Eating Dogs And Cats In Asia and Cruelty In The U.S.

       The effort by some U.S. politicians and animal organizations to stop the eating of dogs and cats in places in Asia where dogs and cats are eaten needs to be clear about what they want to accomplish.
Some argue that the brutal and cruel way in which many of these animals are treated and slaughtered is the reason why dogs and cats must not be eaten. But they use this standard only for dogs and cats because they do not want dogs and cats to be eaten, when they know full well other animals that are consumed by humans are treated just as horrifically. Furthermore, dogfighting and animal cruelty is alive and well in the United States. As for the hundreds of millions of starving, badly diseased dogs and cats living all over the poorer nations of the world, nothing is done. Many so called animal advocates believe it is better for dogs and cats to starve to death or die slow deaths from disease and malnutrition than to be humanely euthanized. Millions of dogs and cats on the streets of third world countries are badly infected with sarcoptic mange that causes them great suffering.
        Many of the factory farms in the United States and elsewhere are brutal places. Rather than ensure the highest humane care for factory farm animals, the direction has been otherwise. If someone gets employed by one of these factory farms and photographs what really takes place inside, they will be arrested and charged with a federal crime. Protecting the factory farm industry's image is more important than ensuring the highest level of care for factory farm animals.
         It is disengenuine to pretend to care about animals only when it comes to some dogs and cats, while disregarding the much greater extent and amount of cruelty that is inflicted upon other dogs, cats, pigs, cows, chickens and other animals.
          It is estimated that approximately 30 million dogs and cats are consumed in certain parts of Asia. This nowhere equals the billions of pigs, cows, chickens and other animals that are consumed across the world.
          Wildlife continues to be decimated. Domestic animals continue to be brutalized by the billions. There needs to be consistent standards for the proper care and treatment of animals. Exposing brutality in factory farms and slaughterhouses should not be criminalized conduct. Dogfighting flourishes in the United States, and practically no one ever gets arrested because of the pathological approach to this crime by law enforcement and animal organizations. There are many things on the homefront that United States politicians and animals organizations have completely failed at when it comes to reducing animal cruelty.
           All animals need to be treated humanely. Just because one animal is a dog or cat raised for food and another animal is a pig, chicken or cow raised for food does not mean the standard of care and treatment should be any less for one species than the other.
            If they want to end the eating of dogs and cats because of the special place dogs and cats hold, then simply say so. Do not pretend it is about cruelty when their own house is not in order. But if they want to make it about cruelty, then damn well make sure they bring that fight inside of the United States as well. Because until now, other than exploit and manipulate animal cruelty for personal and organizational gain, animal cruelty has been allowed to flourish.