The Humane Slaughter Act

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ETHICAL CRAVINGS As defined by Dictionary.com a vegetarian is a person who does not eat or does not believe in eating meat, fish or fowl. 3.2 percent of the American population considers themselves to be vegetarians. That translates to approximately 7.3 million people (Vegetarians in America, 2012). This includes vegans who not only skip on the meat course but who also do not consume any product derived from animals. That leaves a whopping 96.8 percent of people to consume the 55.3 billion pounds of meat devoured annually in North America (International Statistics, 2012). The advertising slogan made popular in the early 90’s “Beef. It’s what’s for dinner” was intended to encourage the importance of beef in a healthy diet plan and Americans…show more content…
The passing of the Humane Slaughter Act mandates that all livestock experience a decreased level of suffering during slaughters. Although this is in law all agriculture companies do not adhere due to the lack of enforcement. In addition the cost to be in compliance is not one that business wants to absorb and their efforts could slow down production and interfere with their ability to meet demand. With the proper facility a human clean kill can be performed. Slaughterhouses are facilities where animals are killed for human consumption. Should these establishments follow a code of ethics while carrying out this duty? The end result will be the same and purpose will be fulfilled. Dr. Temple Grandin believes the method by which an animal is butchered does make difference and could actually affect the quality of the end product. Her principles on animal behavior and the belief that an animal’s final moments should be stress free have led her to design livestock facilities. These facilities are engineered to promote proper methods of putting animals down while ensuring facilities are adhering to the Humane Slaughter Act. A clean kill is humanely putting an animal down in a way that it experiences the least possible amount of pain or no pain at all. Does this make the act of killing the animal any better? A kill…show more content…
(n.d.). Temple Grandin's Web Page. Retrieved December 7, 2012, from http://grandin.com/ McWilliams, J. (Feb. 8, 2012). Meat: What Big Agriculture and the Ethical Butcher Have in Common. Retrieved December 2012, http://www.theatlantic.com Pollan, M. (2006). The omnivore's dilemma: a natural history of four meals. New York: Penguin Press. Vegetarianism In America | Vegetarian Times. (n.d.). Vegetarian Times - Great Food, Good Health, Smart Living. Retrieved December 8, 2012, from http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/vegetarianism-in-america/ International Statistics - The 2012 Statistical Abstract - U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Census Bureau Homepage. Retrieved December 8, 2012, from http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/international "Key Facts: Humane Slaughter | USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service." USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Home . N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.

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