How Much Ranchers Really Care About Their Animals

by Stephanie Ernst · 2009-04-17 14:04:00 UTC
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If ranchers really cared about their animals first and foremost--if the well-being, safety, and, ultimately, "humane" slaughter of the animals they raise to kill were their priority, and they felt true affection and concern for them, which is the PR line animal ag pushes--don't you think that when asked about wolves killing their penned-in lambs, they might express at least some sadness for the lambs they claim to care about? Not in the recent rare case of wolves killing lambs in Oregon. 

From the AP article:

"It's all right to have the animal be here," Jacobs said from his ranch. "But if every time you went to work in the morning, somebody stopped you and took your lunch pail and you couldn't say nothing about it, it would get old after awhile." . . .

"I just don't want 'em eating my paycheck."

From OregonLive.com:

"I guess I'm not really happy," Jacobs said about the loss of his lambs. "They tell me I can haze them (wolves), but I can't shoot them. My personal opinion is, if somebody is breaking into your house and stealing your money, you have the right to shoot."

Not a word--not a word--of concern for the lambs themselves. Just irritation at lost product and lost profit. But given how much it irks me when those who plan to kill animals for profit speak mournfully about the deaths of animals by means other than the profitable slaughterhouse, I should appreciate that at least this rancher is honest about what the animals he raises and kills are to him: money. (And for the record, the rancher isn't even losing money, not really; he'll be getting compensation from Defenders of Wildlife.)

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Photo by Flickr user mrsroadrunner2000

Stephanie Ernst wrote the original Animal Rights blog at Change.org until December 2009. She can now be found at Animal Rights & AntiOppression.
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