Tag Archives: companions

Speciesism and the welfare of property

Posted on February 15, 2019 by There's an Elephant in the Room

Sometimes we are told that someone ‘loves’ ‘their’ animals, or that they ‘treat them well’, but the claim that is always shouted from the rooftops is the one about ‘high welfare standards’. These claims may come from people in a … Continue reading →

Posted in property status, welfare | Tagged autonomy, business asset, commerce, commercial assets, companions, consent, feelings, guidelines, individual, property, regulations, rescue, respect, sanctuary, sentience, sentient, speciesism, welfare, welfare standards, well-being, wellbeing | 16 Comments

‘What are cows for?’

Posted on December 17, 2018 by There's an Elephant in the Room

A recent comment on a post read, ‘What do you think cows are for?’ The writer was raging against the facts relating to dairy use and consumption. It was clear that they saw nothing wrong with their question as a line of … Continue reading →

Posted in FAQ, Nonhuman family members | Tagged breast milk, cats, chickens, Chickens and eggs, childhood, companions, consumer demand, cows, dogs, milk, pigs, sentience, sentient, sheep, vegan, veganism, violence | 4 Comments

Living in a land of make-believe

Posted on March 30, 2018 by There's an Elephant in the Room

Today I find myself reminiscing, mentally retracing paths of the clouded past, trying to find the point at which I lost the warm feeling of kinship with all other species of animal that so many of us experience in childhood. … Continue reading →

Posted in Awakening to veganism, Nonhuman family members | Tagged awakening, bloodbath, breast milk, brutality, cats, chickens, Chickens and eggs, childhood, children, commodification, companions, consumer demand, Cruelty, dairy, dogs, fantasy, harm, health, humane, imagination, love, make-believe, milk, oppression, resources, respect, sentience, slaughter, speciesism, truth, victims, violence, welfare | 12 Comments

In memory of friends

Posted on April 7, 2017 by There's an Elephant in the Room

Many of us who share our homes and our lives with a cat, with a dog or with some other nonhuman family member(s) have had to face the experience of agreeing to euthanise them when veterinary medicine can no longer … Continue reading →

Posted in Eulogies, Nonhuman family members, Speciesism | Tagged cat, Chickens and eggs, commodification, commodities, companions, consumer demand, dog, euthanasia, family, harm, humane, milk, Nonhuman family members, pets, resources, sentience, slaughter, speciesism, vegan, veganism, victims, violence | 3 Comments

Tributes

Posted on October 11, 2016 by There's an Elephant in the Room

Every day we read tributes on social media from those who have shared their lives with members of other species and they move me to tears. Without exception these writings and images invite us to share something special and personal from a wounded … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Eulogies | Tagged broken, cat, cats, companions, death, dog, dogs, eulogy, family, family members, friends, helpless, lonely, memorial, memory, respect, sanctuary, sentience, slaughter, speciesism, Torture, tribute, tributes, unloved, veganism, violence, wounded | 2 Comments

An apology to my family – my thoughts

Posted on March 9, 2016 by There's an Elephant in the Room

More than 600,000,000 unique, special individuals, with minds and thoughts, hopes and hearts, needs, desires and preferences are abandoned by humanity every single year. Shelters are filled to bursting point and countless millions of sad, frightened and desperate nonhumans are slaughtered … Continue reading →

Posted in Nonhuman family members | Tagged abandonment, advocacy, cats, companions, dogs, domestication, family, family members, human superiority, justice, love, Nonhuman family members, ownership, pets, respect, sanctuary, sentience, service animals, speciesism, use, vegan, veganism, vulnerable | 9 Comments

How do I know we care?

Posted on February 3, 2016 by There's an Elephant in the Room

I suppose it’s a fair question. Here I am, pouring out my heart about animals; why do I think anyone is interested? Why do I think anyone cares? Maybe it’s just me….? Certainly I’ve had comments and messages to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Awakening to veganism, Nonhuman family members, Speciesism | Tagged awakening, Chickens and eggs, commodification, companions, consumer demand, dairy, respect, sentience, speciesism, vegan | 6 Comments