Animals have for centuries been exploited by humans for various reasons. With social media, there is growing awareness on the importance of redefining our relationship with animals. There is a shift in how we perceive animals - as sentient beings with emotions, family bonds, and the ability to feel trauma and pain.
Food
Animal cruelty for food involves subjecting animals to inhumane and often painful treatment during the process of food production, posing a serious ethical concern.
Slaughter of Animals for Meat
Livestock animals are transported for days from one state to another without any care like water, food, or warmth. In such transport, animals are kept for days and weeks at the same spot, unable to move. When these trucks arrive at the slaughterhouses, many animals are already dead due to deplorable conditions. Cows and pigs are killed by hanging them upside down and slitting their throats. In some slaughterhouses, they are killed by a shotgun type of instrument. Shockingly, if we killed humans at the same rate as animals, all humans would be extinct in 17 days. Learn more at this resource by Animal Equality. Viewer discretion advised.
Dog and Cat Meat
10-20 million dogs are slaughtered in China, 2 million in South Korea, 1 million in Indonesia, and around 5 million in Vietnam; 80,000 or so of this last group are imported from Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Dogs, the most loyal creatures, are tortured and confined in small cages before being slaughtered. Cats are also similarly slaughtered for meat in many Asian countries. These dogs and cats are often stolen from their loving owners making this even more horrific. Please see this video by the Animal Save Movement to learn more about this horrific trade. Viewer discretion advised.
Factory Farms
Industrial factory farms are responsible for the deaths of thousands of animals each year. Animals such as pigs and chickens are stuffed into small crates with hardly any space and their young taken away from them. As they grow bigger, chickens peck on each other to fight for survival and space. Some die and some survive with physical disabilities such as blindness. Watch this video to learn about the horrors of factory farms. Extremely graphic: Viewer discretion advised.
Dairy Industry
Mother cows are separated from their newborns within an hour after giving birth. All the milk that she produces is taken away for human consumption. If the calf is a male, he is killed and sold as veal. If it's a female, she is artificially inseminated when she is a year old and the cycle of painful insemination and milking follows until she no longer yields milk, following which she is slaughtered for beef. It’s no surprise that the dairy industry is also responsible for beef and leather exports. Please watch this video by ABC 7 Chicago to learn more. Viewer discretion advised.
Foie Gras
The demand for foie gras meat results in forcible feeding of ducks to fatten their livers and induces in them an extremely painful disease known as hepatic lipidosis, only for them to be killed for delicacy food. The ban of foie gras has been in effect many times, later to be uplifted for various reasons, continuing the horrific treatment of these poor birds. Please watch this video by Animal Equality to learn more. Viewer discretion advised.
Egg Industry
Eggs are an animal product. Their consumption is seen as exploitation of female chickens. Their beaks are cut without anesthesia. This prevents them from pecking on each other when cramped in crowded cages. Male chicks are mercilessly ground alive en masse. They are of no use to the industry because they don’t produce eggs or offspring.
Please watch this video by the Humane League to learn more. Viewer discretion advised.
Factory Farms
Industrial factory farms are responsible for the deaths of thousands of animals each year. Animals such as pigs and chickens are stuffed into small crates with hardly any space and their young taken away from them. As they grow bigger, chickens peck on each other to fight for survival and space. Some die and some survive with physical disabilities such as blindness. Watch this video to learn about the horrors of Factory Farms. Extremely graphic: Viewer discretion advised.
Fishing
Millions of fish are pulled out of the ocean. The modern fishing techniques erode the seabed thus destroying the marine and ocean ecosystem. Huge fishing nets are lowered to catch as many fish as possible, especially during the migration season. The rate at which fish are pulled out of the ocean is causing overfishing. The species of fish are unable to replenish naturally to create a balance. Often, fish and other sea animals like turtles, etc. that are not required, are also pulled out. By the time they are released back into the ocean, they are already dead. Watch Seaspiracy on Netflix here.
