[james22]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...en-python.html

I know this is an old article but I couldn't find a more recent one to illustrate my point.

In this story, someone fed a kitten to their pet python and by looking at the comments at the bottom and the general feeling from the article it appears that people think that this is really bad and that the man is evil. I've noticed this with lots of people I know such as friends having a go at me for using mouse traps as "it is cruel to kill an innocent mouse".

My problem with all of this is that none of my friends, and probably most of the population in general, are not vegitarians so are happy to eat meat. Not eating meat has been shown to be healthier, cheaper and more energy efficient so there are no arguments for eating meat to do with benifits to the human race. We only eat meat because we enjoy it. Effectively we are killing animals so we get more pleasure from our meals.

As a meat eater myself I have no problem with this, however unlike most people I know I have no problem with killing animals in other situations (provided the animals suffering is minimal). I cannot understand how feeding a kitten to a python just because you think its fun is any different to killing an animal for meat just because you like the taste. I think that people need to realise that if you eat meat, it is hypocritical to critisize people for killing animals for other reasons, and even worse to call them an evil, sadistic human being.

What are your opinions on this matter? If you eat meat do think killing animals for food is more justified than other reasons for killing them? Vegetarians, what are your thoughts on the differences?

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts and even more interested in seeing if someone can convince me I am wrong (which is perfectly possible).

Discuss

[OddThings]

This is just my own opinion but people who are animal lovers/have pets have an emotional attachment to their pets and therefore to other animals that are pets and hate to see something bad happen to them,such as them being murdered as in the case of the awful video.The key point here is it was a needless thing to have happened,it wasn't an animal hunted as prey and eaten as happens as part of nature but an animal; that should not have been fed to another pet,it tugs at many peoples kinder,maternal if you like, instincts to protect.But then again people many disagree with me but it is only my opinion.

[lukas1051]

Feeding a kitten to a python is not the same as eating meat. As the owner of a pet, you have the responsibility to not create suffering. Pythons can be fed on humanely killed animals such as mice and other animals. I have pet lizards and tarantulas - I would never feed them a live mouse because it creates unnecessary suffering where alternatives are available.

While it is certainly debateable, in my opinion eating meat is morally justifiable - it is a part of nature, the animals are killed humanely, meat makes up an important part of our diets. Im not going to go into details, it is a point I have considered thoroughly and have come to my own conclusion on, but the point is that intentionally causing an animal to suffer, for your own amusement, is sick.

[MutantGecko]

honestly, i dont care about animals dying because of humans for no reason, its not like animals care if we die.

but i dont really care about anything that has no impact on my life.

edit: on the subject of pets, my dad has pet chickens and he is really attached to them emotionally as they follow him around the garden and cluck when he is around, but whenever i see them they just make me hungry

[Mister Dead]

(Original post by lukas1051)
Feeding a kitten to a python is not the same as eating meat

It's not as different as you're making out though.

Exactly how much worse is it than eating an animal that's probably been kept in squalid conditions before having a metal bolt fired through its brain?

[Mr Quick]

Because this is the kind of subject that either gets you praised like an angel or hunted down like a witch then being hanged, drawn and quartered.

[lukas1051]

(Original post by Mister Dead)
It's not as different as you're making out though.

Exactly how much worse is it than eating an animal that's probably been kept in squalid conditions before having a metal bolt fired through its brain?

Pythons have to eat something - to deny them food is abuse. Generally people breed mice in perfectly fine conditions and kill them with gas or by freezing, relatively humane methods - I'd much rather that than watch a kitten suffocate to death.

I see the slant you are taking on this and it is a difficult issue i agree, nature can be horrible, the least we can do as humans, pet owners, is minimise suffering where possible, be the species predator or prey.

[tazarooni89]

As far as human beings and society is concerned, different animals have different values and different purposes. If someone kills a cow or lamb for its meat, they're so used to this happening that they won't really think about whether it's moral or immoral. It's just the done thing. Whereas if someone did exactly the same thing to a kitten or puppy, they'd have a very different reaction. They're more used to these animals being cute household pets, which people are more emotionally attached to. It doesn't matter whether that particular kitten was someone's pet, the whole idea just triggers an alarm because it's so unusual.

In this particular case, it's snake vs kitten. Snakes are considered to be evil and scary, while kittens are considered to be cute and innocent. Of course people will tend to "support" the kitten. Had it been the other way round - that a small snake was eaten by a cat, I don't think people would have minded so much.

If you look at it from a purely cold-hearted perspective, you're right. The snake eating the kitten isn't really a big deal. It's just one animal eating another, which is something very normal that happens every day all over the world. But it's only natural for people to associate it with the emotions they might feel if their own pet kitten was eaten, for example. People also feel some anger towards the man who did it - firstly because it'd be a really unusual sort of person who's willing to be involved in that sort of thing, but also because he is taking pleasure in something which disturbs them so much. (You'll probably hear them calling him "sick" a lot.)

