Are slaughter houses as bad as people claim?

Question

Please don't send me links to videos of slaughter houses. It's really disturbing and I might faint, but I was just wondering if someone could separate some fact and fiction I've heard. Please say true or false for each statement and give sources from where you got your answer:

1.) Slaughter houses kill their animals inhumanely.

2.) The government makes sure that slaughter houses kill their animals humanely.

3.) The animals are given adequate food and living space.

4.) The people that work there are de-sensitized.

5.) The PETA tells the truth about slaughter houses.

I'm a vegetarian and I was just wondering because I became one from the way people kill the animals. I'm pondering whether or not I became one for nothing. =)

Answer 1

yes animals are killed brutally in the slaughter houses, but it is not as bad as what PETA tells you.

1.true

2.false

3.false

4.false

5.false

I'm not going to tell you weather to be a vegetarian or not but I have been a vegetarian for a year or so now. I became one because they torture animals so horribly just like you. But actually i realized I'm doing it to save a life :) alright;; goodluck :)

hope you stick with it!

you aren't doing it for nothing :)

Answer 2

The truth is that is depends on the company.  Reputable ones that want to stay in business slaughter humanly and treat the animals humanly.  Stressed animals makes for less $$$$$$$   Don't ever forget that, it is in the company's best interest to treat the animals humanely.  Now, any veggie will say this isn't true because the animal is being killed  anyway so that in and of itself is inhumane-- and therein lies the rub.

Is it pretty...no, never.

Are the workers desensitized?  That is an very ignorant question.  There is no brainwashing going one, just people earning a living and don't forget they are supporting families and these are real people working real jobs.

The next fact you should know is that the government has a presence AT ALL TIMES in the packing plants.  Government VETS, government inspectors, etc...etc.... making sure all rules are followed and dolling out fines if they are not.

Answer 3

1) True. Animals are usually burned to remove hair and feathers while fully conscious.

2) Sooo false. They whack animals with metal rods to kill them and are given growth hormones which causes leg problems.

3) Food has to be given for growth and the living conditions are absolutely AWFUL.

4) Not sure what that means :]

5) Unless the above isn't what they say than no.

My mom raises chickens and I'll continue to eat eggs from those chickes because they have a happy life and lays eggs wether we want them to or not.

STAY VEGAN!!!

Answer 4

how do you kill something humanly sheesh. I don't care how it dies as long as it's eatable and winds up on my dinner table.

watch Penn and Teller on Peta.  

Answer 5

I'm sure some slaughter houses dont follow the rules. But i dont think PETA knows all their stuff. I'm pretty sure they exaggerate to shock people to their side. Those animals are stupid anyway, if they werent, they wouldnt be in those houses in the first place.

Even if they are killed inhumanely, they taste great =D

Answer 6

i"m vegetarian because of PETA, but I do believe they exaggerate a lot, and they are very biased and extremist organization...

Answer 7

1)  Animals are harvested in the quickest, least painful manner possible.  Think, why in the world would a worker want to wrestle with a half alive 1500 pound steer.

2)  The USDA (if u are from the US) has a very thorough inspection process.  If a plant breaks the rules, they can be suspended or even shut down.  No why would they want that to happen?  They generally follow the rules.  (note:  unfortuanatley bad things happen, but not that often)

3)  Animals do not stay at the plant very long.  They are given water and adeqate time to de-stress from their trip.  People work very hard to decrease stress on the animals.

4)  People who work in harvesting facilities usually have jitters the first couple days on the job.  They have a hard job.  They do get used to it.  They are not evil satanic killers or anything.

5)  peta really doesn't tell the truth on much of anything, at least in the Ag world.

Being a Vegetarian is great.  My mom and grandma are, so I was raised on the diet.  Just make sure you know the facts if you want to be comfortable with your decision.  Talk to some farmers and actually learn why they do what they do.  My family completely understands agriculture.  They drink milk and eat eggs.  They just don't like eating anything that had eyes.  That's their choice and they don't go around making fools of themselves by preaching falsehoods about what actually goes on in the world of agriculture, as a few of the people above do.  

Answer 8

The name says it all, "Slaughter House"

Answer 9

1) False for most places, stress causes BAD bad TOUGH meat, contrary to popular belief. It would be more profitable to kill humanely (quick and painlessly).

2) Don't know about that one, the government makes sure it follows safety guidelines, not how they are killed.

