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San Fernando High School

One’s Happiness Equals Another’s Pain: Addressing the Issue of Animal Abuse and Possible

Solutions

Jennifer Prieto

AP English Language

Mr. Martin

May 20, 2019

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Humans are considered to be at the top of the totem pole. As a result, animals are

constantly being used for our benefit and consumption. From a different perspective, humans

may be perceived as ignorant. We usually don't think about the circumstances regarding how a

fur coat got to a hanger in a clothing store, or what a chicken had to go through to be packaged

and shipped thousands of miles to a grocery store. Some may say animals are sacrificed for the

greater good, such as feeding the hungry, covering the cold, and curing the sick, but one can at

least take an animal’s life away in a respectful manner. Humans tend to forget animals are also

living organisms. Torment, pain, anguish, anxiety, depression, trauma is what an animal goes

through daily before their death. Animals are abused in factory farms, slaughterhouses, and

laboratories. They are neglected, even by animal shelters and yet they face injustices. There is

plentiful of animal activists who are willing to do anything to defend animals, but committing

crimes or declaring the announcement of inspections to facilities who practice “animal sacrifice”

will not solve the issue. Indeed the problem cannot be fixed in its entirety, but it can be reduced,

whether it be from simply reporting something suspicious to promoting veganism and installing

animal registries, one can always create a positive impact.

A Cry For Help

Unfortunately, much of animal cruelty happens in farms. According to The American

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), In the U.S only, 95% of livestock

animals are housed in factory farms. Such places seem to demonstrate more attention to profits

and the factory’s efficiency, rather than the inhumane ways livestock is killed. The article

“Factory Farming,” by the organization Last Chance for Animals (LCA) suggests that this

problem leads to 97% of 10 billion farm animals being tortured and killed every year. LCA states
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that factory farms conduct some of the most painful procedures towards their livestock and fail

to treat them with respect. Some of which include farm animals having to endure being confined

in a windowless enclosure, having no leg space for movement and breathing in terrible air

quality. The organization continues stating that such conditions not only harm animals physically

but psychologically, inflicting stress in an animal, causing them to get aggressive with one

another. Due to this, the LCA also states factory farms dehorn cattle and debeak birds to reduce

the risk of injury; such senseless acts are done without anesthesia, reasonably causing more

stress, pain and in some cases trauma to animals. In addition to such inhumane treatment,

according to the LCA, farm animals are injected daily with antibiotics and hormones to keep

diseases from spreading and to grow the animals into an abnormally big size. Larger animals

tend to be more expensive and bring in more profit to the company. This includes dairy cows

being pumped with hormones to produce ten times more milk than they would naturally. Such

dairy cows are forced to stand hours a day with machines pumping milk out of them, leaving the

cows with injuries like bruising. According to the National Center for Biotechnology

Information (NCBI), Some machines end up malfunctioning and electrocuting cows, causing

them extreme pain and sometimes death. The LCA states, chicks are sexed at a day old to

determine their fate. Unfortunately, male chicks are usually suffocated, decapitated, gassed,

crushed, or ground up alive while female chicks are grown to an abnormally large size and then

sent to egg laying facilities where they suffer by being incarcerated into small metal cages with

wired floors, inflicting pain and deforming their feet. As for pigs, the LCA claims they never

take a break and become impregnated multiple times throughout their entire lives. Moreover,

female pigs are permitted to stay with their young for only 2 to 3 weeks after giving birth, as
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opposed to the natural nursing time, 13 to 17 weeks. Soon after impregnation, the LCA disclosed

that pigs are placed in small metal crates, having only enough space in order to stand up and lie

down. In addition to such cruelty, they state pigs are forced to lay in cemented floors due to the

expense of hay, causing them to get crippling leg disorders all while being tied down by a chain

or strap. According to the University of Missouri, farms are also known for feeding their

livestock animal manure to save some extra cash, so apart from never getting to inhale fresh air,

farm animals never get to eat fresh food. In some cases, People for the Ethical Treatment of

Animals (PETA) reveals, manure isn't disposed of often, causing livestock to stand in 3

feet-deep manure, hours a day. In some cases, the manure is infected with diseases causing even

more pain and stress into the animal. According to Animal Equality, cruel acts such as these lead

to more than 56 billion farm animals being killed yearly. That is more mammals than the whole

California population.