Entertainment
For centuries, animals have been exploited by humans for various reasons. With the advent of social media, there is growing awareness around redefining our relationship with animals. There is now a shift in how we perceive animals - as sentient beings with emotions, family bonds, and the ability to feel trauma and pain.
If you want to learn about cruelty-free animal-related entertainment options, please go to our Lifestyle Changes section (Ethical Entertainment).
Circuses
Bears, horses, lions, elephants, and other wild animals seen performing in circuses are treated with unimaginable cruelty behind the scenes. Taken away from their natural habitat, they are predominantly confined in captivity when not on stage. Their life on stage is no glamor, either - they are beaten, starved, and abused until they learn their tricks and put on display in noisy crowds under high-stress conditions. With growing awareness of animal cruelty, numerous city-, state-, and country-level jurisdictions have started restricting the exploitation of animals by circuses. Please watch this video by FriendlyInflation to learn more.
Rodeos
Popular in America and Canada, rodeos include events in which traditional ranch work has been perverted into a spectacle of animal abuse disguised as 'western tradition'. The events include roping calves, horse wrestling, horse bucking, and steer roping causing devastating stress and injury to animals. Tools such as electric prods and spurs are used on these animals to aggravate them. In calf-roping events, young calves are injured and even left to die. Sadly, these events are considered family-friendly and expose kids to sanctioned animal abuse. Here is a video by SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness) about animal cruelty in rodeos.
Racing
In horse and greyhound (dog) racing, these animals are confined to small cages, given performance-enhancing drugs, and whipped to make them run faster. Many of them risk serious injury and even death on racetracks, with numerous instances of animals falling and breaking their bones. Once they are no longer able to perform, they are sent to slaughter - more than 20,000 horses were sent for slaughter across the border from the US alone in 2021! Here is a video exposing the dark side of horse racing and greyhound racing. Viewer discretion advised.
Zoos
Zoos are often promoted as supporting animal welfare and conservation efforts. However, in reality, these animals suffer from isolation, absence of natural habitat, stress from being observed by numerous visitors, and lack of proper care for their well-being. Many animals in zoos develop zoochosis (repetitive/unnatural behavior) as a result of stress and frustration in captivity. Zoos also run unethical breeding programs, even euthanizing healthy animals when the numbers exceed their capacity. Please click on this video by Earthling Ed to learn more.
Elephant Rides
Some people have ‘riding an elephant’ on their bucket list, unaware of the torture elephants are subjected to. Taken from their herds as babies, they are put through a process called in which they are starved and beaten for days to break their spirits. They are then made to carry visitors on their backs day after day with little rest and proper care. Walking on concrete damages their feet, leading to various ailments. To keep them docile, they are beaten and threatened with bull hooks. Most elephants in captivity die early after suffering for years giving rides to tourists. You may watch this video by Earth Titan to learn more.
Sport Hunting
Hunting may have played an important role for human survival in prehistoric times, but the vast majority of modern hunters in developed countries stalk and kill animals for recreation. Hunting destroys animal families and even entire habitats via cruel methods like traps, bows, and bullets. Trophy hunters pay exorbitant sums of money to kill iconic wild animals for the purpose of obtaining a physical trophy like a mounted head! Animals die a painful death and their population is impacted, contributing to biodiversity loss and even extinction. Please watch to learn why sport hunting and trophy hunting should be banned.
Marine Parks/Aquariums
Marine parks like Seaworld are a billion-dollar industry showcasing sea animals such as orcas and dolphins. What most don’t know is that these majestic sea creatures are captured from the wild in drives, killing some of their pod members in the process. Once caught, these intelligent beings are taught tricks through starvation and abuse so that they obey the trainer's commands. The small pools that they are kept in are hardly a fraction of their natural habitat, the vast ocean. Kept captive almost lifelong, these animals suffer severe physical and mental ailments. Here is a video by UNILAD Adventure with more information.
