Breeding Rabbits For Meat Very Angry!!

[VickiP]

Everything you say is VERY 'worth it'

Personally I think it very hypocritical to eat anything that one would not kill themself. IMO if one cant do the killing why do the eating ?

I think that's fair comment tbh however, practically speaking that is why rabbits get a bad deal, how many people who eat beef or pork can raise their own and slaughter them at home? Logistically it's impossible and even when/where possible it's highly unlikely you'd keep pets alongside your meat animals.

I'm out of this now because it is emotive for me having looked into the eyes of a californian that had a timeline for culling and looking into the eyes of a so called 'pet' a brown chocolate lop that was 'old' at 2 years of age and past her breeding her days so I know what her fate was likely to be given she was at the bottom of a stack with no hay in her own filth in the dark with a bucket of food blocking her view (which was dismal) anyway. It will haunt me for the rest of my life that it is allowed to happen - and it's all completely unnecessary, I suppose like anything when you see it rather than imagine what it's like it makes it a whole lot more sensitive.

 

[halfpenny]

ETA - the reason most farmers prefer to use slaughterhouses isn't only practicality - they are unable to raise their animals then cull them, it most definately requires a person who is detached from emotion, for this reason farmed rabbits are denied one of the biggest things we know our rabbits enjoy which is company and affection, the person culling cannot become emotionally involved with the animals, the really confusing thing for me is people who keep pet rabbits and meat rabbits - fathom the mindset there because I can't.

This isn't generally true, most farmers would be able to shoot their livestock if needed, they are not allowed to. For large animals a license is need for culling and the animal has to be stunned beforehand. If there is an accident on the farm, either the slaughter man or a vet has to go out an shoot it- the owner/ worker isn't legally allowed to. This is the sad thing, small animals like rabbits and poultry are not covered by these regulations, and although training is generally advised nobody is forced to take it.

 

[VickiP]

I'm the daughter of a farmer, and the reason most farmers use slaughter houses is because of the cost involved with slaughtering themselves, rules, regulation, hygene etc. Perhaps my upbringing has given me this detatchment as I have no emotion when it comes to cattle, sheep, pigs or chickens. Even my horses - are just livestock at the end of the day. I have one, who is elderly and served us well over the years, and I have emotion in him, but the others - I do not pander to them as I would my 'pets'.

I know how to kill animals, and have done so. I don't know 'how' i detatch myself. I am a very emotional person when it comes to my pets, but somewhere, deep down, I know when an animal is for meat and something blocks the feeling there. I'm not cold. I think I over compensate the other way with my pets, treating them almost like children. they even have birthday present and cards which my family thinks is hilarious. But i know this to be the case of many gamekeepers and people who work in farming. My family is passionate about animal welfare too, my father is a total sucker and complains loudly if he sees anyone mistreat an animal, even an animal on it;s way to be slaughtered. But on the flipside he has shot one of his own dogs, for it;s own welfare.

I think you either have this ability to 'switch off' or you don't.

It's not normal to shoot dogs - the vets PTS in a humane way, if it was humane they would shoot them aswell. They shoot large animals because the anathestic procedure isn't cost effective - money motivates shooting a dog IMO and there is not an excuse in the book to justify it, you can call a vet to the home.

 

[Sky-O]

I know you didn't say that you thought it was natural but, you were implying that it's not unusual or that difficult and that people are generally 'normal' and yet able to cull animals - I think thats wrong, I don't think it's brave and anyone culling a road accident animal needs to be very careful that the animal is beyond repair before doing it, I would call out a vet or take the animal to a vet and thats not because I'm squeamish even it's because I would always wonder if I'd extinguished life unnecessarily. Any animal injured badly enough to be fatal won't last very long at all and is probably in shock or coma like state anyway so not feeling much pain even if it appears to be alive.

I completely agree with you about the rabbits deserving a good life for the 3 months prior to culling, sadly anyone raising meat rabbits aren't concerned about that aspect IMO.

No, I was not implying that at all. That was your interpretation. I was merely commenting that the two don't have to be poles apart.

 

[lillian03]

It's not normal to shoot dogs - the vets PTS in a humane way, if it was humane they would shoot them aswell.

Not normal, no, but the dog concerned was fearful of the vets and very eldely and in pain. He was a gun dog, so was taken out on a game shoot where he was sent to retrieve and shot whilst he was wagging his tail. We wanted his last moments to be those of happiness father than fear.

Vets do shoot animals BTW. It's just cheaper for them to PTS. Our horses are always shot by the vet or huntsman whilst their heads are in a bucket of feed.

 

[halfpenny]

Not normal, no, but the dog concerned was fearful of the vets and very eldely and in pain. He was a gun dog, so was taken out on a game shoot where he was sent to retrieve and shot whilst he was wagging his tail. We wanted his last moments to be those of happiness father than fear.

Vets do shoot animals BTW. It's just cheaper for them to PTS. Our horses are always shot by the vet or huntsman whilst their heads are in a bucket of feed.

