Animals' place

In reading Michael Pollan’s article regarding animal rights I find myself in his same shoes, I like to eat meat but I don’t like the idea of how the animals are killed.

There is, too, the fact that we humans have been eating animals as long as we have lived on earth (Pollan). The reality is that we have to eat and many of the nutrients that we need in our daily diets come from eating meats. Eating meats and other animals have become a part of our daily lives and many of us can’t picture life without it. While there are other sources to get these proteins from, I personally would not change to those sources.

People who care should be working not for animal rights but animal welfare to ensure that farm animals don’t suffer and that their deaths are swift and painless (Pollan). If animals had rights how would they defend those rights? While I wouldn’t say that animals should have their own rights per say, I would say and agree that they should be treated and cared for in a respectful manner in a healthy living environment where they are free to roam around, stretch, groom themselves and also interact with others.

God did give man "dominion" over animals ("Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you"), he also admonished us to show them mercy. "We are called to treat them with kindness, not because they have rights or power or some claim to equality but . . . because they stand unequal and powerless before us (Pollan). Many may read this and interpret it the wrong way. Yes, God did give Man authority over all that was created on earth but that does not mean that Man has the right to abuse and treat animals poorly. They also do deserve to be treated well just as we would treat ourselves or even our house pets.

I believe that the farms where the animals are being raised on should be inspected and approved. After all, we want to make sure that we are getting the best and not eating animals that have suffered pain and abuse. Reading labels and selecting that ones that indicate that there were no steroids or hormones added is a great way to know that you are getting good quality meats.



Works Cited


Pollan, Michael. "An Animal's Place." The New York Times Magazine. 10 Nov. 2002.