Bull Fighting
Bull fighting is among the cruelest forms of entertainment in which bulls are subjected to a prolonged death in front of crowds that even include children. Bulls are first weakened by lances driven into their necks and even if the bull musters a fight, the exhausted animal is ultimately killed by a sword. Prior to the fight, bulls are starved, isolated, and drugged so that they cannot put up much resistance. Watch this video by CGTN (viewer discretion advised) to learn more.
Cub Petting
In the tourism industry, ‘petting tiger cubs’ is an attraction which is unethical and cruel. These cubs are often taken from their mothers at a young age and subjected to poor living conditions, leading to injury and death. Interacting with humans at a young age causes them significant stress. Additionally, this perpetuates the illegal wildlife trade, as many cubs used in these interactions are the offspring of wild-caught tigers or the product of inbreeding. This not only harms the individual animals involved, it contributes to the decline of wild tiger populations. Here is a video explaining more about cub petting.
Fashion
Every year billions of animals suffer and die for clothing and accessories. The fashion industry is responsible for the exploitation and slaughter of millions of wild animals each year.
Leather
Leather is often described as a by-product of animal slaughter for meat, but this is not reality. By buying leather, you are subsidizing the meat industry. Farmers do not sell hides out of kindness or the desire to minimize waste, they are in the money-making business and look to maximize their profits. It is estimated that over 1 billion animals are slaughtered for their skin worldwide. While cows provide most of the leather we use, there is an increasing demand for more exotic varieties of leather – even baby animals cannot escape. For more information please watch this video by PETA, viewer discretion advised.
Silk
Silk is often touted as one of the most natural fabrics on the market. However, it is actually made from insects! More than 6500 silkworms are killed to make just 2.2 pounds of silk. The process of creating silk can harm the integrity of the fiber so in some cases, farmers boil silkworms alive to make the process easier and efficient! Silk not only causes the deaths of billions of silkworms every year, it is also heavily reliant on slave labor and child exploitation For more information, please watch this video by Wild India, viewer discretion advised.
Fur
Fur is unimaginably cruel. Today, some 750 million animals including species of dog, fox, minx, lynx, rabbit, chinchilla, and raccoon are cruelly raised and brutally killed every year by electrocution, having their necks broken, crushed, drowned in traps, gassed, poisoned, or skinned alive - all to keep their pelts intact for the apparel and fur industry. These animals live in deep fear and distress in the name of fashion and an industry that makes billions of dollars off of cruelty. Watch this video by PETA about cruelty in the fur industry, viewer discretion advised.
Wool
Because there’s a market for their fleece, sheep are treated as nothing more than wool-producing machines. Shearers are usually paid by volume and not by the hour to encourage fast work leading to careless and hasty shearing, causing frequent injuries. Workers manually sew the worst wounds shut without any pain relief. Within weeks of birth, lamb ears are hole-punched, their tails are chopped off, and males are castrated without any painkillers. No amount of fluff can hide the fact that the wool industry is a cruel industry. For more information, please watch this video by Joey Carbstrong, viewer discretion advised.
Down
Although most down is removed from ducks and geese during slaughter, birds in breeding flocks and those raised for meat also endure the trauma of plucking every six weeks before they are eventually killed. Live plucking causes considerable pain and distress once the feathers are ripped out, with many left paralyzed with fear and gaping wounds. Workers often sew their wounds without any anesthetics! In nature, ducks and geese are meticulously clean, but in the Down industry they are stuck in filthy, feces-filled enclosures. For more information on down please watch this video by PETA, viewer discretion advised.
Feathers
Many shoppers are still unaware of the cruelty inherent in the feather industry. Live plucking causes considerable pain and distress. When feathers are plucked from birds, this leaves bleeding follicles, causing tears and bruises in their skin. Undercover video footage shows employees on goose farms pulling fistfuls of feathers from live birds as the animals shriek in terror. Purchasing fashion made from feathers supports the cruel meat and exotic skin industries because many farmers who raise birds for food or clothing make an extra profit by also selling their feathers. Please watch this video by PETA, viewer discretion advised.