3) False for the same reason as #1.

4) ??? By de-sensitized, do you mean the people stop feeling sensitive to killing animals? That depends on the person.

5) FALSE FALSE FALSE. PETA stretches the truth on so many of their "facts", being a heavily biased organization.

Answer 10

1. True.  I think all slaughterhouses are different but the horror stories you hear are awful whether they happen in every slaughterhouse or every third slaughterhouse.  The more animals they kill the more meat they turn out every day but that doesn't mean that they kill them the most ethical way.

2. False.  The government tries to keep an eye on slaughterhouses but are seriously under-budgeted as are most government funded organizations and don't have the work supply necessary to make sure standards are consistently met by slaughterhouses.

3. False.  The more animals you can squish together and raise the more money you can make.  It's all about the bottom line. $$$  I don't think they're all this way but most are.  Not only are the animals not given adequate food but they are injected with hormones to make them bigger than normal to sell for more money.  When you eat that meat you eat those hormones.

4. True.  I would have to say over time this does happen.  Keep in mind they're not usually vegetarians to begin with so it wouldn't bother them as much as a vegetarian.  It's a living.

5. True.  I think PETA gives a very specific other side of the story and reports what they want you to know just like any other news affiliate would to get their point across.

Answer 11

some are, some arent. im a vegetarian too! :o)

Answer 12

you definitely did not become one for nothing, I would like to become a vegetarian too, but the only problem is I dont really like veggies. But I hate the fact that I love chicken.

Answer 13

1. some do most don't

2. fairly effectively most of the time

3. food certainly, if you can call it that after all of the added chemicals living space, not at all

4. how else do you watch things suffer and die  40 hours a week

5. PETA has never gone five minutes without exaggerating

Answer 14

it's true. think of how many people are in the world and how much animal meat is consumed by all of them. of course they are slaughtered with no mercy. slaughter houses want to get the job done and keep making the money, they don't care if it hurts animals.

although there are certain products that are better, like organic chicken. organic chickens are not fed hormones that make them not even be able to stand on their own two feet like it given to chickens in slaughter houses.

Answer 15

The people who were posting things about slaughter houses not being so bad are just trollers.  You can never be sure if the animal you are eating has been tortured.  That's what makes people become vegetarians for ethical reasons.

The animals are definitely well fed to fatten them up.  They are given what the government considers adequate space, but not what the animal actually needs.

If the people who work there are desensitized, why is the turn-over so high?  Workers don't last because of how disturbing it is to work there.  Those places mostly employ illegal aliens for way under minimum wage.  

Answer 16

First of all, congrats for becoming a vegetarian! I'm one too, and let me tell you, you did not become one for nothing. Slaughterhouses do kill the animals inhumanely. Chickens get their beaks sawed off, they're dipped in vats of boiling water while they're still alive, cows get their horns cut off, and that's just a few of the terrible things! The government doesn't encourage them to be mean, but they also aren't doing a whole lot of good to prevent it. Animals are packed so tightly that they don't even have room to turn around. Chickens die feet away from food and water supply simply because they can't get to it! PETA does tell the truth, and I think they are a great organization. In addition to helping the animals, by becoming a vegetarian you are helping the environment and helping yourself by choosing a healthier lifestyle. You save more water by not eating a pound of meat than by not showering for a year! Eating just one pound of meat emits the same amount of greenhouse gases as driving an SUV for forty miles. It is also proven that vegetarians live longer and tend to be skinnier than meat eaters. Don't have second thoughts about your choice, you're doing a great thing!

Answer 17

true

false

false

huh?

false

Answer 18

1. False

2. False. The government assures cleanliness so that there is a lower risk of food-borne illness. There are no laws to protect or assure treatment for animals raised for food. Companion animals (dogs, cats) are legally considered different because of our societies views.

3. True. Adequate food and space to become large enough for slaughter. They are not given room to roam or food choices that reflect natural habitat. Have you visited any farms at all? I live in WI and have seen enough to know it is more of a wharehouse than a Holiday Inn.

4. False, People work in time monitored rotations so that they do not get over-exposed to the killing. From personal experience and accounts, they are not allowed to do a job for longer than recommended.

5. Unknown. Peta has an agenda. I am not always sure it that integrity gets in the way when you are trying to stop cruelty. Have you ever lied to stop a situation or to protect someone? Perhaps it is like that or perhaps they tell the truth.