In addition, the suffering of livestock animals continues into transportation and

slaughterhouses. As written by The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), being transported

to a slaughterhouse is one of the most stressful things a farm animal has to endure. According to

Dr. Lester Friedlander, former U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) veterinary inspector,

animals are being crammed into a trailer, 45 heads, and transported to places 1,500 miles away,

going 60 miles an hour, in extreme weather ranging from 95 degrees to negative 5 Fahrenheit.

FAO stated that sometimes such trips can last 10 hours at a time, having animals experience

hunger, stress, bruising, suffocation, heart problems, exhaustion, and dehydration. After the 10

hours, it is reasonable for animals to feel sick and unable to walk or even frightened to walk out

of the trailer. According to PETA, animals in such conditions are treated brutally, being shocked
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or dragged off with chains. Such cruel acts are confirmed by a former USDA inspector,

“Uncooperative animals are beaten, they have prods poked in their faces and up their rectums.”

After the animals are unloaded, they are meant to be stunned with a captive bolt gun, but instead,

most aren't shot correctly due to the fast-moving lines, forcing animals to experience some of the

most agonizing pain, inflicted by poorly trained workers. Most cattle and other farm animals go

through the line completely conscious, feeling the pain caused by every single machine or human

and die a slow and painful death. In the Washington Post, A longtime slaughterhouse worker,

Ramon Moreno stated that he frequently cuts the legs off completely conscious cows, “They

blink. They make noises [...] The head moves, the eyes are wide and looking around. … They die

piece by piece.” Martin Fuentes, another slaughterhouse worker, shares a similar experience. He

informed the Post that most farm animals stay awake for as long as 7 minutes after being slit in

the throat. In such cases, workers are manipulated and forced to stay quiet by their officials about

the animal abuse happening in slaughterhouses due to most of them being immigrants and

undocumented laborers.

Laboratories are some of the worst places an animal can end up in. Multiple different

species of animals are purchased from animal breeders and locked up in cages only to be abused

and used as experiments. Cats, dogs, monkeys, rats, hamsters, and rabbits are just some of the

multiple species that are experimented on. As PETA states, in reality, 9 out of 10 experimental

drugs end up being ineffective to humans. This meaning that animals are suffering for no logical

explanation. PETA also discloses that the Animal Welfare Act allows the burning, shocking,

poisoning, isolating, starving, or drowning of animals. According to The National Center for
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Biotechnology Information (NCBI), some animals, unfortunately, acquire unfixable brain

damage. Others become addicted to drugs and are forced to go through withdrawal symptoms.

Some are exposed to diseases, and some have surgeries. The article “Cruelty to Animals in

Laboratories” by PETA discusses how scientists show no mercy and experiment by crushing

their organs a and implanting machines and wires into their bodies to see their reactions. After

horrible and painful procedures some animals are usually put back into their cages without

receiving any medical assistance or painkillers. According to CNN, a university that worked with

more than 3,300 animals, 249 of which received painful or stressful side effects due to

experimentation, research, surgery or tests, were not treated with pain relieving or tranquilizing

drugs. Sometimes the pain overcomes them, resulting in a dead animal. Sadly, these animals

have no control over their lives and never know if they will be taken out of their cages to face

death. Most animals are traumatized psychologically and are often present to see their kind die.

According to PETA, in the US, 95 percent of the animals used in laboratories are not covered by

the protection provided by federal laws. As a result, experimenters don't feel required to provide

them with pain relief. PETA’s research uncovers the reality that 100 million animals are killed

and abused in laboratories each year, being exposed to new chemicals, drugs, and cosmetics. The

Humane Society International publicized that alone, each year about 100,000-200,000 animals

suffer pain and die due to cosmetics. According to the organization, animals, usually, rabbits are

used for painful experiments, regularly cosmetics, including cosmetics with cruelty-free labeling.

Some tests rabbits are used on are Draize Eye and Skin tests. In such tests, chemicals are dripped

into rabbits’ eyes and spread on their shaved and scraped skin. Having excruciating side effects,

including eye reddening, swelling, ulceration, even blindness, or skin cracking and bleeding.
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Furthermore, animals are abused in one of the least expected places, animal shelters.

