Would You Eat Your Pet if You Were in the Middle of Nowhere and You had no Other Means of Survival?
August 21st 2008 21:00
Photo by Aixeneta. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
This post came about after a comment fellow blogger Sara Dobson wrote on one of my posts:
Sara Dobson's comment
That had me thinking. As Sara points out, if a human being was stuck in the middle of nowhere and was starving and ate their pet, no one would blink an eyelid. Same goes for euthanasia. Each day countless of companion animals are put to sleep as veterinarians think they are in too much pain to continue living or because animal shelters are overcrowded. This seldom makes the news but whenever humans practise euthanasia on themselves or someone else, immediately there’s an outcry of murder. It seems an animal’s life is not as valuable as a human being’s.
So back to my hypothetic scenario. Would you do it? Could you do it? I certainly wouldn’t and couldn’t. The thought of being stuck in Death Valley with Butterscotch, my favourite Tonkinese cat and then killing him and eating his raw flesh…ugh! But then who knows what humans are capable of when stuck in a desperate situation. Just look at the man who amputated his own arm so he could escape after it had been crushed against an 800 pound boulder. Sitting from my computer in a nice air conditioned office it’s easy for me to say, no I couldn’t do this but unless I am placed in the same situation, how do I really know for sure?
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Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
What you say about humans is true. We are capable of extraordinary things, but to me, if you are riding your horse and end up lost and starving, its a cop out - and counter productive - to eat the horse. You need him to get out again, and he's easier to feed than you are. For gods sake, cut yourself a piece of flint, use that human ingenuity and catch a rabbitt!
Comment by Queenie
Quirky Folk
Quirky Queenie
I'm interested in your comment about cat/dog flesh being toxic to humans. How can that be? Please let me know. Thanks.
Comment by Aimzster
Health and Beauty
Reality TV
The Jeepney Stop
Comment by Queenie
Quirky Folk
Quirky Queenie
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Probably not. If it was a pack animal - or something I had no affinity with or for - the answer would be completely different.
But human conscience being what it is sometimes - I would say if my dog had shown me that much loyality - I would probably return the loyality.
Now if it came down to my saving my family or eating the pet - then my family would come first.
Interesting question.
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
I would rather slowly die along side of her actually, and I can say that without equivocation.
However, on a similar vein, do you remember the Seoul (1988) Olympics? They love 'hot dogs' in Korea! However, due to the attendance of the international community, they had to make some quick changes to their menu, just as China has recently done;
(New York Times)
It’s Too Hot for Dog on the Menu
By FUCHSIA DUNLOP
Published: August 4, 2008
Quote:
THOSE who hope to taste dog meat when they visit Beijing for this summer’s Olympics may be disappointed. The Beijing Catering Trade Association has ordered all 112 designated Olympic restaurants to take dog off the menu, and has strongly advised other establishments to stop serving it until September. Waiters have been urged to “patiently” suggest alternative dishes to customers who ask for dog. It’s all part of a wider campaign to avoid offending foreigners during the Games. (Beijingers have also been told to line up nicely, to stop spitting and even to avoid asking tourists questions about their ages, salaries and love lives.)
Unquote
I wonder, was it originally just a bad translation thing, watching all those Hollywood movies, seeing people munching on hot dogs at the baseball?
The last word, for the argument, in opposing the vile practise of dog eating surely is this;
("The Star Online" Lifestyle) full article here
Appetite for dog meat
By MAJORIE CHIEW
(yes, that is her real name!)
extract: Quote:
Farmed dogs endure short, cramped, miserable lives. Brutal death awaits them. Many are said to be tortured or bled to death slowly. This results in adrenaline-rich meat which, according to folklore, makes men who eat it more virile.
Unquote
cheers...burrrp!
fog
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Fog has touched on it here -
Of course, Fog is also referring to the terror of the animal...When an animal dies in fear and pain the meat actually turns purple from the stress. The flesh of carnivores is denser and thicker than that of prey animals, and its incredibly hard for a human stomach to process it. I might have been hasty to use the word 'toxic' but it will definitely make most people really ill. In terms of survival, you are more likely to survive just because you say you would test out the plant life, and by watching carefully you can easly figure whats edible and whats not. Also if you have your appendix - I still do - your system can be retrained to survive on literal garbage.
But those who decide to eat something that eats other animals and nothing else are bound to get very sick from it - its actually safer to eat a human!
Comment by Sara Dobson
Love Mate
Parents Precinct
The Travel Map
My Turn
It would probably be a fight between yours and your pets instinct to survive, so it depends on who gets to who first.
Comment by Queenie
Quirky Folk
Quirky Queenie
Mountain Fog - Yes, I did read about Beijing temporarily banning dog during the Olym[pics. I asked my Chinese collegaue how widespread dog eating is in China and she says it's restricted to rural areas. This is what I have heard from other Chinese people as well so I wonder about how common it is in Beijing.
As for Marjorie Chew's quote, I think the same could be applied to a lot of animals Westerners think are okay to eat. You only need to look at chicken farms to see chickens aren't exactly raised in the best conditions either.
Kleonaptra - thanks for answering my question. I didn't know that.
Sara - that's also true too.
Thank you all for visiting!
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
yes I agree, intensive farming of any animal is abhorrent, and the plight of poor pigs especially. My niece put me onto this sad fact, and I ended up joining the action group and, of course, not eating caged pig meat or chicken whenever choice is possible.
There needs to be a global awakening and education about intensive farming, which is not for the animals' benefit, as the liars representing the 'ag' industry would have everyone believe, but just for a bigger profit.
cheers
fog