Vats do shoot large animals, they do not shoot small animals like dogs and cats. Another option if you dog doesn't like going to the vet is to call the vet out to the house for a PTS.

 

[Jack's-Jane]

This isn't generally true, most farmers would be able to shoot their livestock if needed, they are not allowed to. For large animals a license is need for culling and the animal has to be stunned beforehand. If there is an accident on the farm, either the slaughter man or a vet has to go out an shoot it- the owner/ worker isn't legally allowed to. This is the sad thing, small animals like rabbits and poultry are not covered by these regulations, and although training is generally advised nobody is forced to take it.

Well personally I would rather shoot a fatally injured animal than leave it to suffer for however long it took for a Vet or a slaughterperson to get there.

Take this scenario: Driving along and car infront hits wild Rabbit. Car does not stop. I do stop, Rabbit not dead but *obviously* fatally wounded and screaming in pain.

What is 'kinder' get on the phone to a Vet who will take at least half an hour to arrive or the RSPCA who may or may not come at all. Or take immediate action to end the Rabbit's suffering ?

I am vegetarian, I personally see no need to eat ANY animal. I dont think that meat eaters should see Rabbits as any different from a Cow or a Pig etc. Meat is meat and if the animal is to be eaten then IMO it is of most importance that their life is one within HIGH welfare standards and there death instant and fear free.

But as I say, why see it OK to eat a cow but not a Rabbit. Makes no sense to me at all.

 

[halfpenny]

Well personally I would rather shoot a fatally injured animal than leave it to suffer for however long it took for a Vet or a slaughterperson to get there.

I agree, and some probably do it on the quiet, but some farmers don't even own a gun. Our neighbour hasn't got a gun and has about 30 cattle and 20 sheep.
Personally I couldn't kill an animal with my bare hands, although on occasion Mike has done it to a couple of wild rabbits- a couple with a severe case of myxi and the anther had a broken back, although as he has become older and more involved it animal rescue the less likely he is to do this- he certainly couldn't kill one of our own.

 

[lillian03]

Vats do shoot large animals, they do not shoot small animals like dogs and cats. Another option if you dog doesn't like going to the vet is to call the vet out to the house for a PTS.

True, and very viable normally (we've had vet out to PTS cats and another dog), but this one hated vets after years of treatment and had to be muzzled for the vet. At the end of the day it was a decision made purely on the dog's state of mind and happiness and a decision which was not regretted for one moment. We're not talking someone who popped out with a gun and shot their pet just to save 70 quid. This was someone with 40 years shooting experience and who knew that one shot would do the job. It's not something that I would recommend ANYONE do, but rather to push across the point that detatchment is possible, if it is for the good of that animal. I think it's very easy to look at a situation from the outside and to make a snap judgement, but sometimes those who do the killing care more than they would actually let on.

 

[VickiP]

Well personally I would rather shoot a fatally injured animal than leave it to suffer for however long it took for a Vet or a slaughterperson to get there.

Take this scenario: Driving along and car infront hits wild Rabbit. Car does not stop. I do stop, Rabbit not dead but *obviously* fatally wounded and screaming in pain.

What is 'kinder' get on the phone to a Vet who will take at least half an hour to arrive or the RSPCA who may or may not come at all. Or take immediate action to end the Rabbit's suffering ?

I am vegetarian, I personally see no need to eat ANY animal. I dont think that meat eaters should see Rabbits as any different from a Cow or a Pig etc. Meat is meat and if the animal is to be eaten then IMO it is of most importance that their life is one within HIGH welfare standards and there dath instant and fear free.

But as I say, why see it OK to eat a cow but not a Rabbit. Makes no sense to me at all.

Cows aren't the UK's 3rd most popular pet, one animal feeds a lot of people and they live longer than 3 months - you can't stack 50 up in a back garden and cull them yourself, there is very little waste and a lot of the animal is used in by products, how many vegetarians wear leather shoes? How many drink milk? It's just going to go on and on and on ......:lol:

On that note I'm off have a great day :wave:

 

[Jack's-Jane]

I agree, and some probably do it on the quiet, but some farmers don't even own a gun. Our neighbour hasn't got a gun and has about 30 cattle and 20 sheep.

Yes, some of the Crofters in Shetland did not have a gun. They might have to wait for hours for a Vet to get to them :?

 

[Hugo's There]

I dont think that meat eaters should see Rabbits as any different from a Cow or a Pig etc. Meat is meat and if the animal is to be eaten then IMO it is of most importance that their life is one within HIGH welfare standards and there death instant and fear free.

But as I say, why see it OK to eat a cow but not a Rabbit. Makes no sense to me at all.

I completely agree with this. Every life is as important as the next animals.

As others have said I would much prefer people bred their own meat if they chose to eat it rather than buy intensively farmed meat from the supermarket, especially when you consider that most of it comes from foreign countries with very few welfare standards, and even the so called freedom foods in this country leave a lot to be desired