Quote Originally Posted by Aussie2B View Post
1) When a cat plays with a mouse, it's just acting out hunting instincts. It lacks the mental capacity to be humane or inhumane. Most animals feel no malice or desire to inflict suffering. It's just instinctual behavior. In fact, most animals kill as humanely as their bodies make possible because quick kills are in their best interests. When a lion chases after a gazelle, it goes for the throat because it'll take it down fast, before it can have its skull cracked open by a flailing hoof. So, go figure, people are often crueler than animals, especially given that we have the means to kill animals in ways that are practically painless and take next to no effort or cost. Although this is straying off a bit because we're talking about care more than slaughter. The natural world doesn't factor in there because animals don't hold other animals captive for their entire lives.
When humans sear beaks off chickens, we're acting out our instincts to save as much of a resource as possible, to squeeze all the blood out pf a turnip. If it was cheaper to do it more humanely, we would be.

For every 'humane' example of a lion killing there is, there's also bot flies, tapeworms, constricting snakes, venom that stuns but doesn't kill...
And look into the plight of the poor aphids before you assume we are the only species to keep others as chattle.


Quote Originally Posted by Aussie2B View Post
2) Getting meat should be a pretty low priority for those who are starving. People are omnivores, and like other omnivores, the majority of our diet should not be meat. Grains, vegetables, and fruit are all more important, and there are other sources of protein that are cheaper and more plentiful. I'm not saying people should be vegetarians, but if you can't afford much meat, it's not the end of the world. In general, poorer countries eat less meat, and if you are desperate for meat and will take anything, it can definitely result in bad things. Just look up bushmeat. A lot of very nasty diseases have spread to people through the uncontrolled bushmeat trade. HIV likely came through that. Not to mention they have no clue what the heck animal they're eating. You're WAY better off eating some beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, etc. in that situation. There's a reason why charities send Plumpy Nut to Africa and not steaks.
Look into the amino acid differences between a steak and an equal amount of soy protein. There is a significant difference, and it's not trivial. Easy to compensate for in the civilized world. Not so much in Ethiopia.

And charities send nuts instead of steaks cause most of those countries are rife with corruption, and the meat won't reach it's destination. Nuts will.
And nuts are cheaper.