According to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), In the

US, roughly 6.5 million domestic animals are sheltered each year, nationwide. Of these 6.5

million animals, 1.5 million are euthanized, which include about 670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats.

As stated in the ASPCA, domestic animals are usually euthanized due to an animal being

unadoptable, a shelter being overcrowded, or sick and injured animals. According to People for

the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), there are still facilities in the US that use cruel

methods of euthanizing an animal, including the use of painful electrocution, cruel

decompression chambers, or by gunshot. Such decompression chambers put animals in extreme

pain by making the gases in animal’ sinuses, middle ears and intestines expand at a rapid rate. In

some cases, there is a malfunction where animals survive the first go-around in decompression

chambers and are put through the painful procedure all over again. The outdated gunshot

method can usually fail the first time due to bullet misplacement. As a result, animals are forced

to endure the pain of a bullet piercing their skin and tissue; this can happen multiple times. PETA

also revealed that regularly, if a facility needs to rid of an animal, the alternative of killing them

is to turn them away and let them suffer. PETA states that nearly 4 million unwanted dogs and

cats are refused pet shelter services and are left homeless. Such statistics are the result of animal

shelters not having sufficient space to house every animal until their natural deaths.

Unfortunately, rejected animals which were probably perfectly eligible for being adopted will

most likely end up being dying by hunger or being killed.

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A Rough Beginning

Regarding the issue of animal abuse, many animal activists blame researchers and

scientists as being primarily responsible. As a result, extremist animal activists are willing to use

violence and carry out illegal actions as a form of defending animal rights.

One of the groups in favor of such idea is the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), founded in

1976. As of now, they advocate the idea of violence and illegal executions. According to the

ALF, taking legal actions to defend animal rights helps, but illicit activities contribute a lot more

when it comes to eradicating the issue. Their main priority is to inflict economic damage on

those who profit from animal exploitation and to reveal the horrors that abused animals are

forced to face in their lifetime. By taking direct action and liberation, the AFL promises to do its

best to save suffering animals from their misery. Activists from the ALF have been caught using

violent actions against researchers and scientists as their way of ending animal abuse. Such

violence includes fire bombs, fires, back-to-back break-ins, animal releases, as well as threats.

As seen in the article “Radical Animal Rights Groups Step Up,” the ALF has been connected to

multiple reported cases in which an animal experimenter recieves death threats, forcing them to

quit their job because they are considered profiteers from animal exploitation. An article

published by BBC News in the year 2000 titled “Animal rights, terror tactics” stated that more

than 1,200 attacks were made by Animal Rights Extremists, which included terrorizing and
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caused £2.6m worth of damaged property. The main source of such damage was the Animal

Liberation Front.

Subsequently, ALF activists admitted they want animal exploiters to “live in fear,”

according to The Washington Post. Examples of fear-causing obliterations made by the ALF

include fire bombings and death threats made by animal activists towards UCLA researchers as a

result of their animal experimentation. Unfortunately Lynn Fairbanks, a UCLA researcher fell

into the category and found a powerful firebomb in front of her neighbor’s doorstep. Officials

state that the neighbor, an elderly tenant, would have been killed if the bomb had worked as

intended. The Animal Liberation Front later claimed responsibility for the event with one of the

organization’s US press officers, Jerry Vlasak’s statement, "It's regrettable that certain scientists

are willing to put their families at risk by choosing to do wasteful animal experiments." He also

remarked, “Force is a poor second choice, but if that's the only thing that will work [...] there's

certainly moral justification for that.” Discussing a similar matter, the Justice Department (JD) as

well as the Animal Rights Militia (ARM) agreed with the ALF, with the JD stating, “The

Animal Liberation Front achieved what other methods have not while adhering to non-violence.

A separate idea was established that decided animal abusers had been warned long enough.” This

suggests that using violent methods over non-violent methods are seen to be more effective in

bringing awareness to the problem of animal cruelty and helping end it.
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Due to its being such a controversial approach, there are mixed opinions on the question

of whether using violence as a way of defending animals is justifiable.

