As the dominant and, arguably, the most intelligent/aware species on this planet we have the responsibility to care for it. I'm not going to go into another environmental debate here, but that's my opinion. We're aware and moral creatures and that fact has to impact on our behavior. Yes, I eat meat, and yes, I enjoy it. I also wear leather and goose down and fur. I fish and I hunt, when given the opportunity. I don't however, waste life needlessly and I like to think that killing for a purpose, ie, feeding/clothing your family is different than killing for fun. I have a snake and I feed rats to it, so yes, I'm aware that there is a whole circle of life going on outside my door which does, indeed, include death.
Being aware of what is in your plate and how it got there is important; it helps you make informed decisions about what you buy. Don't like the state of your country's chicken farms and how they treat their animals? Buy grain-fed, free roaming birds and eggs that come from free-roaming farms instead. Don't like to think about how the industry treats and kills cows and pigs? Don't buy it.
Don't have any money to humanely put down unwanted pets? Take them to a shelter. Heck just drive over there, abandon them at the door and run. Anything's better than this. At least in a shelter they'd have the chance of being picked up.
Also, drowning is a terrible death. Animal torture cannot be excused. And I agree with previous posters stating that we're f*cked up for getting all angry over kittens and puppies and not over pigs, cows and insects. People will always react more strongly to cute, fluffy things being hurt and it's a shame because a lot of arse-ugly creatures are suffering/losing their habitat because we can't muster up public opinion to give a shit.
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So, yeah. Getting all riled up over this is a little ridiculous, I know. But this girl needs to be brought to justice for what she's done. A fine and a mark on her file is well and good for me. Using the excuse that farmers have been doing this forever is just plain lazy; if the world changes around us, shouldn't our own view of it and behavior evolve as well?
