The primary focus of our campaign to end factory farming in the UK are those animals who we traditionally think of as farmed animals. They are egg-laying hens, broiler chickens for their meat, dairy cows, beef cattle, pigs, deer, ducks, geese and turkeys. There’s also fish that are often factory farmed in cages and pens.
It is estimated that more than 60 billion land animals are farmed for food globally each year, with two-thirds in factory farms.
However, when we talk about the production of animals for food and other purposes, we should also remember those species that we don’t normally think of as farmed animals. Dogs are bred for meat and reared in deplorable conditions in some Asian countries. Alligators are farmed for their meat and skins in Australia, Africa and some southern states in the United States. In addition, guinea pigs, antelope, springbok, impala and zebra are raised for their meat; alpacas for wool; bears for bile; llamas for wool and meat; rabbits for meat and fur; emu and ostrich for meat and feathers; bison, kangaroo and python for meat and leather; Asian water buffalo for meat and dairy; camels for meat, dairy and hair; yak for meat, dairy and wool; reindeer for meat, dairy and leather; and goats for meat, dairy, wool and leather. And then there are camels, horses, mules and asses.
The farming of exotic animals first came to my attention in the 1990s when Compassion was campaigning hard against the uptake of ostrich farming in the UK and Europe. We questioned whether there was any justification for bringing new and essentially wild animal species, such as ostrich and emu, into the farming arena when so many fully domesticated animals, such as chickens and pigs, were being treated so appallingly on our factory farms.
My interest grew further when, at the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) (2003-2005), I campaigned against the truly awful farming of bears for their bile in China and elsewhere.
These experiences brought it home to me that regardless of their species, and wherever in the world animals are raised for food or clothing, we should take care to avoid supporting cruel conditions. Meat from exotic animals is no exception. Those exotic names may appeal to some in gastro pubs or fancy restaurants, but their novelty is no guarantee that the animals have been treated well.
To learn more about the food we eat and the positive action you can take, please visit our website.
I completely agree. It’s ‘easy’ to focus on cows, pigs, hens etc, and of course given the millions of them that are mistreated on a daily basis, that focus is well-deserved; but you are correct that this focus should not be to the detriment of other more ‘exotic’ species. Keep up the great work!