Dogs, Cats & Horses are being killed because of you and me.

Is this God's Doing? I think not!

I tend to think about the abused animals, those that suffer at the hand of man. I know God will take care of them, eventually, but many of them are hurting now! My heart cries out for them.

Between the governmental interaction (or lack thereof), the powers that only care about the mighty dollar, and those that torture these unfortunate souls, these animals' lives have become nothing more than a hope for the pain to disappear quickly. Unfortunately, no one appears to notice them or see them. They've slipped into a part of our world that is about as cruel as can be.

Many go hungry and thirsty, all are stripped of even the right to live their last moments in dignity. They are forced to deal with utter misery. Not even at the end of their life, does anyone care. Hence, I know I have to do all I can to help them, and I hope you will do the same. It's not like it takes a whole lot to do these things. In fact, just a few simple changes that won't hurt at all, is all that is required.

In China and Korea, as well in the US, millions of dogs, cats and horses are killed everyday. They're killed for their fur, the meat on their bones, and their skins. If they were killed humanely, it would be one thing, but these animals aren't even given space to breathe. And, sadly, no one is doing anything about the problem.

There are no laws that prevent them from killing animals the way they do, not even in the USA.

However, I believe WE as a people, can do something to stop their pain. I believe, it's up to the public to stop them from harming these animals. It's not up to the government, because they don't care about the problem.

Where do they get these animals?

Many of these animals are stolen from people's back yards. Cats and dogs are also picked up off the streets. Once these criminals have your pets in their possession, they're crammed into small crates along with dozens of other dogs and cats. The animals can barely breathe, much less move around. It doesn't matter if they live or die on the trip to China or Korea (or to the slaughterhouse -- for the horses) and the trip to Korea or China takes many days. They're shipped via trucks or boats, and they're not provided water, nor food, or even a way for the animals to relieve themselves. No stops are made on the way, except when the drivers need something. The animals remain in their crates during these times.

After the trucks/boats arrive at their destination, the crates are thrown from the top of the trucks to the ground. It's an approximate 6 - 10 foot drop. Many of the animals inside, endure the pain of their legs or neck being broken, when the crates land on the ground.

From there, the animals wait their turn to die a horrible death. They're forced to listen to their crate-mates; the ones they travelled with, as they hear their screams of pain. They fear they are next, and rightfully so, because they will be. They aren't put out of their misery before they die. No, instead, in order to increase their pain, their captors hang them up by their legs. The captors beat the animals until they're almost dead, but not quite. Some of the captors just let the animals hang upside down, until their whining (from the pain) stops. Then, the murderers will take them down and remove their coats from the animals, while they're still alive and breathing. Yes, their skins are stripped from their bodies while they're still alive!

You would think that the animals would die from that part alone, but it's not that easy. No, the countries that do these things believe that an animal's meat isn't tender enough to eat, unless the animal suffers, greatly! They believe that the more the animal suffers, the tenderer the meat. The idea is to make the animal suffer to the very end. Right after they strip the dog/cat's skin and fur off the body of the living animal, they cut it up, while it's still alive and hurting. It still feels each chop of the captor's axe. The animal will gasp for air, repeatedly. It's a horrible death, and it takes some time for the dog or cat to die...often 30 minutes after its fur/skin has been removed from the body.

A terrible visual, I know, but this occurs on a day to day basis in Korea and China. The question is, do you know why it occurs? It occurs because we, in the USA, purchase clothes made in China, Korea, and abroad. These clothes are marketed and marked as rabbit fur, and other animals that are allowed for human consumption, but often, the furs are taken from these dogs and cats -- thousands of them. Often, the meat is given to the people in China and Korea, and shipped here, too. If you're going to a restaurant in the USA and eating meat or poultry, there is no way to know what you're really eating. If you're purchasing meat or poultry in any supermarket, you also don't know what you're eating. It's often marked incorrectly, as lamb, chicken, duck, veal, beef, etc.

