We may need to create a poll amongst our supporters asking opinions on the intelligence of Australians.
The most recent statistics show that nearly a year after the World Health Organization warned of the carcinogenic properties of pig meat (particularly the processed variety), sales and slaughter numbers had been surging. So possibly a thumbs down on intelligence, and likewise on compassion.
The most recent statistics show that nearly a year after the World Health Organization warned of the carcinogenic properties of pig meat (particularly the processed variety), sales and slaughter numbers had been surging. So possibly a thumbs down on intelligence, and likewise on compassion.
Number of livestock slaughtered in Australia: Pigs
The trend may partially reflect a transition from cattle meat toward pig and chicken meat (the number of lambs slaughtered has also increased), but it's also worth noting that Australia overtook the US late last year as the country with the highest per capita meat consumption in the world.
To be fair to Australians, it may also reflect the extensive resources and PR capabilities of industry groups such as Australian Pork Ltd and the Australian Chicken Meat Federation, along with national retailers such as Coles and Woolworths and their celebrity chef front-men, Curtis Stone and Jamie Oliver.
The increase in the proportion of pig and chicken meat means a massive increase in the overall number of animals slaughtered, as the amount of meat obtained from a pig or chicken is tiny compared to that from a cow. Just because a chicken (for example) is smaller than a cow does not mean she values her life less, or that she suffers less when enduring cruelty.
There is something fundamentally wrong with a society that treats other beings so cruelly through a massive abuse of power. If we used that power for kindness, we would all benefit immeasurably.
If you're free on the day of a future Melbourne Pig Save event, why not join us to help spread the message? We'd love to see you.
Chart: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 7218.0.55.001 - Livestock and Meat, Australia, Sep 2016 © Commonwealth of Australia 2016, Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia licence
Image: "Arnie", Pete Crosbie, Willowite Animal Sanctuary
To be fair to Australians, it may also reflect the extensive resources and PR capabilities of industry groups such as Australian Pork Ltd and the Australian Chicken Meat Federation, along with national retailers such as Coles and Woolworths and their celebrity chef front-men, Curtis Stone and Jamie Oliver.
The increase in the proportion of pig and chicken meat means a massive increase in the overall number of animals slaughtered, as the amount of meat obtained from a pig or chicken is tiny compared to that from a cow. Just because a chicken (for example) is smaller than a cow does not mean she values her life less, or that she suffers less when enduring cruelty.
There is something fundamentally wrong with a society that treats other beings so cruelly through a massive abuse of power. If we used that power for kindness, we would all benefit immeasurably.
If you're free on the day of a future Melbourne Pig Save event, why not join us to help spread the message? We'd love to see you.
Chart: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 7218.0.55.001 - Livestock and Meat, Australia, Sep 2016 © Commonwealth of Australia 2016, Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia licence
Image: "Arnie", Pete Crosbie, Willowite Animal Sanctuary
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