Animal Slaves

By: P.Govind Rajan

Of all the millions of creatures of this planet humans are the only ones which exploit their fellow creatures – including other humans – for their selfish benefits. Man has found trading in animals and animal products to be highly lucrative. We have seen animals like oxen, horses and donkeys working in farms. We also know the fate of these animals once they become old and are declared useless. But think of the following trades which exploit animals with ingenious methods and see how man’s insatiable greed for money can make him shockingly inhuman and cruel.

Consider dairy industry. Man’s addiction to milk and milk products has been the cause of creating the most abusive industry that is run with no ethics, compassion or conscience. Dairy farmers who supply milk to processing units are encouraged to maximise production of milk in the following manner.
God has provided the cows with milk meant for the calves. So calves are enemies of the industry. Male calves are killed immediately after birth and the meat sold as delicacy. Female calves are separated from the mother to be raised separately as potential milk producers. But cows will not let out the milk in the absence of calves. Man and his science have invented a deadly drug which, when injected, will produce convulsions in the udder and the cow cannot hold back the milk. Milk is sucked out through suction pumps. Once the productive years are over, the cows are sent for slaughter. Still we humans cannot give up milk as the habit is ensconced in our system.

Keeping a pet animal – dogs, cats or birds – has become a fashion statement for some. They are prepared to cough up thousands of rupees to acquire exotic breeds of dogs without understanding the responsibilities involved. If they find it difficult to handle them or simply if they get bored with them, they abandon the dogs in the streets. They usually die of fear and hunger.
There is the accursed caste system even among dogs! Indian mongrels are the lowest in the order. People are ignorant about the fact that our dogs are the most intelligent, well behaved and lovable ones compared to the western breeds. But Indian mongrels are shunned and left to be stray dogs.
The madness has resulted in the proliferation of hundreds of illegal and horrific dog farms. Unscrupulous people have found a gold mine in this trade. Females of various breeds are kept in small dingy kennels all their lives. They are forced to yield puppies several times in their life time. Once they grow old they are either killed or let on the streets to fend for themselves. One can see such dogs being attacked by strays. In one place I was horrified to see such dingy kennels on the third floor of a house. The dogs have been languishing in the cages for years.

I only appeal to your conscience to do a little soul searching and try to avoid encouraging trade in animals and animal products.