Thoughts on Earthlings

So over the last 24 hours, I’ve watched the 1h 35m documentary titled ‘Earthlings.’ I recently watched an interview with Ellen Degeneres talking about what pushed her to become vegan, and she mentioned Earthlings numerous times. I knew it had to be terrible by the look on her face as she talked about it, but I was never fully prepared for the sights I witnessed.

If it’s alright with tumblr, I’d like to take the time out to fully talk about the 5 sections of this informative documentary and share my thoughts and opinions on some of these situations, and to also share what I’d personally like to do to ensure that I am in no way contributing to the suffering taking part. I’ll insert a ‘read more’ break here so I don’t spoil anything or upset anyone.

Part 1: Puppy mills. Pet stores. Shelters.

Thoughts and opinions:
I’d like to take a moment to talk about the fact that there are human beings out there who find it acceptable to keep mothering dogs in cages so small that they can’t stand up or turn around. What sort trauma did the humans responsible for this receive in their earlier lives to feel they need to torture innocent, loyal and above all sentient beings like this? It’s simply beyond anything I’m able to comprehend. I can’t fathom it. I just can’t. These dogs go insane from boredom. I mean insane in it’s most literal form here. They’re driven to insanity and develop such extreme mental damage. And this is something that the human race has chosen. It’s something voluntary. It doesn’t need to happen. And yet it does. How can we live in a world where this is classed as acceptable? How is there not a law that prevents such cruel acts?

To move on… the fact that many shelters can not afford euthanasia so they think it’s a good idea to use gas chambers instead. Someone please explain to me how that’s okay? To suffocate innocent cats and dogs to a slow and merciless death. To add insult to injury, the fact that the bodies are then thrown into a garbage shoot with absolutely zero regard despite the fact that only 20 minutes previously, they were a living, breathing and beautiful animal.

Doing my part:
To ensure that I will absolutely not contribute to the cruelty and abusive industry of puppy mills and pet shops, I will always rescue any future animals, or offer to take in animals in need of a home. Just because kittens and puppies are sweet whilst they’re young, does not mean it’s okay to neglect and abuse them once they hit an elderly stage in life. I will 100% abide by this rule, without hesitation.

Part 2: Food.

Thoughts and opinions:
I’ve seen some excessively disturbing things in my life time, but witnessing actual footage of cows, pigs, poultry, fish, whales and dolphins being slaughtered for food absolutely topped them all. I’ve seen farming videos before via PETA and other such organisations, but never anything as raw and up front as that. Seeing a cow get their cheek branded whilst they scream out in agony was enough, but that wasn’t even a fraction of what was to come.

Violent and gruesome sights filled the next half hour and at one point became so horrifying that I had to shut my laptop down in fear that I may vomit. Seeing piglets have their tails, ears and teeth torn away from them with no anesthetic using just a pair of scissors/pliers was indescribable. Witnessing footage of live pigs hung upside down and helpless being boiled alive was a sight that will haunt me until the day I leave this earth.

90,000 chickens all crammed into one small room with their beaks cut off. Dolphins struggling desperately as they lay on dry land, their lives slipping away before them whilst children walk on by not even noticing. Pigs being kicked, beaten, laughed at and tortured purely to show off to coworkers. These were just some of the very minor pieces of footage that played through out.

I honestly have nothing else to say. I’m shocked to my very core.

Doing my part:
This is perhaps the most life changing of everything I’ve learnt from this documentary. I’ve not only decided that I will never, ever touch another piece of meat or fish again but I will also try my absolute hardest to go all out and try veganism. If things don’t work out, I’ll go back to vegetarianism but rest assured, no animal will ever enter my body again.

Part 3: Clothes.

Thoughts and opinions:
My first reaction upon witnessing this abomination was guilt. Guilt because admittedly, for the past 2 decades, I’ve been an extremely huge contributor to the leather industry. As a child, I wasn’t told that it was even animal related let alone that it’s decomposed cow skin, so I was raised always wearing leather shoes as I’m flat footed and my doctor used to literally prescribe them for ‘comfort.’ Little did I know that for every penny that was paid for my 20 years worth of shoes, cows in India were going through one of the slowest and most inhumane deaths I’ve ever had the misfortune of witnessing.