One of the most well-known animal rights organizations does not oppose the idea. People

for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), an organization with more than 6.5 million

supporters, seems to concur with the proposal of committing illegal activities and using violence

as a way to end animal cruelty. The article “What’s PETA’s position on the Animal Liberation

Front (ALF)?” posted by PETA suggests that although they are not willing to take illegal actions,

they admit it is a very effective method of bringing awareness and helping the cause. Moreover,

PETA confesses that ALF “raids” have provided proof of the horrors animals endure. This

means that if it weren't for the ALF, many organizations, who don’t follow the Animal Welfare

Act, wouldn’t have been discovered. It’s safe to say that this may of resulted in more animal

suffering. PETA suggests that thanks to such findings, a large number of abusive laboratories

have been shut down, and filed criminal charges, violations, as well as scientific condemnations.

It can also be inferred that PETA supports violence against animal exploiters due to a video

game they released called “Cage Fight.” The video game consists of the player being a famous

Mixed Martial Arts fighter who travels through university laboratories, military installments, and

pharmacy labs, assaulting scientists and freeing animals. The game itself suggests that PETA is

promoting violence against animal experimenters to save animals.

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Although there are strong arguments supporting the proposal of using violence to end

animal cruelty, one can say it is an illogical approach for a number of reasons, beginning with

the fact that those who participate in it are subject to criminal penalties. Both, the Federal Bureau

of Investigation (FBI), as well as the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA), don't approve of

the ALF’s actions. The FBI published a testimony called “Animal Rights Extremism and

Eco-terrorism” in which they stated that the violent actions that the ALF carry out are dangerous

and considered terrorist attacks. It is no surprise that the AETA seems to think in a similar

matter. The AETA was founded in 2006 with the purpose of ending the destructions caused by

organizations like the ALF, to create public safety and regulations for safety in environments

such as factory farms, slaughterhouses, and laboratories. According to a New York Times article,

the AETA punishes anyone who “intentionally damages or causes the loss of any real or personal

property used by an animal enterprise” or “conspires to do so.” They also punish those who

create a “reasonable fear of death or [...]serious bodily injury” for those involved in an animal

enterprise.

One can postulate that threatening people’s lives is not necessary to bring awareness on

the topic of animal abuse. From a different perspective, one can assume that the Animal

Liberation Front is not only endangering the lives of scientists but the public in general. It is also

true that many abused animals have gone through psychological trauma which can affect their
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views on humans negatively. Due to this, an experimented animal can be a significant threat to

society if released.

Another proposal that seems unethical is the United States Department of Agriculture’s

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) preference for third-party inspections and

certifications.

The USDA declared on April 18, 2018, that announced inspections would be

incorporated to the system and may replace unannounced inspections for facilities such as

factory farms, slaughterhouses, shelters, and laboratories. Because unannounced inspections

have been used since August 2, 1966, as a part of the Animal Welfare Act in order to regulate the

treatment of animal research and exhibition, it is safe to say that the new proposed approach

aroused attention.

One can infer that facility inspections correlate with high rates of animal abuse. Due to

this, the USDA argued that the third-party inspections would help them see first-hand if each

facility is complying with federal regulations and standards by law. They stated that announced

inspections would benefit by allowing a facility to have its attending veterinarian present. The

USDA also suggested that such inspections would enhance communication and collaboration, as

well as help coordinate events. One can suppose that perhaps the USDA thought that announced

inspections would trigger organizations, forcing them to be more organized and follow the laws.
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It is understandable that the USDA and the APHIS are only trying to reduce animal abuse, but

one can logically assume that such a proposal would most likely increase animal cruelty.

Delcianna J. Winders, the vice president of the People of Ethical Treatment of Animals

Foundation (PETA) and Deputy General Counsel for Captive Animal Law Enforcement, claims

that if such proposal would be carried out, then there will be more probability of an increase in

animal death and abuse rates. Winders states, “suffering and dead animals are going to be

hidden.” She suggests that announced inspections will provoke facilities to hide proof of any

sign of animal abuse, which will serve as a way for facilities to violate the Welfare Act. If

interpreted correctly, this would mean that any suffering animals, who had the chance to be

saved, will continue to be abused.

