Although the scope of veganism is very broad and includes multiple benefits for people, a truly joyous way of life with optimum energy and protection against degenerative disease, and multiple benefits for the environment, sustainable food supplies and food sovereignty, the focus of veganism is very clear – it’s an ethical position that seeks to end the use of animals, opposed to their commodification for human purposes. And with what’s happening to animals right now across the globe, veganism is the one true lifeline for the animals.

 

It’s not easy to picture what a billion is – but if we think of a million as 11 days, a billion is therefore around 34 years, & then we get a better idea of just what the scale of destruction really is when to comes to animals. Every year in the UK over 1.2 billion animals are killed, and worldwide the number is a staggering 80 billion or more – and this doesn’t include the trillions of fish and shellfish. In the UK over a billion chickens are killed, around 15 million pigs, 9 million geese and ducks, 3 million cattle and over 10 million pigs. Every year around 200 racehorses are killed on UK racecourses, and around 3 million animals killed annually in laboratories in the UK. That gives us a little bit of an indication of what’s happening to over a billion animals every year here in the UK.

 

And tragically, nearly all are killed at a very young age, some of them literally babies still. And as for the conditions they endure in their short miserable lives – around 85% are factory farmed, kept in the most dreadful conditions – and even the so called ‘higher welfare’ standards have time and again been revealed to be almost worthless. But even if conditions were truly tip top and all the animals were genuinely kept in decent conditions, it is still a fundamental wrong that we use them at all, and take their precious lives at such a young age.

 

If you’re not sure what’s really going on behind the closed doors of the farms, slaughterhouses and laboratories, there are plenty of very illuminating and inspiring documentaries and films that show the truth of what’s happening to animals right now, and it’s worth educating ourselves on the terrible realities the animals are facing, even more because there are multiple corporate vested interests and a lot of money spent that would have us think otherwise. There’s some films and documentaries listed below but be warned, some of them are pretty scary. If you don’t feel the need to look too closely, because you already know what’s happening, you might not want to watch. But if you haven’t already, you may want to consider committing to living a vegan way of life as a measured, principled, effective and dignified response to the carnage we are witnessing (and financing) on a daily basis – all of which is so unnecessary and can so easily be prevented.

 

Veganism is the solution to this terrible situation the animals find themselves in. By taking a principled stand against the commodification of all animals, we can ensure that animals are truly liberated from the current use and abuse they suffer. We’ll take a closer look at the animal rights position, which underpins veganism as a philosophy or way of life, and offers genuine hope for the animals.

 

 

 

Tom Regan – Animal Rights – short 10 minute film of Tom’s best speech

 

 

 

X Rated

Hogwood: A Modern Horror Story –2020 Documentary focusing on an undercover investigation into a pig farm

Pignorant – what happens to pigs when they go to slaughter

Earthlings – 2005 documentary narrated by Joaquim Phoenix with music by Moby focusing on what’s happening to animals