Ethical Treatment of Animals
Amber Marie Keldie
Soc120
Dr. Monica Jones.
September 30th 2012

Ethical Issue Analysis for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

Summary: Of all the agricultural land in the US, 87% is used to raise animals for food. These animals are fed more than 80 percent of the corn and 95 percent of the oats the US produces. Meat animals of the world alone consume food equal to caloric needs of 9 billion people- more than the entire human population on earth. It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat, but only 25 gallons to produce a pound of wheat. A vegetarian food will make ten times as many humans happier than a non-vegetarian one, not counting the happiness gained by animals. Meat eating results in a lot of wastage of food that would otherwise have fed many more people.

Ethical Issues Analysis
I believe in the ethical treatment for all animals are an ethical obligation by all humans. We have come to an era that we believe that all humans should be treated equally and fairly. Well, what about our other living, breathing counterparts? They deserve to live their life as they choose in quality and in the pursuit of happiness. Just as Europeans came and took over Northern America's land and resources on the Indians. We have also taken over the land and resources from all of the animals.
The moral point of view in the killing of animals for food as an indulgence which is not a necessity for our diet is killing another living being. Eating large amount of meat without any vegetarian choice causes constipation, obesity and cancer. The consequences of not eating meat would be healthy diets which keep humans lean without complications of disease.
Shocking stories of greed, neglect, and inhumane treatment of animals in the slaughterhouses of the meat industry are enough to arouse anyone's sentiments. We have just an obligation to protect them as we do to protect each other. To read the numerous stories on these unethical animal accounts visit the People for the ethical treatment of animals (PETA) website. (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, 2003)
Darwin stated that our notions of equality and justice are biased; and that an unbiased view of equality would imply that if there exists something called the right to life, animals too have it, and hence non-vegetarians is immoral because it involves killing. Discrimination in history has always been acted upon the oppressed. The animals are incapable of demanding their own liberation, or of protesting against their conditions with votes. Can we prove our altruism by ending our ruthless exploitation of other species in our power?
The Sixth Commandment of Moses, "Thou shall not kill", and in Genesis it is said, "To man and all creatures wherein is a living soul." Those who belief in these statements in the Bible means that every time they eat meat and an animal is killed for food a sin against God has been committed.
Of all the agricultural land in the US, 87% is used to raise animals for food. These animals are fed more than 80 percent of the corn and 95 percent of the oats the US produces. Meat animals of the world alone consume food equal to caloric needs of 9 billion people- more than the entire human population on earth. It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat, but only 25 gallons to produce a pound of wheat. A vegetarian food will make ten times as many humans happier than a non-vegetarian one, not counting the happiness gained by animals. Meat eating results in a lot of wastage of food that would otherwise have fed many more people. (Thrived, 2002)
The world produces enough vegetarian food to feed more than 15 billion people. We are incapable of feeding just 6 billion. This is not merely a problem of distribution. A huge amount of this food id force-fed to farm animals for meat production. If Americans just change one in ten of their non-vegetarian meals to vegetarian the world would be able to feed forty million more people. Every time people eat meat they are not only responsible for killing the animal, but also killing the environment and valuable resources to feed more people. Approximately, one animal requires about 3000 square meters of land area for about five years for producing meat that would be sufficient to fulfill the nutritional requirements for one person for fifty days. On the other hand, the same land would feed a family of four people every day for a year.
My conclusion is that I do not see an obligation for killing animals but many consequences. The ideal in life is to treat others how we would like to be treated in return. Therefore, I support the ethical standards for animals and believe there should be laws protecting them and supporting their lives.
References
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (2003). . Retrieved 9/30/12, http://www.peta.org
Thrived, D. (2002, May 29). Ethics and Vegetarianism. Retrieved 9/30/12,