End ‘cage age’ and farm animal misery

IT is often claimed that we live in a nation of animal lovers.

That is far from the case when it comes to farm animals. Not only are they reared to be killed and eaten, but a very large proportion are incarcerated in tiny cages, barely able to move, and so cramped they cannot even lie down. They are kept in darkness indoors, in considerable pain.

Pheasants and partridges are treated with equal contempt, kept in raised laying cages.

Their imprisonment is patently extremely painful and they appear to suffer from virtual insanity as they fly around trying to escape, often seriously injuring themselves on the metal bars in the process.

The heat is often unbearable. Online video of this is truly shocking. Their misery is something which must at all costs be addressed if we expect to defeat Covid-19 and future pandemics.

This distinction between a more caring farm and factory farming is an important consideration, however. Surely vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters agree that the living conditions of these beasts should be as kind as possible.

Presumably we are united in needing an end to the “cage age” itself.

This is something which Animal Aid, among other organisations, is trying to promote, and it has been lobbying the relevant government minister to achieve this aim, although with no success so far.

It is leading the charge against the cage age and has an online petition at: animalaid.org.uk/cagepetition

We also need transparency in trade so we can avoid meat produced on these factory farms; presumably more rational farms and intelligent food retailers would be very willing to co-operate, and accurate packaging could enforce this reform.

Mr J Bucke Bridgend