Animal cruelty
How sad that the very “ranchers” and “cattlemen” who value the precious lives of their “products” (i.e., sentient beings called “cattle) when they are sold to the slaughterhouses cannot even care enough to protect these “products” from hypothermia when a severe snowstorm renders these poor animals virtually helpless. Is it too much to ask for ranchers to build sporadically-placed warming huts for their cattle to at least get out of the cold, rain, and snow, and possibly have a small amount of protection from natural predators?? I can’t imagine that these huts would take too much away from the ranchers’ profits, and, DUH, indeed, their profits would be increased, NOT decreased with deceased animals!! What a concept!
It is a true moral irony that there are HUMANE laws to protect ANY OTHER innocent animals left out in the cold and snow; however, there are none for “ranchers” and “cattlemen,” who obviously do not care enough to protect their “investments” with even a bit of shelter. To me, it is legalized cruelty and even more reason to shun the cattle “industry” and promote vegetarianism.
Kathy Hixson
Lakewood
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Kathy, don't confuse the cattleman with the slaughterhouse folks. The ranchers care about their cattle because they represent years of hard work. It's not easy being a cowpoke, ma'am. The slaughterhouse is the last leg of the animal's journey and, since the animal's have been paid for, they are now at the mercy of the killers. Remember, these are the same folk that have gotten themselves in trouble by hiring undocumented labor. Now would you reassess your thinking and see the whole picture? Profit, profit, profit!!!
Posted by Rich Hulten on January 25, 2007 10:42 AM