Farm Sanctuary; Happy Cows Saved from Slaughterhouse

This video struck a chord with me. It's something I wanted to share on ATS - I wish we had an "Animals and Wildlife" forum, since this didn't seem like something that would fit in "Pets", but anyway I digress.

To explain, in this video a Ms. Anke Heublein, who started a foundation called "Save the Cows in Rhein-Berg" talks about cows she wanted to save from being slaughtered. The video then shows these cows going out to graze in the field. The cows are so happy and excited, almost galloping. They reminded me of my clumsy black lab who is getting a little older, when she gets excited and starts to jump up off her two front paws. The cows are released from the "winter shed" at 0:49 if you don't want to watch the intro.



I'm not sure why but this video really resonated with me. I'm not going to get into a huge long thing to preach about factory farming and the inhumane treatment of animals, but I do want to share this video and ask that others here reflect on the world around us and think about if there are ways we can be more caring and compassionate to the other creatures we share this planet with. Because overall, we do NOT do a good job and we exploit animals for our own benefit. I am not a vegan and I'm sure I could do better, but I am outspoken against factory farming and am being more conscientious about what I choose to purchase for my household.

There are some really great organizations out there that work to save animals from these types of practices - here is one in New York that I've been following recently (Farm Sancutary): www.farmsanctuary.org...


Anyway, it's Friday the 13th, I will probably watch some gory movie later (and my avatar is also not family-friendly), but in real life, cruelty to animals and other human beings is downright wrong and I think it's important to remember there is an entire planet out there with animals and creatures and other humans who deserve our respect and attention. It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and just "accept" that things are the way they are. We can help to make a difference, but it starts with awareness and then follow-up action. Anyway, thanks for reading/watching and I welcome any comments.

a reply to: FamCore

Cows were made to give milk and to eat. Any cow that is just allowed to live freely is a burden on the land and useless.

a reply to: ChesterJohn

What about starving kids in Africa? Because they aren't working in our manufacturing plants are they just a "burden" to natural resources on the planet and a waste of life as well? Should we not allow them to live either? I have to respectfully and wholeheartedly disagree

Humans aren't supposed to drink other mammals' milk, so no, cows were not "made" to make us milk or provide us with meat, they are here to experience life just like you or me.

What makes you think we as humans have the authority to deem which creatures are "allowed" to stay alive? It's the year 2016. Human nature can be barbaric but at this point we need to realize we are smart enough to be more responsible. This is long overdue if anything. There will always be atrocities taking place, but those who recognize opportunities to improve can make a difference

originally posted by: ChesterJohn
a reply to: FamCore

Cows were made to give milk and to eat. Any cow that is just allowed to live freely is a burden on the land and useless.

Yes.
They are said to contribute to global warming because they belch and fart.
But we should tolerate them doing that as pets?

Cows are stupid.
They will stand in the middle of a stream with their arse end pointed upstream, take a dump and piss.... while drinking the downstream water.

a reply to: FamCore

Humans aren't supposed to drink other mammals' milk, so no, cows were not "made" to make us milk or provide us with meat, they are here to experience life just like you or me.

Are you dissing the Maasai People?

All of the Maasai’s needs for food are met by their cattle. They eat the meat, drink the milk and on occasion, drink the blood.

Since coming to live in the country I've enjoyed seeing the new lambs and calves every year.

They all have such a fresh, clean look to them and the lambs in particular seem so happy with life as they gambol about.

In the evenings they tuck themselves up with their very proud mothers who always look so contented to have their offspring snuggled beside them.

All is at peace in their world.

I can hardly bear to think how short the lives of the lambs and calves are likely to be and how distraught their mothers are when they're taken away.

Mercifully, they'll never know the fate of their babies or guess what they're likely to suffer themselves in the future.

originally posted by: ChesterJohn
a reply to: FamCore

Cows were made to give milk and to eat. Any cow that is just allowed to live freely is a burden on the land and useless.

You confused made and domesticated, we didn't make the cow, we just decided at one point it was a good resource.

originally posted by: butcherguy

originally posted by: ChesterJohn
a reply to: FamCore

Cows were made to give milk and to eat. Any cow that is just allowed to live freely is a burden on the land and useless.

Yes.
They are said to contribute to global warming because they belch and fart.
But we should tolerate them doing that as pets?

Cows are stupid.
They will stand in the middle of a stream with their arse end pointed upstream, take a dump and piss.... while drinking the downstream water.

Most animals would do the same...heck..dogs eat there own sh#t....just saying


Not sure if your belch/fart statement was a joke...sadly, most people are completely ignorant of the actual climate impact of factory farming..

originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: ChesterJohn

What about starving kids in Africa? Because they aren't working in our manufacturing plants are they just a "burden" to natural resources on the planet and a waste of life as well? Should we not allow them to live either? I have to respectfully and wholeheartedly disagree

Humans aren't supposed to drink other mammals' milk, so no, cows were not "made" to make us milk or provide us with meat, they are here to experience life just like you or me.

