intersection in Burlington, and gave water to pigs bound for a nearby slaughterhouse. Following an ugly interaction with the truck driver, the police were called. Krajnc was charged with criminal mischief. The worst case scenario for Krajnc is years of prison time. The best case scenario is a fine. Krajnc says she will not pay the fine, and is prepared to go to prison.
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| Anita Krajnc giving water to pigs on their way to slaughter. |
| By Elli Garlin – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 |
The pigs on the truck were merely property to the pig farmer, but to activists like Krajnc, a vegan, and the founder of Toronto Pig Save, pigs are sentient beings with the ability to feel pain and emotion. The incident in Burlington is just one example among millions the world over showing how polarized we are when it comes to our feelings and beliefs about animals. Websites featuring news stories about the case have received hundreds of comments, showing widely divergent viewpoints and strong emotions.
In honor of World Animal Day, I considered offering you movies about cute and cuddly animals, like these:
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But I changed my mind after I read the World Animal Day mission statement: “To raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe.” In the spirit of World Animal Day, I offer some thought provoking movies and books on animals, and our often troubled relationship with them.
Movies:
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| Earthlings |
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| The Cove |
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| Give me shelter |
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| Cowspiracy: the sustainability secret |
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| The ghosts in our machine |
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| Peaceable kingdom: the journey home |
Books:
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Some we love, some we hate, some we eat Book | eBook | eAudiobook |
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Beyond words: what animals think and feel Book | eBook | eAudiobook |
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Book | eBook | eAudiobook | Audiobook CD | Talking Book CD*
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Finally, here's a book I think Anita Krajnc would enjoy:
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Esther the wonder pig: changing the world one heart at a time Book | eBook | eAudiobook |
*Please note: Talking Book CD and Talking Book DAISY formats are restricted to print disabled customers.
14 thoughts on “Some We Love, Some We Eat: Our Complicated Relationships With Animals”
Bravo Maureen!! Good selection here, a wealth of info and pertinent points that have no counter argument when you really see what shape our world is in. We need to change our relationship to animals and we need to change fast, we are shooting ourselves in our own feet.
Great post Maureen, so happy to see this! Thank you.
The books and movies I’ve profiled here shed light on some very painful topics, but facing the truth seems like a good first step to improving animal welfare standards. Thanks very much for your comment, KellyLin.
You’re welcome Tita. And thanks.
I’m glad you went the route you did, Maureen! Our relationship with animals needs to be examined. It has an impact on us as well as on animals! Why wouldn’t we want to be healthier and cause less pain to sentient beings! Experimenting on animals for the sake of beauty products and medicines just helps big companies hook more people and so make tons of money! Monsanto and Bayer are in cahoots now, lets not make it easy for them.
As the most intelligent and dominant species on earth, humans have had (and continue to have) a massive negative impact on other species we share the earth with. I agree with you: our relationship with animals needs to be examined. Thanks so much for your comment.
I was astonished and thrilled to read such a thoughtful and sensitive post about animals! As a decades-long vegan, animal advocate and activist, and a writer (my last book was Dogs and Underdogs: Finding Happiness at Both Ends of the Leash), I wholeheartedly support your recommendations.
Thanks from me and the animals!
Another powerful and unforgettable film is Forks Over Knives.
I am put in mind of the “Pets or Meat” sequence form Michael Moore’s Roger and Me. Very pragmatic and unsentimental depiction of the choices people make about their animals; in this case, a rabbit.. Great post Maureen.
If the animals could talk, I think they’d be thanking you, Elizabeth! I’m so glad you liked my post. And thanks for the recommendation. I’m definitely going to watch it. For those who are interested, the DVD “Forks over knives” is available to borrow from the library. Click on this link to put a hold on it:
http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM2810472&R=2810472
It’s also currently on Netflix.
(“Forks over knives” argues that most common diseases can be controlled or reversed by adopting a plant based diet, and avoiding processed foods.)
If anyone stopping by here would like to read Elizabeth’s book “Dogs and underdogs: finding happiness at both ends of the leash”, you can reserve a library copy:
http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM3229432&R=3229432
It’s also available as an eBook.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful post. Animals so often get neglected, yet suffer greatly in the ‘food’ system. I certainly feel we have enough compassion in our hearts to care for animals and humans. I’ve been vegan for over 20 years… and I volunteer with Toronto Pig Save, and other organizations working to help animals. It’s very rewarding! . Check out http://www.ivegan.ca and http://www.chooseveg.ca, as well as http://www.veg.ca for some great resources. http://animalrightstoronto.com/ has a calendar of events that folks can join and also submit to 🙂
I looked up that scene on YouTube after reading your comment. Animal lovers would find it quite disturbing – not just the fact that the woman slaughters the young rabbits that she doesn’t sell as pets, but the fact that they are crammed together in a cage that gives them barely any room to move. Thanks Marie. Glad you liked the post.
I agree, Jenny — animals raised for human consumption suffer terribly. They certainly need our compassion. Thanks for all the great links. I checked them all. I had no idea there were so many activities taking place in the city that relate to animal rights. I look forward to trying some of the delicious looking recipes I saw on http://www.chooseveg.ca.
Thanks for this post. Very informative and thought-provoking. And a thank you to Jenny for some additional links.