Fortunately, after considering much feedback from the public, the USDA realized the

error they were making if they enacted the third party inspections. On May 25, 2018, the USDA

and APHIS decided to not establish the new criteria of announced inspections and will continue

unannounced inspections.

A Less Painful Approach

Despite the failure of these attempts to solve the problem of animal abuse, there are still

several things that can be done to help support this cause.

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A proposal worth considering would be registering animal abusers like sex offenders.

According to the Washington Post, as of 2016, the FBI has begun registering animal abusers

similarly to sex offenders in multiple states such as New York, Chicago, Florida, and Tennessee.

An article published by WGN-TV, states, “More states consider bill requiring animal abusers to

register like sex offenders.” These include Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts,

Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington. One can say such

proposal can really help the animal abuse issue through properly punishing animal abusers.

Through the registry, abused animals can be given a voice and justice can be made for them.

While establishing such a registry is justified, it could be undermined if improperly executed.

The article, “Tennessee's Animal Abuse Registry one year later,” discusses that to add an

offender to the animal abuse registry list, the offender must have a committed felony. 10 NEWS

also states, "There are three ways people can make the registry. One is through aggravated

cruelty to animals, fighting animals, or having sexual relations with animals,”. Since most of the

cases end up being misdemeanors, offenders aren't properly punished. Not to mention, most

offenders try to negotiate in the courtroom, which is why such cases are challenging to

prosecute. Leslie Earhart, a TBI spokesperson, claims, “We see in some cases where someone is

originally charged with aggravated cruelty to animals but then take a plea for a lesser charge

which makes them no longer qualified for the registry.” Due to such, animal offenders can get

away and conduct more harm. For example, a year after the law first went into effect; it failed to

bring justice to an animal’s death. In 2017, an owner’s chihuahua was killed by his neighbor; the

offender was convicted but wasn’t added to the animal abuse registry list in Tennessee because

his actions “did not qualify.”

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Due to such faults in the system, not all animal welfare advocates, most notably the

ASPCA, view the animal abuser registry as effective. Randall Lockwood, the senior vice

president of anti-cruelty projects for the ASPCA, stated, “Given the limited scope, reach and

utilization of animal abuse registries, it is unlikely they would have any significant impact on the

incidence of animal cruelty.” Lockwood stated that the number of people who end up in the

registries is depressing. Instead, he said communities should focus their attention more on

“strengthening anti-cruelty laws, using no-contact orders to prevent offenders from having

contact with pets, livestock and wildlife, and expanding protective orders in domestic violence

situations to include animals” (WGN-TV). In my opinion, strong anti-cruelty laws and

no-contact orders are an ideal proposal for those states who can't afford to maintain or to institute

animal abuse registries due to expense, but I think that the states who can afford animal registries

should invest in the idea. One of ASPCA’s main arguments discussed how animal abuse

registries are expensive (“Costs of a proposed California registry were estimated anywhere from

$750,000 to $2 million” (ASPCA)) and that they have limited reach and are rarely utilized.

Unfortunately, this is true, the oldest animal abuse registry list posted by the Tennessee Bureau

of Investigation today only has 15 people with animal abuse convictions. The list is meant to

help shelters and police detect offenders and prevent more harm from happening, but that has not

been the case. In spite of such setbacks, I believe multiple animal advocates are willing to

fundraise yearly and donate for the cause. A portion of residents taxes can also be used for

maintaining animal abuse registries. According to the National Priorities Project, the House and

Senate passed a budget deal that sets military and nonmilitary spending levels for 2018 and 2019.

Congress voted that 54% of U.S. Federal budget will be used for military fundings, "The deal
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sets 2018 spending levels at $700 billion for the military - including an $80 billion budget

increase, as well as $71 billion in war and emergency funding, an increase over recent years."

Since the United States has the most powerful army worldwide, there wouldn't be much of a

negative effect if 2% of military funds were used for the maintenance of animal registries as well

as animal abuse facilities and corporations. Therefore expense should not be an issue.

