Safety from being farmed

1756: 

What I think has happened is that ‘animal groups’ have compromised their aims in order to keep in with the majority of vegetarians. Instead of protecting all animals they have decided to concentrate on ending factory farming. In that way they will maximize their support base. And no one could argue against that focus, to end the very worst of conditions animals suffer. But it never goes any further, to advocate the ending of all farming; if intensification is boycotted we will have just as many people eating dead animals and condoning the enslavement of animals, even though the living conditions of some farm animals improve. 

The 'cancer' is in the attitude of using animals - it's the speciesism behind the exploitation. All the time we regard animals as fair game, we will find ways to get what we want from them, with the least regard for them as individual beings. It’s like sending the kids down the mines but giving them safety helmets and lamps and it not affecting coal production. We need to get to the root of the problem, as to why humans still see it as acceptable to enslave animals.

I think we should go right out there to the extreme, to spell out the ideal. To some a world without animal farming might seem impractical, but the argument about a ‘no-use-animal’ policy goes further than just improving animal welfare. It goes past seeing them as commodities and human property. It sees them as we might see those of our own species who are exploited, as irreplaceable, sovereign individuals who need to be released from slavery. We need to think about them as we would an abused child in need of safety from a child-abuser.

For animals, who can't bring any pressure to free themselves it's up to us to ensure their safety from being ‘farmed’.