My family and I have chosen to become vegetarians because of this. It wasn't difficult to convert over, believe it or not, because the food industry has many alternatives to eating meat and poultry. We really don't feel that we're losing out on anything, because for everything we used to eat and drink that required the killing of these poor animals, there is a substitute. We eat a turkey substitute on Thanksgiving that you can't even tell is a fake. We eat burgers that are made of vegetables, but taste like burgers. We eat much healthier, and we feel better, and none of us have weight problems because of our diets. We also eliminated eggs and milk products, substituting other products for the same. There is a milk called, almond milk, which is made from the milk of almonds, and there is soy milk, which requires no animal interaction, whatsoever. Did you know that cows are supplying you with milk that isn't even healthy for you? It's milk for their calves which are killed at 6 months old. It's like drinking mother's milk as an adult, from your mother's breasts. The milk is made for the calves, not us, and studies have shown that milk is very harmful to us. That's why lots of people end up lactose intolerant. When the cows are spent (often at less than 5 yrs old, when their normal life should be 15 yrs) they're killed for their meat and skins. The veal industry is very cruel too, as the baby cows are tied to a chain their first entire six months of life, never even seeing their moms or nursing from their mothers. By the end of the six months, that they can't even walk around. By the time they're ready to be killed, their legs are useless, because their muscles have atrophied. They can't even walk to their deaths. Instead, they're thrown from the trucks that carry them to the slaughter house, have their throats slit, and they're boiled alive.

I'm not saying you have to do what we do, but it does help these animals to avoid the suffering they have to endure. To me, I'm all for anything that helps animals avoid suffering at the hands of people. If that means I go without a few simple things, (even though I really don't feel like I'm missing out,) I'm ok with that!

The horses also have it bad. Did you know that horses, here in the USA, are killed the same way cows are killed? They're hung up by a leg on a conveyer belt, and their throats are slit, so that their blood will run out. Then, they're cooked -- alive! Yes, that happens here in the USA, and it happens on a day to day basis to thousands of horses. The cows have to endure the same thing, in case you didn't know. These animals are crying when they're boiled alive. Can you imagine being in a situation like that yourselves? I can't! I don't know about anyone else, but I do know that I cannot be a part of an industry that causes such pain to an animal.

I know what many of you are thinking. Many of you think they hit the animals over the head and because of it, the animal doesn't know what happened to it. It's a fallacy! The slaughter houses do give the animals a sharp electrical bolt to the head, but that only stuns the animal. It does not kill most of them.

Because of these things, I am careful to ONLY buy clothes that are made in the USA now, and I try to buy used clothing, as opposed to new, since there is so much of it on the open market. I don't go without, but I also don't contribute to the killing of animals. I also refuse to purchase or eat meat or poultry, and believe it or not, I'm a lot healthier because of such. If one person stops eating meat and poultry, that's one less cow/horse/chicken/dog and/or cat that will be killed. If one person stops buying clothing made in China or Korea, that's one less dog/cat that will be made to suffer, because if there is no demand, there is no supply needed. If each of us do it, even one day a week, they have no choice but to stop the killing of these poor creatures, as it will affect the market for such. And, it will also affect each country's income, which means the governments will have to do something about instilling laws for the humane treatment and/or killing of animals.

If this isn't enough to deter you from eating and purchasing meat and meat by products, or poultry, then allow me to tell you what they're putting into the feed and thereby sticking into the food YOU'RE eating: hormones, steroids, feces, bacteria, and lots more! Even athletes are warned not to take steroids, as it affects their bodies. If you think these things aren't ending up in your system, think about how your sex life declines over the years. That's what happens when you ingest too many steroids, right? Now, you know why! :(

Please note: I am not against the food industry, farmers, corporations, or anyone associated to these. But, I am against inhumane treatment of both animals and humans. I have a heart, I hope you do too!

If you're appalled by what they're doing to the animals, please tell us about it, and if you're willing to join me in this fight by not purchasing food that is created by the industry, or animal products, such as clothes they make from animals such as these...please inform us below. If you change your habits, even twice a week, it will have an affect on the entire industry. They WILL change the laws, as the lack of income from the loss of those sales will force them to do so. There will be no choice, whatsoever.

We can still run this country, if we just take a stand and say, no more. However, the only way to do this is to stand up for what we KNOW is wrong, by refusing to be a part of it. Believe me, once you make the decision to do this, that's the hardest part. I, honestly, thought it would be difficult to become a vegetarian, but it wasn't difficult at all. In fact, it was easy! I was really surprised at just how easy it was. In the two years we have gone without meat and poultry, we've never felt a loss, whatsoever. And, we save animals'  lives.
Won't you help the them, too?

angel