What makes you think we as humans have the authority to deem which creatures are "allowed" to stay alive? It's the year 2016. Human nature can be barbaric but at this point we need to realize we are smart enough to be more responsible. This is long overdue if anything. There will always be atrocities taking place, but those who recognize opportunities to improve can make a difference

He is right. Despite the fact that is feels wrong.

Cows came from Aurochs. Aurochs were vicious nasty beasts, along the lines of bison in rut. And they were huge. Our ancestors decided to domesticate them for the purpose of milk and meat. They also became beasts of burden that helped us in farming, giving rise to our agrarian life.

The cow is the central post that humanity is lashed to. And a cow that isn't doing what it was designed to do is a cow that is harder on the environment than can be justified.

originally posted by: Sremmos80

originally posted by: ChesterJohn
a reply to: FamCore

Cows were made to give milk and to eat. Any cow that is just allowed to live freely is a burden on the land and useless.

You confused made and domesticated, we didn't make the cow, we just decided at one point it was a good resource.

No, we made the cow. Before we used genetic tampering via animal husbandry to create the cow over generations, they were not cows. They were aurochs, which are now extinct.

But the cow is because of us. And our skill with breeding.

ETA: we also made sheep. Sheep are useless animals in the wild, and not prone to defending themselves. They are wooly dodo birds. We also made corn, wheat, and a plethora of other food items. None o them would have existed without humans creating them as a product using husbandry.

a reply to: Tucket

Not sure if your belch/fart statement was a joke...sadly, most people are completely ignorant of the actual climate impact of factory farming..

Then it was a good thing that we killed off 60 million bison.

originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: ChesterJohn

What about starving kids in Africa?

Send them some happy cows.

a reply to: butcherguy

Not at all, why would I dis a tribe of people I know nothing about?

All of the Maasai’s needs for food are met by their cattle

To me, this doesn't say "cattle are only good for food to the Maasai people", only that their food needs are met by using cattle. They may still have relationships with the animals and treat them with respect. Can we re-focus on the topics mentioned in OP of factory farming, Farm Sanctuaries and respect for living creatures?

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

does this mean we just slaughter the lot of them because we don't think they are allowed to be here anymore? Are humans doing great things for the environment? No, so should we just all kill ourselves then?

I'm having trouble understanding how we can justify factory farming and killing tons of animals just because we don't find them useful anymore. Is there no concern for other living things anymore? Is the world just full of psychopaths who aren't affected when they see other creatures being mutilated and killed for the sake of "saving space"?

a reply to: FamCore

They may still have relationships with the animals and treat them with respect.

They shoot an arrow into the neck at close range to puncture a large vein, then they catch the blood in a container.
Sounds like a cool relationship.... as long as the cows are masochists.

originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

does this mean we just slaughter the lot of them because we don't think they are allowed to be here anymore? Are humans doing great things for the environment? No, so should we just all kill ourselves then?

I'm having trouble understanding how we can justify factory farming and killing tons of animals just because we don't find them useful anymore. Is there no concern for other living things anymore? Is the world just full of psychopaths who aren't affected when they see other creatures being mutilated and killed for the sake of "saving space"?

moral equivalency doesn't fit here.

i am all for treating animals humanely. and i am all for private folks owning the animals that were sent to slaughter. but i haven't got a lot of issue with stock animals being turned into product. cows are delicious. and they make so many other products beyond food. i hear the brits want to start printing their laws on vellum again....cows being slaughtered is good for that.

but they carry a value on someones general ledger. they were made to be products. Its not about saving space. its about balancing to zero.

a reply to: butcherguy

it's comments like this that make me regret ever even making a thread like this. I'd rather not split hairs and talk about a Kenyan Tribe that kills cattle for their survival and the way in which they do it. Please don't just try to pick apart my statements without adding value to the conversation.. this happens a lot on ATS and is a major turnoff.


I understand that animals need to be killed for food. I understand that it isn't always pretty and the animal can suffer.

The point of this thread is about appreciating animals who would otherwise be killed off and great organizations like Farm Sanctuary. I don't want to talk about this Kenyan tribe anymore since that's not what the OP is about.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

fair enough

2nd

That really shows that a lot of meat you buy in the supermarket comes from "downed" dairy cows. Not the best meat imho.

I have worked in a slaughterhouse, not while its running, and most of their cows were downed dairy cows.

Short of raising your own beef idk....

I did like to see the cows being happy though.

a reply to: FamCore

Give those cows to the starving kids in Africa, and they wouldn't be galloping around eating. They'd be food.