In addition to ASPCA’s arguments, they state that “Although animal cruelty is strongly

associated with a variety of other crimes, including assault and drug crimes, it is not necessarily

predictive.” One can rightfully say that statistics prove such a statement otherwise. According to

Janette Reever, deputy manager for the animal fighting response for the Humane Society of the

United States, “is a key predictor for criminal behavior that can include sexual assault, domestic

violence — even arson and murder.” She also stated, “In so many instances, investigators find

that a person involved in domestic violence or child abuse is also involved in animal abuse.

Among women victims of domestic violence, 84 percent of them reported that their abusers also

hurt animals.” As a result, instituting animal abuse registries can indeed give an advantage to the

FBI for potential suspects regarding violent crimes. PETA, a proud supporter of animal abuse

registries, also seems to agree with such response through their article, “Animal Abuse and

Human Abuse: Partners in Crime,” in which they discuss the direct correlation of animal abuse

and human abuse. In the article, PETA quotes Robert K. Ressler, who developed profiles of

serial killers for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), “Murderers … very often start by

killing and torturing animals as kids”. PETA further proves their point by giving examples of

multiple murderers and rapists that abused an animal in throughout their youth, such as the serial

killer Jeffrey Dahmer, or the “Boston Strangler,” Albert DeSalvo.

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A follow-up solution to the proposal regarding animal registries; a witness, should always

report any form of animal cruelty. On January 1st, 2016, cruelty to animals was added as

a category in the Uniform Crime Report by the FBI. The national crime reporting system,

commonly used in homicides, is a big step up for the animal abuse issue. Because animal

abuse can be reported as simple/gross neglect, intentional abuse and torture, organized

abuse (such as dogfighting and cockfighting) and animal sexual abuse, there is a higher

probability of a higher rate of animal abuse convictions. Although only one-third of

communities in the U.S are currently participating in the system, reporting animal abuse

has not only benefited animals but also the community as a whole. According to the

humane society of the United States, the results of a survey state that there were reports

of 71 percent of domestic violence victims who claimed that their abuser also targeted

pets. In the United States, approximately 70 million domesticated dogs and 74.1 million

domesticated cats, as well as 20 men and women are assaulted per minute. It is safe to

say that reporting a case of animal abuse can prevent abuse, whether it be animal or

human. Also, in some states, felony charges are only allowed if there is evidence of a

previous animal conviction in the perpetrator criminal record. By reporting animal abuse,

the data generated helps create a clearer picture of animal abuse which guides strategies

for intervention and enforcement as well as raise red flags for the FBI for regarding

future potential sexual abusers/lawbreakers. Not only would reporting help the animal

victim, but it would also prevent the suffering of any more animals the offender may have

access to in the future.

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As a result, from a different perspective, animal registries should indeed expand to all 50

states but need stricter rules to function with practicality. Any abuse whether it be leaving an

animal purposely to starve or killing an animal should be enough of a felony to convict someone

of animal abuse for registries to be useful for the FBI, pet stores and animal shelters. I also

suggest courts be more strict when overseeing their jurisdictions. If there's enough proof, an

animal abuser should not be able to clear themselves of charge. The outcome would most likely

encourage residents to report animal abuse if witnessed, reducing the amount of animal suffrage.

Another proposal that can reduce animal cruelty is veganism. As PETA suggests, by

boycotting animal products, one would contribute to the cause and help decrease animal torture

in factory farms, slaughterhouses, and laboratories. One would also help the issue of global

warming. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, 14.5% of the

fumes that make up global warming are identified as methane. Most notably, livestock, including

cows, pigs, sheep are responsible for such methane emissions, which cows being the primary

offenders. Each cow releases 30 to 50 gallons of methane each day, all multiplied by the

estimated amount of cows on the planet, being 1.3 to 1.5 billion. As a result, much of the

methane contributing to global warming is as a result of the massive production of cows

produced for humans consumption. By stopping the use of animal products, one can help the

environment, as well as help, end the animal abuse.

