Spotlight is on Chickens

Some good stuff coming out of PETA’s Vice President for Policy, Bruce Friedrich.  His piece in the Huffington Post highlights the plight of chickens, due to the recent egg recalls in the U.S.

Friedrich points out that the chicken and her plight is gaining media attention she hasn’t seen before.  The public has become more aware now of how the chicken is mistreated in the human quest for cheap food.  Friedrich takes this opportunity to tell us some things we might not know about this marvelous being.

Chickens are ‘social, intelligent creatures complete with Machiavellian tendencies to adjust what they say according to who is listening.’

Chickens ‘can anticipate the future and demonstrate self-control, something previously attributed only to humans and other primates.’

Chickens know that something they can’t see still exists- something that is ‘beyond the capacity of small children.’

Despite these scientific facts (Friedrich’s article is cited with sources), he discovered that most people tend to put the chicken, as well as cows, pigs, and other “farmed” animals, in a different moral category than, say, a dog or cat.

After all, these animals are made of flesh, blood, and bone–just like dogs and cats. They experience the exact same five physiological senses (i.e., they see, hear, smell, taste, and feel). And they feel pain — just like dogs, cats, and we do.

Recently, while taking part in the “why vegan” conservation, I was asked quite earnestly, “Then why are they (animals) here (if not to eat them)?”  Obviously, this question is based on the assumption that all things on Earth must be here for some reason that we, as humans, can fathom or take advantage of.  I think it’s difficult for some to comprehend the answer, “they are here for themselves.”  They certainly aren’t here for enslavement in CAFOs so that we can get a dollar sandwich at Chick-fil-A.

It’s 2010.  Humans have no need, nor moral right, to eat the eggs of other animals.  Wise up people.