*As to number one, name a few humane ways of killing? At the vets office with a gentle injection? There is no such thing at a slaughter house. Some of the more common methods include hitting them to 'stun' or daze them or use of an electric current to stun or daze the animal. Again, no one checks how alert an animal is prior to cutting. Can you imagine' "Excuse me, Mr. Pig, how many fingers am I holding up?"

Go look for yourself.  

Answer 19

slaughter houses vary from each other

Answer 20

1) some do, yes

2) they try, there are laws, but they can't be everywhere

3) yes, if we ate poorly fed animals, we'd become ill

4)yes, sadly they are

5) for the most part they do but they also exaggerate

I was a vegetarian but it's not for everyone.  I didn't approve of animal slaughter practices and was a PETA member.

Answer 21

This is what i think.......

1. Most of the time they do

2.False

3.Almost never

4.Not most of the time.....

but yea i think its good ur a vegetarian......im just glad this isnt one of those stupid questions.....its pretty interesting but yea all of this stuff is basicly what i think and know.....

Answer 22

ellen..."Chickens get their beaks sawed off, they're dipped in vats of boiling water while they're still alive"

which horribly biased vegetarian website did ya pull that one from...lol

no chicken in a 1st world country ever gets boiled alive......if you post a video i garuntee its for mexico....please dont spread lies..it only damages your cause because we cant take you seriously if you say stuff as obviously false as that

scott L is right...a slaughterhouse is a business....what do businesses like making??? money....so they best way to make money is to ensure the meat is top quality....now to do so the animal must be stress free and on a good diet or this results in poor meat...which sell for less...which makes less profit....now if you owned a slaughterhouse..what would you do...treat them inhumanely and make no profit...or treat them good and make lots of money...its common sense

Answer 23

They get a bad rap.  You should go and try the viscera slides.  They are so much fun.  Oh, and the food!  Goodnight!

Answer 24

1.) Slaughter houses kill their animals inhumanely. Mostly true

2.) The government makes sure that slaughter houses kill their animals humanely. Mostly false

3.) The animals are given adequate food and living space. Mostly false

4.) The people that work there are de-sensitized. Mostly true

5.) The PETA tells the truth about slaughter houses.  Mostly true

Answer 25

yea it is because they kill them by hitting by machines and all thous stuff also if you watch some videos they should show you how they kill them. also  the 2 one people say the government do it to not hurt it but they say it for you wouldn't fell  bad and not eat it.  3 they do but what good is there going to just kill them. also it sounds like you don't want to be one no more so just think if you want to be yes or not.

Answer 26

I am now assuming you are talking about legitimate slaughter houses. There are probably those who runs some pretty shabby operations, but I think the majority are doing a good job.

1) Slaughter houses kill their animals inhumanely. False. I think they are able to kill the animal within 5 seconds.

2) The government makes sure that slaughter houses kill their animals humanely. True. They have routines to check up on them.

3) The animals are given adequate food and living space. Irrelevant, since the animals are not going to live at the slaughterhouse.

4) The people that work there are de-sensitized. I have no idea. I don't think it is as bad as the Texas Chainsaw Massacre makes it out to be. Seems like more wackos are being produced at the post office.

5) The PETA tells the truth about slaughter houses. A link to what they are saying in the first place would be helpful. However, PETA is an organization that is driven by profits in addition to their main cause. In order to rouse up support they will most probably overestimate and twist facts to their advantage. They seem more de-sensitized than slaughter house workers, as PETA people care more about animals than about humans.

Answer 27

the vast majority of slaughterhouses kill animals humanely because:

It's efficient

There is no advantage in not doing so.

There are always exceptions, and they make news. But you can be sure that PETA will take the worst, exaggerate it beyond imagination, and then peddle it as standard procedure.

Answer 28

1) TRUE

2) FALSE

3) FALSE

4) TRUE, OVER TIME

5) THAT ONES IFFY

If you are serious about finding out some in depth truth about the slaughter industry try reading "Slaughterhouse: The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, and Inhumane Treatment Inside the U.S. Meat Industry" it was a real eye opener for me. Its based on documented fact which may help you in your quest for real answers. As for #4, I do not always agree with everything they say. Sometimes they are wrong but sometimes they are right...its a toss up when it comes to that organization. Hope this helps a little.