Pigs will fly

This beautifully made clip about the realities of factory farming gave me cause to think about The Bean and wonder how I will explain to her one day where some food comes from. The Make It Possible video notes that from birth, we are drawn to animals. It points out that we only have to look to children to see that kindness towards animals is natural and inherent to the human species.

I see it in The Bean each and every day, when she interacts with the pets and when she sees animals in books or on TV. She laughs at them, mimics them, cuddles them, pats them, and engages with them with such childlike joy and wonder. Like most children her age, animals are her very, very favourite thing.

Our family is not vegetarian, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn't care about where our food comes from. As consumers we have an obligation to make the best possible choices with our purchases to send a message to the producers that we want products from animals that have lived a happy and natural life before they become a product for our consumption.

One day in the future The Bean will learn about where her food comes from and, like finding out that Santa Claus doesn’t bring the gifts, we will have some explaining to do. Years ago I was brought to tears by this series of radio ads from Animals Australia. A pig has the intelligence of a three year old child. How will I be able to look my future three year old in the eyes and justify what we as a society put these factory farmed animals through?

To spare her any heartbreak, when she is of an appropriate age, I will tell her that the animals we derive products from have lived a happy life without pain or suffering. I hope that when I tell her this I can be truthful and tell her how far we have come as a society — that we have eliminated factory farming simply because we were prepared to pay a few extra dollars for humane products.

Kindness and mercy already exist in her, and our challenge as her parents will be to ensure that her ingrained trust is not violated — that she knows that she will always have a voice. The reality is that animals will always be used for production, for breeding, for sport — but cruelty toward these animals is a choice, not a necessity.

The Five Freedoms for Animals

• Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - By ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour
• Freedom from Discomfort - By providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area
• Freedom from Pain, Injury and Disease - By prevention through rapid diagnosis and treatment
• Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour - By providing sufficient space, proper facilities, and company of the animal's own kind
• Freedom from Fear and Distress - By ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering