Horrendous. Difficult reading

[orangediva]

Haven't read the article and absolutely don't want to but, from reading people's responses I get the general gist, I think

Aren't there laws about killing animals for food/ being licensed to do so and also more general animal cruelty laws? Has this horrible individual been reported to the police for animal cruelty or breaking abattoir licensing laws? Or something, there must be something to get him on?

If not then I could possibly empathise with an activist wishing to take the law into their own hands. Not advocating it but it's not hard to understand why someone might.

 

[Shrinkie]

Haven't read the article and absolutely don't want to but, from reading people's responses I get the general gist, I think

Aren't there laws about killing animals for food/ being licensed to do so and also more general animal cruelty laws? Has this horrible individual been reported to the police for animal cruelty or breaking abattoir licensing laws? Or something, there must be something to get him on?

If not then I could possibly empathise with an activist wishing to take the law into their own hands. Not advocating it but it's not hard to understand why someone might.

That's a good point actually a lot of places in Scandinavia are actually really stringent on rules of food and consumption. When friends come over from Denmark or even Norway, not uncommon for them to get an upset stomach because of how sterile it is - eg Donnar meat is just a massive nono. I would have thought with that in mind...it would be more strict in the killing of

 

[keletkezes]

I watched a programme where they showed the whole process with a lamb and poultry (chickens and a goose): it was really good. They stunned beforehand and explained the complications of stunning and not stunning, as well as throughout the whole process.

Countryfile the other week was talking about how people won't eat veal not just because of how it used to be farmed (long banned in the UK) but also the perception of baby cows, yet they often eat lamb and chicken. Chickens are quite young when killed (they don't look fully grown) and lamb is like veal: not really a cute baby any more!

 

[William]

I agree with everything honeybunny has said (is that a first? :lol. It's horrible but how is it anymore horrible than the animals killed everyday for meat? Would anyone have cared if he killed the rabbit at home for meat and then talked about it on the radio show? I haven't read the article but it seems like the issue people have with it is that the rabbit was killed in the studio?

I don't know. I struggle to see why there's an uproar about this. I haven't finished reading all the comments yet, maybe there's more to it is why I don't get it...

As I said, I think it's horrible, but so is the millions of animals raised and killed every year in much worse ways. Maybe this will make people think. I know it did for me when I was 15 and very naive about the conditions of farmed animals. A kid on the show Kid Nation was killing chickens for food and it made me so angry, then I read comments online that were basically the same thing I said here and I realized it was no different (plus I watched a horrible video online that made me instantly not be able to stomach meat ever again even if I had wanted to).

Also, maybe people that aren't willing to stop eating meat will decide to raise their own animals or source ethical meat. It's definitely raised awareness. At the cost of the rabbit, yes, but they did eat it so its life wasn't wasted. I assume they would have eaten some sort of meat any way if not for the rabbit so it wasn't killed unnecessarily either.

 

[kayjay]

I'd like to beat him with a bicycle pump and see if it hurts him Once again a rabbit is used as it hasn't as much 'worth' as a dog or cat. Can you imagine if he'd beaten a dog to death live on air to make a point? This wasn't a farmed rabbit or a wild rabbit shot for meat, it was a fluffy baby bred for the pet market. And yes I eat meat, and no I wouldn't eat meat if I had to kill the animal personally. But this was a fluffy baby bunny and was killed to make a point.

 

[honeybunny]

I'd like to beat him with a bicycle pump and see if it hurts him Once again a rabbit is used as it hasn't as much 'worth' as a dog or cat. Can you imagine if he'd beaten a dog to death live on air to make a point? This wasn't a farmed rabbit or a wild rabbit shot for meat, it was a fluffy baby bred for the pet market. And yes I eat meat, and no I wouldn't eat meat if I had to kill the animal personally. But this was a fluffy baby bunny and was killed to make a point.

but that is his whole point ! it was a flufffy bunny" it's is the same as a wild rabbit..just has fluff..you eat meat and say you wouldn't if you had to kill it..that was his point..as I said made in a bad way... but most responses are just underlining the reason he did it..of course he wouldn't beat a dog to death most people in the Western world don't eat dog, and I don't suppose he had the set up to deal with a sheep or cow..so a rabbit, as a meat animal was his choice..and ..I'm not condoning it ..but from reports he hit it once..it twitched a few times..,most animals including humans will at point of death.. I get the whole thing was bad taste but I'm afraid I bet he's laughing as all the people making exactly the statements he was proving

 

[Shrinkie]

but that is his whole point ! it was a flufffy bunny" it's is the same as a wild rabbit..just has fluff..you eat meat and say you wouldn't if you had to kill it..that was his point..as I said made in a bad way... but most responses are just underlining the reason he did it..of course he wouldn't beat a dog to death most people in the Western world don't eat dog, and I don't suppose he had the set up to deal with a sheep or cow..so a rabbit, as a meat animal was his choice..and ..I'm not condoning it ..but from reports he hit it once..it twitched a few times..,most animals including humans will at point of death.. I get the whole thing was bad taste but I'm afraid I bet he's laughing as all the people making exactly the statements he was proving

I definitely agree with that honeybunny. I mean the part that has upset you has definitely been his point of the whole thing kayjay - though I still don't at all agree with his point (and I mean his point not his method to be ultra-clear), it is in your case, possibly more apt - please don't take that condescending, I just mean I would and I used to, I used to fish, I don't flinch at the idea of prepping me own food. I get it's not just because it's a bunny but it's an umbrella idea to eating-meat and dissociating from it being meat and not be willing to eat meat if it meant being the one to destroy it.

