I belong to an organization called UFETA, the Unitarian Universalists for Ethical Treatment of Animals. UFETA is a small group, and not nearly as well known as major animal rights organizations like PeTA. But it is one of the few that bring a religious perspective to the topic.
As you may imagine, the recent epidemic of hoof and mouth disease in Britain has caused quite a stir among UFETA members. Their email network is buzzing with messages, many of which make excellent points. It is a refreshing alternative to the media propaganda. For example, Dr. LoraKim Joyner writes:
“As a veterinarian and a minister-in-training I thought I would offer up some of my personal reactions to the disease. I was never a hoofed animal vet, but a bird veterinarian, now in the Unitarian Universalist ministry. However, I did have experiences with animals that live their lives in the food industry. My experiences there have shown me that many, if not most, of these animals live very harsh lives. Along their journey a good deal of them suffer and experience cruelty, although there are many people, including owners and veterinarians, who do their best to insure that they do not suffer much. Despite these people's efforts, there is tremendous suffering that could largely be avoided. I trust that one day we will treat them better when we use their bodies to nourish us and their beings to increase our economic gain.Everything Dr. Joyner she says is true. However, her analysis does not consider the big picture. The massive slaughter and incineration of animals suspected of hoof and mouth disease means that less fresh meat will be available in the short term. It would be nice if people would lower their meat consumption temporarily to compensate. However, they will not. If anything, it may trigger an increase as people hoard meat to make sure of “getting their share”.Because of the ongoing mistreatment of these animals, I have to admit that it is hard to be more disturbed than I already am. Yes I do feel increased sorrow for the animals and the people who share their lives with them. But part of me is grateful that their early slaughtering will to some degree decrease their suffering now. I know that they will die in a few years in the same way anyway.
Having worked briefly in the animal food industry, been the vet, seen the slaughterhouses, and done my killing of them for the cause of human good, I have a strong sense of what burdens animals carry when they are used for our own ends. And I am deeply grateful for their lives. My hope is that all this publicity surrounding these diseases will remind us of the gift these animals are, and how we might do better by them.”
The result will be a drop in the inventory of meat stocks: fresh, frozen, canned and otherwise preserved. The market will react by increasing “production”; that is, raising even more livestock to replenish the supply. The net effect will be a virtual replacement of the slaughtered animals. These unfortunate surrogates will ultimately suffer the same fate their predecessors were destined for. In the end, there will be twice as much suffering as there would have been otherwise. So it is difficult to justify ambivalence or complacency about the matter.
We humans have an endearing tendency to take a shortsighted perspective. We look at what’s in it only for us, and only in the near future. Sometimes we may consider what’s in it for others (if their skin color is not too different from ours). Or we may pause to think of how our actions affect the next few years (if any of our progeny are involved). Rarely do we think of the consequences for other species, or for the distant future.
That’s why I’m so glad for the existence of UFETA, which is the only
organization I know of that does both.
I would urge all of us (and that includes me, since I’m guilty as often
as anyone) to remember to think of the really big picture: the entire space-time
continuum that envelops and sustains us all. Native Americans (and indigenous
people in general) are well known for this ability; it’s second nature
to them. (The famous quote attributed to Chief
Seattle—and appropriated by Seventh
Generation, Inc.—is one example.) If we can do that ourselves, perhaps
we stand a chance of altering the global mindset to a more holistic perspective.
For more information about UFETA, please contact Reverend Gary Kowalski, 152 Pearl Street, Burlington, VT 05401, telephone 802-862-1426. Or visit their website at http://www.uua.org/ufeta/