article thumbnail

From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

To the Editor: As Mark Bittman rightly notes, California’s new farm animal welfare law presages what is coming for all farm animal industries nationally (“ Hens, Unbound ,” column, Jan. Physically, the muscles and the bones of the animals atrophy from lack of use. FRIEDRICH Washington, Jan.

article thumbnail

From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

People who study pigs say they are as intelligent as a 3-year-old child, smarter even than the dogs we share our homes with. Would anyone in this day and age dare to say that we cannot presume to know a dog’s mind, that a dog cannot tell us if it is happy or sad, frustrated, lonely or bored? Hurst hammers three times).

article thumbnail

From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

In fact, a whole lot of semi-vegans can do much more for animals than the tiny number of people who are willing to give up all animal products and scrupulously read labels. Farm animals also benefit from the humane farming movement, even if the animal welfare changes it effects are not all that we should hope and work for.