Testing
Scientific Testing
Scientific testing using animals is primitive and wasteful as ~95% of the drugs that work on animals don't translate to humans. Humans possess different genetics and epigenetics; simply put, the way our bodies react to something can be very different. This puts billions of innocent animals through excruciating, lifelong physical pain and unimaginable mental suffering for a faint 2-5% chance of success. This even costs taxpayers billions of dollars that can otherwise be spent on constructive initiatives such as education or food or shelter for people in need. Is it worth it? Please view these videos from PETA here and here to learn more.
Cosmetic Testing
Should the pursuit of beauty cost innocent lives when quality, cruelty-free products are easily available in the market? These animals are tortured physically and mentally their entire lives, dying a painful, slow death. Most animals are social and not meant to spend their lives tortured in isolation. Real beauty lies in choosing kindness towards animals. Bonus: 'Not animal tested' products are usually made with natural ingredients and free of harsh chemicals, keeping your skin happier. Rest assured that these are extensively tested and dermatologist-approved. Check out this video from Lush Cosmetics to learn more.
Household Products
Is it necessary to test household products like dishwash detergent, disinfectant surface wipes, and more on animals? Especially when there are easily available and affordable products tested and approved by your respective government bodies before hitting the market? So why cause unnecessary agony to innocent animals? The next time you shop, choose brands that don’t test on animals. Choose with compassion. Learn more in this video from Khyra Edits here.
Traditions
Mass Animal Slaughter for Celebrations
Animals such as sheep, goats, cattle, and camels are mercilessly slaughtered for Eid. They are tied up en masse, stuffed into narrow spaces, and slaughtered in front of each other in a cruel storm of mental and physical exploitation. Turkeys raised for Thanksgiving are unnaturally heavily-sized, losing the ability to fly, walk, or even breathe freely. On top of this, their beaks are cut off in a painful procedure so they don’t peck at other turkeys. The true spirit of tradition espouses peace towards all sentient beings; learn more in these articles by the Vegan Muslim Initiative and by ASPCA.
Traditional Dairy-Based Offerings
Some Indic traditions include milk and ghee offerings. Unfortunately, the commercialized dairy industry today is incredibly cruel. Calves are deprived of their mothers’ milk, starving to death or being killed for veal. The continuous process of artificially inseminating, as well as milking, is painful for cows that are drugged to increase yield and crammed into narrow spaces for much of their lifetimes. Cows that often live up to 25 years may live only 4-5 years due to the dairy industry, eventually being sent to slaughter when their yield declines. Here’s an inspiring read from the Jain Samaj to learn more.
Temple Elephants
Seeing majestic elephants paraded around in temples may evoke feelings of celebration and grandeur. However, their lives in temples are the complete opposite. Shackled to lead lives of isolation, these otherwise social and emotional creatures undergo consistent physical abuse and mental torture. Brutalized with bullhooks, spiky chains, and long poles so that they obey and lacking proper care, they lead lives of pain - often with paralyzed trunks, open wounds, infections, just to name a few - and lifelong disease. Learn more here from Sangita Iyer, whose mission is to rescue elephants exploited at temples.
Pet Trade
Pet Trade
Pet trade is a lucrative business where animals like puppies, kittens, birds, reptiles and other exotic animals are sold with little regard for their welfare. Puppy mills are nothing more than ‘breeding factories’ where dogs are subjected to forced over-breeding, inbreeding, disease, overcrowding, filth, and hunger. The exotic pet trade is equally bad, with traders transporting birds and animals in tiny cages illegally. It is documented that for every animal that is transported, three of them die due to poor conditions. The trade causes decimation of populations in the wild and destruction of their habitats. Watch this video about the cruelty involved in wildlife trade and this expose about puppy mills.