It is shocking and upsetting which is what he is aiming for. At the end of the day.

Edit: bit doesn't make sense.

 

[kayjay]

but that is his whole point ! it was a flufffy bunny" it's is the same as a wild rabbit..just has fluff..you eat meat and say you wouldn't if you had to kill it..that was his point..as I said made in a bad way... but most responses are just underlining the reason he did it..of course he wouldn't beat a dog to death most people in the Western world don't eat dog, and I don't suppose he had the set up to deal with a sheep or cow..so a rabbit, as a meat animal was his choice..and ..I'm not condoning it ..but from reports he hit it once..it twitched a few times..,most animals including humans will at point of death.. I get the whole thing was bad taste but I'm afraid I bet he's laughing as all the people making exactly the statements he was proving

Oh I definitely see the hypocrisy in it and my views, but as a pet lover (I don't own any pets at the moment), I don't eat rabbits. Or dogs or cats. And I can fully see that one animal's life is worth as much as the next, and I struggle with that as a meat eater. My friend has a small holding and breeds sheep and pigs for meat. She currently has a bottle fed lamb who views the humans as family and the dog as a brother and they've given him a name. Her husband doesn't see any difference between him and the other sheep destined for slaughter, but there is a difference to me, as the animal has grown to trust the humans and I wouldn't eat anything I'd given a name to. We're lucky where we live as we can souce locally reared meat rather than buy factory farmed from the supermarket, and I do accept that in order for me to eat a slow roasted lamb shoulder, a sheep has died. But I don't think it's right to kill this particular sheep and I know that's very hypocritical! In a similar way I don't think it's right to kill a baby raised for the pet market to make his point. But I do agree his point was well made but it's a shame he couldn't make it some other way as this particular animal didn't have to die, and to me it is no different from killing a dog live on the radio. Although to be fair if he killed a pig live on radio I wouldn't like it either. Years ago when I was very small my dad bred rabbits and every Sunday he would disappear into the garage and every Monday night we'd have "chicken stew". I feel very angry about this when I think about it now, but I guess it really is no different to if he'd kept chickens and killed one each week. I was vegetarian for several years but lapsed due to severe anaemia and, I have to confess, really liking the taste of meat versus vegitarian substitutes. So I struggle with the ethics of meat eating. I think meat eaters fall into two categories, those who like the taste but prefer not to think about what they're eating or how it arrived on the plate (me!) and those who know it's a killed animal, and are fully ok with that and could kill the animals to eat it (ie the radio presenter).

 

[Mackers]

I completely agree with Jill on this one. The act was horrendous BUT it IS having the desired effect of making people talk about how animals farmed for meat are treated, even the organic, high welfare meat. It all comes from an animal who has to be killed. And I doubt 'stunning' is a pleasant experience for the animal either. So as shocking as his little publicity stunt was, it's making people think about it, which can only be a good thing.

 

[Shrinkie]

Oh I definitely see the hypocrisy in it and my views, but as a pet lover (I don't own any pets at the moment), I don't eat rabbits. Or dogs or cats. And I can fully see that one animal's life is worth as much as the next, and I struggle with that as a meat eater. My friend has a small holding and breeds sheep and pigs for meat. She currently has a bottle fed lamb who views the humans as family and the dog as a brother and they've given him a name. Her husband doesn't see any difference between him and the other sheep destined for slaughter, but there is a difference to me, as the animal has grown to trust the humans and I wouldn't eat anything I'd given a name to. We're lucky where we live as we can souce locally reared meat rather than buy factory farmed from the supermarket, and I do accept that in order for me to eat a slow roasted lamb shoulder, a sheep has died. But I don't think it's right to kill this particular sheep and I know that's very hypocritical! In a similar way I don't think it's right to kill a baby raised for the pet market to make his point. But I do agree his point was well made but it's a shame he couldn't make it some other way as this particular animal didn't have to die, and to me it is no different from killing a dog live on the radio. Although to be fair if he killed a pig live on radio I wouldn't like it either. Years ago when I was very small my dad bred rabbits and every Sunday he would disappear into the garage and every Monday night we'd have "chicken stew". I feel very angry about this when I think about it now, but I guess it really is no different to if he'd kept chickens and killed one each week.

You actually made a point I didn't click with. If it were bought (presuming as it's so young, though may have been his own rabbits litter) wonder what the laws are to buy pets for food in Denmark. Just morbid curiosity, nothing more

 

[Hugo's There]

I agree with Jill and mackers. I also wonder if there would have been the same response if it had been a chicken rather than a baby bunny?

 

[Shrinkie]

I agree with Jill and mackers. I also wonder if there would have been the same response if it had been a chicken rather than a baby bunny?

I hope so.