To kill a living being purely for the purpose of fashion is one thing, but to conduct these murders in such a grotesque way is insane to me. Breaking their tails and rubbing chilli pepper in their eyes just so that they keep walking… imagine that. Imagine that agony. Think about when you’re in the bath/shower and you get shampoo in your eyes. You scream and scream, rubbing them furiously with water and towels as fast as you can. But these cows can’t. They don’t have the option. So all they can do is carry on walking, unless they collapse of dehydration or exhaustion on the way.

Then it of course moved to fur farms. I think the image that stuck with me the absolute most (potentially in the entire documentary) was seeing a little seal cub sliding around with no skin yet fully alive. That and of course watching a fox getting electrocuted up the anus. Twice.

Can you believe that there are human beings who live and exist today that are actually capable of committing these acts with no remorse whatsoever? If I thought for one second that I had brought harm to an innocent creature, I’d never forgive myself. Yet for these people, this is quite literally their job. To me, this truly defines psychopathic behaviour.

Doing my part: Well never will I buy or wear leather again. And I have absolutely never worn fur, and will continue to boycott that industry. Although it was not mentioned in the documentary, I will also never ever purchase wool again unless I am fully aware of the source. Not all wool farms are cruel but the absolute vast majority are.

Part 4: Entertainment.

Thoughts and opinions:
I wasn’t surprised even slightly at the fact that Ringling had such a huge segment. What did surprise me, however, was the fact that one of the trainers had the audacity and cheek to openly claim they’ve never hit their elephants. It’s like a joke. That’s as insane as saying ‘I’ve never breathed oxygen’… it’s just a known fact that they not only ‘hit’ their elephants, they beat them senseless in attempt to demonstrate dominance.

The absolute best part and my favourite scene in the entire documentary was of course the elephants crushing their trainers to pieces in an act of rebellion. Now, ordinarily I am a true pacifist but when it comes to animal cruelty, my views (rather unpopularly) are that the punishment should fit the crime. Why shouldn’t an elephant do what’s already been done to them? Answer me that?

I was very pleased that horse racing was included as a cruel form of entertainment. It’s disgusting, and if I could get that banned, I’d do it in a heart beat.

One last thing- seeing a bull running down a track with their horns on fire whilst people laugh and cheer is quite literally as disgusting to me as doing the same thing to a baby. People wouldn’t laugh if a baby was set on fire would they? Well, why is this different? Bulls can’t talk just like babies. Bulls can sense, think and love just like babies. Explain to me this difference.

Doing my part: This is a nice easy one. I have never, and will never visit any animal facility that isn’t some sort of sanctuary, non profit organisation or something I’ve seen behind the scenes myself.

The final part 5: Science.

Thoughts and opinions:
In the past, I’ve been in numerous debates about this topic in particular. Someone I know told me that he himself had actually experimented on animals in labs and told me that everything was humane and that the animals were never in any danger or at risk.

If he would like to keep believing that to make himself feel better then no problem. But after watching a kitten getting electrocuted, a baboon almost have their neck snapped off, a pig quite literally being burnt to cinders (until all of their skin fell off in a hard boiled shell) and a dog pitifully wagging their emaciated tail, I beg to differ.

Medical research is important, however as stated on this documentary, since animals are so different to humans they have to test them on human subjects also, so why not just skip the middle man and go straight to that? It’s beyond me. Truly beyond me.

Doing my part: I clearly can’t give up medicine (as much as I’d adore to) however I will never ever buy any animal tested cosmetic products. It’s completely unnecessary, there is no excuse.

Before I start concluding this, I just have to say something here- anyone, and I mean ANYONE who is capable of abusing, neglecting or inflicting any type of pain on a sentient being in my eyes is absolutely no better than a murderer of humans. And if I knew these people personally, I’d fear for my life around them if they’re capable of such vulgarity. Karma best deal it’s dosage for the hurt brought to these beautiful and innocent loving creatures.

Overall, as you can probably see from my piece, it hit me extremely hard and left me disturbed and a little miserable. However, I am so damn happy I got to see that. Now I feel completely educated and able to involve myself fully in debates and campaigns to keep animals happy and safe.

Please, everyone go and watch this. I understand it’s very graphic and painful, but if you only watch one or two segments at a time, it becomes much easier. Honestly, I recommend this with my whole heart.

Change your life today.