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Is the eating of dog immoral and should there be a crack-down on the Yulin Festival?
In response to the Lychee and Dog Meat Festival in China, there are some that say 'eating dog is akin to pork and beef' or 'why does one animal life value more than the other?' when the argument against the barbaric Yulin dog meat trade starts. Firstly, both cows and pigs are both herbivores. Herbivores are cheaper to breed and raise than carnivores (dogs) as they do not require any meat and can live off the land. Therefore anyone that uses the excuse "it's cheaper" (like most at the Yulin Festival) do not chalk up to the evidence. Pigs have shown to outperform 3 year old children on cognitive tests for their intelligence but they cannot perform the sheer number of intelligent capabilities that canines possess: meaning a dead pig is more useful to us as meat than that of a dog, making dogs more valuable when they're alive. Dogs have evolved with us for an estimated 32,000 years and there's many reasons they are known as man's best friend. They've all served as Mobility assistance, hearing dogs, guide dogs, seizure alerts, psychiatric service, autism dogs, dogs that can detect allergies, search and rescue, herding, sled dogs, mascots, therapy, hunting/flushing, guarding, detection/cadaver detection, war dogs and ultimately faithful companions and entertainment. Cows and pigs may be intelligent, however their value is dwarfed by that of many dogs. Given that all dogs cannot perform all or even any of these tasks without proper training, it is simply archaic and barbaric to see them crammed into cages before being taken off for a brutal, painful, inhumane death and butchery at the hands of street sellers. These animals are so intelligent that their impending doom while crammed in that cage makes it all the worse.
If not endangered and they are killed as painlessly as possible sure. I've tasted whale meat, so it would be hypocritical of me to oppose sustainable and ''civilized'' dolphin hunt... I don't know what other word to use, lol, but hopefully you know what I mean.
Well they're rounded up and slaughtered. I think it's disgusting to kill an animal as intelligent as a dolphin, whale, gorilla, elephant, etc. You Danes are monsters!
After the UK, I consider Japan (and Germany) to be our greatest allies, and I understand the Japanese have traditions going way back but look at a video on YouTube of a dolphin massacre, it's disgusting.
Intelligence? Come on, don't play stupid. There is no dispute that dolphins are very intelligent. Are you telling me that you didn't know that? Because I'm not going to go searching for links to prove that some animals, like whales, dolphins, elephants, chimpanzees... are very intelligent.
Back in the day, the people of the Faroe Islands probably needed to eat whales to survive because there wasn't much else around. That was understandable. They don't need to any more.
Intelligence? Come on, don't play stupid. There is no dispute that dolphins are very intelligent.
I'm not playing stupid, I'm just curious as to how intelligent an animal has to be before it is unethical to eat it, according to you.
They don't need to any more.
Nothing grows on the faroe Islands but grass and potatoes. They kinda still need it.
The Faroese are Danes aren't they? Just like Puerto Ricans are Americans. (Just curious)
Faroe Islands, Greenland and Denmark are in union together, however we speak three very different languages, we have three very different cultures and Greenland and Faroe Islands have their own parliaments with legislative power and everything, so to answer your questions - Yes faroese people are danish citizens, but no faroese people are not considered ''danes''. They don't call themselves by the term, and they don't like to be referred to as danes.
That's what I thought, just like Puerto Ricans are American citizens but I get what you're saying.
Nothing grows on the faroe Islands but grass and potatoes. They kinda still need it.
Surely they don't need to eat whales any more? You're all socialists, help your comrades out! Besides, don't they have oil rights in the North Sea? They can import food.
I'm not playing stupid, I'm just curious as to how intelligent an animal has to be before it is unethical to eat it, according to you.
I don't know exactly where the specific line should be drawn... it's like abortion, I'm fine with abortion during the first couple months or so but the week before the due date? No! The animals I've already listed shouldn't be killed for food... and maybe I could come up with a couple dozen others, but that's about it.
Surely they don't need to eat whales any more? You're all socialists, help your comrades out!
Our comrades do fine with the fish and other wildlife they can hunt up there - besides, no stable economy relies solely on importation.
Besides, don't they have oil rights in the North Sea? They can import food.
in Greenland yes, not on the Islands - they've been looking for over a decade, but as of today there is none found.
The animals I've already listed shouldn't be killed for food... and maybe I could come up with a couple dozen others, but that's about it.
How does a rooster know when the day breaks even in a dark room? By chance maybe? Or intelligence ;) Goodbye KFC
How do birds predict weather and natural disasters hours before humans do?
Rats and mice have INCREDIBLE navigating skills, scientists can't figure out why. Better than the apps you can find for your smartphone. They can navigate through the most complicated pipes underground after going through them once.
Do you like bacon? Unfortunately pigs share remarkable cognitive skills with the animals you listed.
Okay, I was trying to have a civilized conversation but when you go off the rails... that's it for me. It's like trying to talk to FromWithin. A rooster is not as intelligent as a dolphin.... not even close. A very specific ability to be good at one thing does not make the overall animal highly intelligent.
Enjoy your whale... Taste like chicken? I wouldn't know.
I apologize, but I am serious. I'm not trying to make up bullshit, I'm not trying to say that a rooster is as intelligent as a dolphin, I'm simply asking how intelligent an animal has to be before its a nogo on the menu.
When you didn't know what to answer there I tried to bring to light how all animals are intelligent in their own way. And yes, the navigating skills of a rat are fucking amazing, comparable to dolphin's intelligence.
Enjoy your whale... Taste like chicken?
I had pilot whale, it's red meat. More like a steak, but very unique. I recommend it, but it's high in mercury so maybe not.
I don't know exactly where the specific line should be drawn... it's like abortion, I'm fine with abortion during the first couple months or so but the week before the due date? No! The animals I've already listed shouldn't be killed for food... and maybe I could come up with a couple dozen others, but that's about it.
Yeah I realize that, I was just trying to give examples of other animals with high intelligence. If that's going off the railway I apologize. But nevermind, we don't need to continue the debate if you don't want to.
Okay I can see both sides of the argument. I think you guys are using the wrong word. It isn't "intelligence" you should be measuring, but self consciousness and ability to empathize.
Whales, dolphins, elephants, gorillas, and dogs all grieve when their family members die. Rats, on the other hand, either can't tell or don't give a damn. They are not affected; or at least it is not as obvious as when, say, an elephant mother loses her son.
Whales also grieve, so I am questioning your decision to eat a whale. I don't think it is a big deal because in many cultures they have a different need and tradition, but that whale might have had a family who is missing them.
I know it sounds like it is out of a disney movie but it is true; many animals, especially large mammals, feel empathy and grieve the deaths of their families. They love just like we do. That's why I think it is immoral to eat them.
However, I don't think there should be a crack down because it would be very hypocritical to attack another culture's traditions before looking at what is wrong with our own.
I mentioned earlier that pigs have cognitive abilities comparable to the animals Hellno mentioned. I saw an article claiming cows have the same abilities as well.
My god you're a broken record, I swear you must have dreams about createdebate seeing as every single time you comment regardless of the preexisting topic you have to throw in either the words "Abortion, Obama (I know it's a name), and some variation of the word hypocrisy.