Thread: China Dog Rescue

Originally Posted by Robinjazz

Why do you bring someone's mother into a post. That is not nice. Have you been brought up with manners? That's not a nice thing to do. It is a sign of immaturity and of desperation. Is that what is taught in your "Christian" church?

I'm merely submitting a person into your scenario and testing for validity. Your original statement implied you'd value a dog over any human, which would include my mother, and I didn't fly off the handle. I don't know why you're taking it so personally. It's all just hypothetical right?

Originally Posted by Capulet

I could prepare a horse stew or stir fry that would have you drooling. If you've had deer or moose and enjoyed it, horse isn't a giant leap.

I think I would pass on the horse stew and stir fry. I couldn't imagine eating horse, as I've grown up having horses as pets.

I did however grow up eating, venison and moose. My father is a hunter, so I've had everything from rabbit, venison, moose, partridge (which is my favourite)... and probably a ton of other things. I used to like frog legs as a kid. We'd even catch our own at the swamp.

Venison and Moose are way too gamey for me. I don't like the taste of it. I'd rather have chicken, fish and/or (beef, if I'm eating red meat).

Originally Posted by Sunny

Venison and Moose are way too gamey for me. I don't like the taste of it. I'd rather have chicken, fish and/or (beef, if I'm eating red meat).

I agree with the gamey part, you have to dress it up pretty seriously before it gets yummy. That's why I'd recommend soups, stir fry, a fondu or something like sausage for almost any game meat. But then, waa waa wee waa!

I agree I wouldn't eat horse if I could avoid it, I'm a chicken and salmon guy myself, but if it was me or Mr. Ed, Mr. Ed would be in the oven!

OMG. I haven't heard of Mr. Ed in years! A cute little song, just to liven up this down, sad thread!



You could eat him? Awwwwww... that's too bad. A talkin' horse!

My grandpa said he ate horse back in the depression, and he said it was very greasy and didn't taste that good. They ate some really funky things in the depression. But I guess if it were between me and the horse (I don't know why it would come to that), but, I'd have to try a little horse I suppose.

Originally Posted by Sunny

OMG. I haven't heard of Mr. Ed in years! A cute little song, just to liven up this down, sad thread!

You could eat him? Awwwwww... that's too bad. A talkin' horse!

A horse is a horse of course of course, unless the horse is the main course, of course.

Originally Posted by Capulet

I'm merely submitting a person into your scenario and testing for validity. Your original statement implied you'd value a dog over any human, which would include my mother, and I didn't fly off the handle. I don't know why you're taking it so personally. It's all just hypothetical right?

I don't think I'd ever be in a rowboat with your mother, dude. And the two-legged animal I was referring to was a raptist or murderer. Why take it personally? Well, because it's just not a nice thing for a grown person to say. I remember when I was about ten-years-old, my friends and I would say that silly stuff about one another's mothers: "Your mother wears combat boots" or "Your mother dates drunks" or "your mother this" or "Your mother that."

Once, I had forgotten a friend's mother had died a week earlier, and I said something stupid about her. His face reddened and he charged me swinging (I couldn't blame him). All I kept doing was blocking his punches until he tired himself out. Even at ten, I knew I made a big mistake and felt so bad.

That "mother" stuff is for children, and judging from your photo, you're not one.
If you're past ten, It's not nice. Child's play.

Originally Posted by Capulet

A horse is a horse of course of course, unless the horse is the main course, of course.

HA HA HA!!! That's a good version. If there is a horse food company out there somewhere... they should remake the song, to be just like that!!! Lol.

What does any of this, any of this, have to do with the original post? Olly Buckle, InsanityStrickenWriter, and I and one or two others have tried to give serious consideration to the question raised. No one is paying attention.

Originally Posted by Robinjazz

I don't think I'd ever be in a rowboat with your mother, dude. And the two-legged animal I was referring to was a raptist or murderer. Why take it personally? Well, because it's just not a nice thing for a grown person to say. I remember when I was about ten-years-old, my friends and I would say that silly stuff about one another's mothers: "Your mother wears combat boots" or "Your mother dates drunks" or "your mother this" or "Your mother that."