Considering it may be challenging to convince everyone to become vegan, a more

realistic approach would be to cut back the consumption of animal products and replace them

with plant-based products. Two of the most well-known companies who produce plant-based
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alternatives for meat and dairy products, and are in favor of such proposal are the Impossible

Burger and Beyond Meat. Although both companies, Impossible Foods, and Beyond Meat are

competitors, they both have the same goal, to make nutritional food that will not only benefit

vegans and animals but also spread the word regarding the negative health and environmental

impacts that are associated with livestock products. Both companies acknowledge the difference

there would be, worldwide, if people reduced their consumption of animal products. It is safe to

say that the fact their laboratory made, plant-based meat, tastes, feels and looks exactly like real

animal products produces curiosity. If all goes as planned, the number of people who actually

end up liking the vegan product will most likely reduce their consumption of animal products.

Since meat consumption would be cut back, the production of livestock products would slow

down and reduce animal abuse in factory farms and slaughterhouses, but also benefit the

environment as a whole. As stated in NBC News, according to the Impossible Foods 2018

SustainabiliTy Report, “If Americans were to replace 50 percent of their beef with plant-based

Impossible Foods, they could spare the earth 35 million metric tons of carbon.” Also, the social

scientist and animal advocate, Jacy Reese sheds light on the topic of animal abuse within the

food industry explains the beneficial outcomes that would reside if we used our technology more

properly and lived in the future in which plant-based, healthy meat is grown in labs.

One way such proposal can be carried out is through the encouragement for more fast

food chains to make partnerships with vegan companies such as Impossible Foods and Beyond

Meat. It is most probable that a consumer is most likely willing to try a plant-based burger made

sold by their favorite fast food rests rather than going online or to the grocery store and pick out

plant-based meat to buy. Coming from the perspective of a regular fast food consumer, if a fast
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food company was willing to take the risk and collaborate with another company because the

outcome is worthy enough to be sold under the fast food chain’s name, then the product must be

good. If promoted correctly, the consumption of beef regarding fast food chains would decrease.

Such a solution is prone to succeed because it already has through multiple trial tests.

Most recently, according to CNN Business, the fast food joint Burger King collaborated with

Impossible Foods and began to sell the company’s signature plant-based burger in Burger King

restaurants as the famous “Impossible Whopper”. Ever since the test-run Burger King launched

in their fast food restaurants located in St. Louis, both the company and the fast-food chain has

received popularity. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “Burger King's research [;] 9% of

people buying plant-based meat are vegetarian, but 90% are meat eaters looking for healthier

options.” The Impossible Whopper provided meat-eaters the opportunity to consume a healthier

and more environmentally friendly option. A spokesman for Burger King’s parent company,

Restaurant Brands Inc. stated, Our Impossible Whopper test in St. Louis went exceedingly well,

and as a result, we plan to extend testing into additional markets in the very near future.” April

2019, Burger King announced its plans to release the Impossible Whopper to approximately

7,300 more locations nationwide by the end of the year. The proposal also resulted successful

when beyond Meat partnered up with Carl’s Jr. According to an article in Vox, Little Caesars is

the latest chain where you can try out meatless meat, more and more fast food chains are

executing the proposal for a larger number of consumers. It is said to be, again, because of the

convenience and benefits of plant-based meat. Vox states, “Beyond Meat says it takes 99% less

water, 93% less land and 50% less energy to make plant-based burgers. They also emit 90%

fewer greenhouse gases.”

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One of the most public opposers of the idea is the U.S. Cattlemen Association. The

association wrote a 15-page petition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture asking for the official

definition of the terms “beef” and “meat.” Such an attempt was most probably made to make the

statement that meat will never be replaceable as a way to try to keep to meat and dairy industry

going.

Nevertheless, the proposal of introducing vegan burgers to every popular fast food chains

seems like a logical proposal that would be the beginning of an animal cruelty-free, vegan,

healthy, and environmentally friendly future.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this paper has succeeded in bringing awareness to the issue of animal cruelty.

It would appear that most people think of animal cruelty as only animal abuse in the streets

when, in reality, it happens to be everywhere, including factory farms, slaughterhouses, animal

shelters, and laboratories. Most problems that animals go through are poorly handled and fail to

be taken seriously. Despite the more difficult necessary changes, one can contribute to the cause

by making a few simple alterations to one’s everyday routine. What is now needed is the

cooperation of the public to address the animal abuse issue and the complications that can result

if it is not fixed quickly enough. As time goes by, animal activists shall continue to do their best

to bring justice for animals.

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