To be fair, I genuinely think so. I mean rabbit killed - rabbit forum, it's gonna upset folks but folks on here have chickens and I think from reading comments people were blown by the fact it were killed on radio, period. I think it could have been a goldfish and there would be uproar. (again, I'd like to think so anyway)

 

[Hugo's There]

I would like to think so too. But it is far more acceptable in this country to eat chicken than a cute bunny so who knows......

 

[Mackers]

I agree with Jill and mackers. I also wonder if there would have been the same response if it had been a chicken rather than a baby bunny?

I think you're right Liz. I think we're all a bit outraged about the publicity stunt and would all have done anything to protect that little innocent fluff ball. But the guy has a point - why be outraged about the fluffy bunny (which was supposedly then eaten) when millions of farm animals live a much worse life and die a far worse death every day? How do we know that the bunny wasn't owned by someone who kept rabbits for meat and it would have been eaten anyway?

 

[Shrinkie]

I think you're right Liz. I think we're all a bit outraged about the publicity stunt and would all have done anything to protect that little innocent fluff ball. But the guy has a point - why be outraged about the fluffy bunny (which was supposedly then eaten) when millions of farm animals live a much worse life and die a far worse death every day? How do we know that the bunny wasn't owned by someone who kept rabbits for meat and it would have been eaten anyway?

While I definitely agree with that point in itself, I have to say, along with others who've made it clear on here. I don't find it to be shocking because of the animal type. I find it simply a waste because I don't think the point came clearly at all, for what was saying his point was, people aren't quite touching on that point and some people have gotten a bit muddled by it (clear even on this thread), that the animal wasn't killed for meat. Maybe destined that way, maybe ate it in the end, but that the fact is he sourced and obtained an animal all for the sake of making a point. And that point was to be extremist.

I definitely think the point you make is interesting though although I wonder if that may be half the reason is on the difference of radio vs darm animals (not put well but I'm trying not to write a novel).

 

[ImoT]

I'm a meat eater and I would have found it shocking whether it was a bunny, pig, cow etc! So it's not that it's a cute fluffy animal. I think it's more that it's such a waste of life and not a valid reason for killing an animal. And it seems very inhumane, chasing it round and banging it on the head

 

[honeybunny]

I'm a meat eater and I would have found it shocking whether it was a bunny, pig, cow etc! So it's not that it's a cute fluffy animal. I think it's more that it's such a waste of life and not a valid reason for killing an animal. And it seems very inhumane, chasing it round and banging it on the head

and that's the power of media for you..how do you know he "chased it round" ? and he gave it one bang on the head from reports..how do you think most animals are killed?

 

[Hugo's There]

I'm a meat eater and I would have found it shocking whether it was a bunny, pig, cow etc! So it's not that it's a cute fluffy animal. I think it's more that it's such a waste of life and not a valid reason for killing an animal. And it seems very inhumane, chasing it round and banging it on the head

But is it a waste of a life if its caused this much publicity/discussion/makes a few people think about the food they are eating?

I don't know the answer and in all honesty I find the whole thing heartbreaking, it makes me want to cry and I would like to think I would feel the same way regardless of the animal used. I know I would feel the same if I thought about any rabbit being killed whether on radio or anywhere else.

But I do think there is more than one way to look at what has happened.

 

[William]

I agree with Jill and mackers. I also wonder if there would have been the same response if it had been a chicken rather than a baby bunny?

From the general public? I doubt it, sadly. That exact thing came up on Survivor a couple months ago actually. This one girl knew some friends who did a butchery class for education so she went to the class to learn how to kill and butcher a rabbit in preparation for going on the show.

When she told the other contestants that, one guy said in a confessional that the first thing that came to mind was sociopaths and how the first thing sociopaths do is kill small animals and how insane it was that she was trying to justify her psychotic ways. I'm just like really? You were given chickens which you then kept and killed one by one (instead of just eating their eggs) when you didn't even really need the food, how is killing one rabbit any worse :? Apparently the irony of it all didn't reach him.

Then fans of the show had a big discussion on whether it was cruel or psychotic or whatever to kill a rabbit and I'm sure most of them were meat eaters themselves. I really hate how people view some animals as being better than others Chickens in most people's eyes are near the bottom of the totem pole, hence why Survivor gives them out for a reward. Can you imagine if they gave the contestants live rabbits? The audience would go crazy. Just the fact that that girl killed a rabbit before going on the show sparked enough of a debate. People are also much more willing to kill birds than mammals which irks me.

 

[ImoT]

But is it a waste of a life if its caused this much publicity/discussion/makes a few people think about the food they are eating?

I don't know the answer and in all honesty I find the whole thing heartbreaking, it makes me want to cry and I would like to think I would feel the same way regardless of the animal used. I know I would feel the same if I thought about any rabbit being killed whether on radio or anywhere else.

But I do think there is more than one way to look at what has happened.

To be totally honest, it doesn't really make me question my meat eating...I question it for other reasons but this incident hasn't had an effect. It's simply made me furious at the b****** who did this to the poor animal! However it may have made others think more about the food they eat, there are other ways to do that though that don't require killing an animal on live radio inhumanely!