But, didn't you say that Jesus tell us that whatever we do to the least of us, we do to him? I'm sure your mother is a wonderful woman, but in the eyes of Jesus we should treat her like we would a rapist or murderer. Or, more likely, we should treat the rapists and murderers like we would her. So, if you were willing to throw any one overboard, you would be willing to throw anyone over, including Jesus.

Anyway, as Garza has said this is getting far afield, and I don't want to get dragged down into a "donchootalkboutmahmama" brawl. Let's just agree that your position is completely untenable, self-righteous, and un-Christian and get back to talking about the dogs.

Although I wouldn't eat a dog myself other than for survival, I'm in a better position than many across the planet. But even in the position I'm in, I believe we can consume meat ethically, and are blessed with the luxury of selecting certain species as companions instead of food sources.

I would never presume to tell anyone that they can't eat cat, dog, cow, or moose, based on how cute or friendly I found them. They have a right to religion, and to express their culture in many forms including diet. I do draw the line at processing the animals ethically. I think there's room to explore one's rights without having to be cruel about it.

Originally Posted by garza

InsanityStrickenWriter - Dog on the menu is routine in many places, the same as pork or beef in other places. It's just another meat. In those societies where dog is commonly eaten, the animals are usually raised for that purpose. It's the same as raising cattle, sheep, goats, or pigs to be eaten. I see no difference. Why should there be?

Well, in large part, simply because of the emotional intelligence and needs of a dog, and that their very existence was down to humanity using them as friend and hunting buddy, unlike the development of the modern pig and cow, which came about specifically for food. Dogs simply are not herd animals, and they are not herbivores. They're not happy just with a bit of food dropped in front of them. They whine, they bark, they become distressed and ill. Take one dog away for the slaughter, the rest will pine for the lost.

I adopted my dog from a centre. It was a great little place, lots of light, and the dogs were kept in fairly big rooms with large glass panels. They were well fed, they got walked once or twice a day, and, basically, not much more could be done to improve their quality of life inside there. Nevertheless, the majority of them were miserable. The dog I ended up with was probably among the most miserable, whining away, and, when we paid her attention, desperately trying to lick us through the glass. It was a pretty pathetic sight. The moment we took her out for a walk around the centre her tail was wagging as furiously as could be. Till we put her back in for a couple weeks while completing her adoption, anyway. Since we've had her, she doesn't make any sound at all, short of having the occasional bark at a fox in the garden.

So, simply put, I don't know if it's actually possible to farm dogs ethically. They're not happy in cages, they need more than just food, they like having bonds with humans, they get bored, they need exercise, and the moment you slaughter one the rest become depressed.

I recognise that this is in large part an emotional argument, and perhaps a tad out of character, but I couldn't think of an alternative way to tackle the question. In large part it comes down to whether or not you believe intelligence is a factor in deeming something food, or whether you see anything not human as perfectly acceptable.

InsanityStrickenWriter - Most of what you say is, I believe, based on culturally inherited attitudes. In Western society the person who adopts a dog or a cat for a pet is ordinary, unremarkable. The person who adopts a pig for a pet is seen as eccentric. If you consider intelligence, or lack of it, as a measure of an animals suitability as either a pet or a food source, consider that pigs rank higher in intelligence than dogs. According to most authorities, 'Pigs rank #4 in animal intelligence behind chimpanzees, dolphins and elephants.'(See Vegan Peace) According to those who have them for pets, pigs are just as loving as dogs. See what PETA has to say about pigs here.

Dogs are happy around sources of food. A street dog will ignore you unless you offer food, then will be you buddy until he sees you have nothing more to offer. At that point he will wander away hunting another source of food. Dogs will bond with other dogs or people because they are pack animals. We bond with other people or with dogs because we, too, are pack animals. If you watch pigs for very long you will see that they have as many social skills as dogs or people, and considerably more than some people.

The question comes down to whether you accept the premise that animals other than humans are legitimate sources of food. Once you cross the line from herbivore to omnivore, then the distinction between pig and dog becomes cultural or, as you say, emotional.