Out of millions of species that exist in the world, there are only a few animals that we consume. Each culture defines for itself which animals are “acceptable” for consumption and which are considered untouchable, inedible, or repulsive. To cite a few examples – cows are not eaten in certain belief cultures, but chickens are. For example, in the western part of the world it would be unimaginable to eat dogs. However, pigs, cattle and chickens are on the menu here. Eating animals is therefore related to the cultural system in which we live. That’s one reason we eat some animals and not others.
We have long known that animals are sentient beings. So-called farm animals can recognize dangers, show fears, feel pain, sadness, joy, make friends – just like our pets. Their intelligence and their emotional and social skills are no less developed than those of dogs or cats. But then why do we eat them?
In our society, eating these animals is a norm. The so-called farm animals such as cows, pigs and chickens are often not seen as animals in our daily life, but rather as food. Processed products in particular, such as sausages, small sausages or schnitzel, are taken out of context in such a way that hardly anyone thinks of the living animal.
The overwhelming majority are doing it – without thinking about the impact this has on animals, the climate or our health.
The production of meat and other animal products puts a heavy strain on the planet: from growing crops and water use for feed production to animal transport and everything further steps that are necessary to bring the finished product to the plate.
You can read more about this in our article “Meat consumption and the environment”.