[Voleva]

(Original post by james22)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...en-python.html



My problem with all of this is that none of my friends, and probably most of the population in general, are not vegitarians so are happy to eat meat. Not eating meat has been shown to be healthier, cheaper and more energy efficient so there are no arguments for eating meat to do with benifits to the human race. We only eat meat because we enjoy it. Effectively we are killing animals so we get more pleasure from our meals.

What are your opinions on this matter? If you eat meat do think killing animals for food is more justified than other reasons for killing them? Vegetarians, what are your thoughts on the differences?

it isnt heathier and it makes one look pale. The only problem i have is unnecesary suffering when killing the animal, for religious reasons for example.

[Gwilym101]

By your own words he did it because he thought it was fun. That's sick in and of itself.

Secondly, animals killed for food by humans are killed quickly and painlessly, this kitten did not die painlessly. So on top of being possibly psychopathic it's also sadistic.

Thirdly, this cat wasn't a stray, it had a name. He would have gotten it from a rescue centre or a breeder, this was meant to become a loved family member not a pythons monthly meal.

Fourthly, if this had been a baby what do you think the outcry would have been like?

Fifth, yes animals kill other animals but in nature there is a chance that either the prey can protect itself, flee or a parent can defend it. There was never any chance that that could have happened for this kitten because of this sick sadist.

[Mister Dead]

(Original post by Gwilym101)
By your own words he did it because he thought it was fun. That's sick in and of itself.

Secondly, animals killed for food by humans are killed quickly and painlessly, this kitten did not die painlessly. So on top of being possibly psychopathic it's also sadistic.

Thirdly, this cat wasn't a stray, it had a name. He would have gotten it from a rescue centre or a breeder, this was meant to become a loved family member not a pythons monthly meal.

Fourthly, if this had been a baby what do you think the outcry would have been like?

Fifth, yes animals kill other animals but in nature there is a chance that either the prey can protect itself, flee or a parent can defend it. There was never any chance that that could have happened for this kitten because of this sick sadist.

Firstly, i'm not supporting killing for the sake of sadism. But it is a difficult subject. I eat meat because I really like it and because i'm consistently too pathetic to stop. This makes me a fairly terrible person, even moreso because I know exactly what happens before it arrives at my mouth. But mostly importantly what this means is that i kill for pleasure. Not so different from our sadistic friend up there, is it. And interestingly this means I, and perhaps you (?), by rearing in captivity, have also denied the animal a chance to flee or protect itself.

Animals killed for food by humans are not always killed quickly and humanely. Commonly, terrible suffering goes on for their entire life and often their death is not quick and painless. If you believe otherwise then you are ignoring a mountain of evidence. It's all there - it's no secret.

As I said, i'm not supporting feeding live kittens to pythons, but really you're pulling the wool over your own eyes if you consume meat from the vast majority of places we source it and think that you're much better.

[NB_ide]

^ see the other thread. It looks like they get even more upset when an animal is pleasured sexually than when it's slaughtered and eaten.

How very queer.

[Mister Dead]

but isn't that just showing it a good time?

honestly, people

[tehforum]

ITT: "sadisctic"

teehee

[Soph(:]

I can't really see the problem with it either, the only reason I'd personally choose to give up meat is because of the taste not the animal being killed. As long as it's killed in the least cruel way possible I'm not fussed meat tastes good so why not

[Sisu]

Eating meat is unnecessary to survive in the western world. We don't eat for nutrients only and pleasure is a big factor (hence why meat consumption has grown per capita). The people who murder animals are sadist hence get pleasure from it and I don't see why one form of pleasure is more justifiable reason to kill animal than another form of pleasure.

To explain why some people get angry, it's because of how our current society is structured. Firstly, only a few select animals are chosen to be killed hence any other animals being killed deviating from this (unless they're insects or something) will be frowned upon. Secondly, the only reason we agree to kill animals is for food so again any other reason will be frowned upon. And finally, some animals are given special value, in our society this happens to be cats and dogs. Any killing of them for any purpose other than health/danger (and even the latter isn't all that accepted) is looked down upon.

Is it a valid position to hold? No but it's understandable within the framework of our current society. Hopefully as time goes on, we give animals all the rights they deserve and get rid of this logical inconsistencies.

[badcheesecrispy]

As a pro animal rights person to a huge extent and owner of various pets, I couldnt read further than that first abhorrent post. Disgusting and dont want to think about it, call me what you want.

Feeding a kitten to a python for fun is the same as killing to eat because you are starving?

****ing horrible mate and I feel sick

[Mister Dead]

Strangely, for someone that finds animal cruelty abhorrent, I keep bursting out laughing when I read the sentence

'feeding a kitten to a python'.

I don't know why. It's not really funny. IS IT???

[badcheesecrispy]

I will add, I cant stand people who think they are superior to animals just because they are lucky enough to have been born on this planet a human. A few comments on here are disturbing, no respect for fellow living things, therefore you ****s deserve none from me.

[Numan786]

I for one feel more upset when a animal is killed by a person because it is just that a animal it does not think like we do, it cannot act like we do and it cannot defend itself.