Does humane slaughter exist?
"To examine whether something is humane, first determine if you would want it done to you." -Andrea Kladar
Humane slaughter, what an oxymoron if I’ve ever heard one. It is a complete contradiction in terms.
Now obviously if an animal is suffering and in pain and cannot be helped, then of course there is a humane way to end their life. Nobody is advocating that animals suffer or die a painful death. But this isn’t relevant to the animals we eat for food, because they’re not killed because they’re unhealthy, they’re simply killed to make food. They are typically very young animals at just a fraction of their natural lifespan, and killed only because people enjoy the taste of their flesh.
So why is “humane slaughter” an oxymoron? Well let’s look at a couple different different definitions of the word humane:
“having or showing compassion or benevolence”
“showing kindness toward people and animals by making sure that they do not suffer more than is necessary”
Is it “compassionate or benevolent” to kill a healthy animal (that is not suffering or unhealthy) in the prime of their life that does not want to die?
Is it “showing kindness” to kill an animal for food when we can get the same nutrients, minerals, vitamins, protein, calories, etc. from non-animal foods? Since we know that we don’t need animal products to survive or even thrive, then doesn’t the act of killing the animal mean that they “suffer more than is necessary”?
At one point in human history, it may have been necessary to kill animals for survival. But for the majority of the world today, that is no longer the case. When you go to the grocery store and you have the choice between an animal product and a non-animal product, how is it humane to choose the one that requires the death of a sentient being? How is it necessary if there are alternatives available? Isn’t veganism the more moral choice?
Choosing violence and death when you don’t have to is the opposite of “having or showing compassion or benevolence” and is not “making sure they do not suffer more than is necessary.” So since it is unnecessary to eat animal products, then the act of killing them for food is unnecessary, and therefore not humane.
So if we can choose compassion and kindness over death, why wouldn’t we?
