Five hundred thousand animals are killed in the US alone every hour. Five hundred thousand. That is more than the entire population of Miami.

Here's a kill counter of the number of animals being killed worldwide. Take a look if you're curious: http://adaptt.org/killcounter.html

Crazy, isn't it?

Now, I'm not here to try and convert anyone to vegetarianism or make anyone feel bad. I just want people to know what they're eating, to understand the consequences of their actions. And if after reading this, you don't feel any different, then okay. that's fine. It's your life, your diet, your conscience.

People tell me all the time that my voice and actions won't make a difference, that I'm wasting my breath. Maybe that's true, but it's sure as hell not going to stop me. I choose to use my voice to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. What do you use yours for?

Anyways, ready to learn some things?

Let's talk about poultry first.

51.4 billion chickens are artificially hatched, fattened up and slaughtered as 42-day-old babies every year globally. A chicken’s normal lifespan is 10–15 years. Chickens bred for meat are the most genetically manipulated of all animals, they are forced to grow 65 times faster than their bodies normally would, and the industry is still seeking to increase their growth rate. Remember the growing pains you felt in middle school? Now multiply it by one hundred. Pretty brutal, huh?

As for egg-laying chickens, the male babies serve no purpose. The same day they are hatched, the male chicks are sorted from the females and sent to gigantic grinders. I'm sure you get the idea of what happens once they get there.

Not only do the all the chickens (broiler and egg-laying) live incredibly short lives, they live incredibly miserable short lives. Their beaks are cut off, hens are starved and forced into early molting, they live in spaces no larger than an iPad. They are taken to the slaughterhouse in crowded trucks and may travel up to 12 hours through extreme temperatures and weather conditions without food or water. Upon arrival, chickens may remain in these crates for an additional 12 hours before being unloaded. Millions die before even reaching the factory. At the slaughterhouse, chickens are not stunned, but shackled and dragged upside down, fully conscious, through electrified water that paralyzes their muscles so their feathers will come off easily. Millions of chickens and turkeys are scalded alive after their throats are cut. Former slaughterhouse worker, Virgil Butler states that in the scald tank, “the chickens scream, kick, and their eyeballs pop out of their heads.”

Delicious.

Ever wonder why you're not supposed to eat raw cookie dough? Because you could get sick. Chickens and turkeys go to slaughter lame, sick, and in pain. They are infected with Salmonella, Campylobacter, E Coli, and other bacteria that make people sick with food-borne poisons. Poultry products are the main source of foodborne illness' in people. Because of the disgusting conditions they are trapped in, slaughtered chickens are soaked in toxic chemicals which are consumed along with their flesh.

Would you do this s*** to a dog or cat? Hell no!

Then why are you doing it to birds?

Okay, now let's move on to cattle.

21,000,000 dairy calves are slaughtered for veal or cheap beef every year globally. New born calves are taken away from their mothers almost immediately after birth and are placed into tiny, dark crates. Calves typically spend the first two to three months by themselves, being fed a diet of milk replacer (because humans drink all of the real milk nature intended for the calves).

Over 90% of U.S. dairy cows are confined to cramped indoor stables and 60% of the cows are tethered by the neck inside the stalls, preventing them from performing the basic behaviors they need for survival. 82% of dairy cows have their tails cut off. Because of the harsh conditions, cows can only like four to five years before being sent to the slaughterhouse. A healthy cow can live 20-25 years.

During their short lives, cows are pumped full of antibiotics, GMO-filled food, and growth hormones. Dairy cows produce 12 times more milk with the hormones then they would naturally to feed a calf.

Once taken to the slaughterhouse, cows have a metal rod shot into their foreheads, rendering them brain dead. Then they are shackled and hung by their legs, allowing their throats to be slit so they can bleed out.

Here's a video that explains it in greater detail (just a warning, it's pretty graphic, but you should know where your food comes from, right?): http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Inside-a-Slaughterh...

Veggie burgers are delicious and super healthy, just saying. It's not that hard of a switch to make once or twice a month.

I think you get the idea, I won't go into what happens to pigs, sheep, and fish. Obviously, not every slaughterhouse is like this, there are plenty of organic, humane farms who treat their animals well. But all of the things I discussed are also happening every day, everywhere.

People get so upset whenever they see those ASPCA commercials (I do as well!), I guess I just don't understand why that compassion doesn't extend to all animals. You fight to defend puppies and kittens, but not calves and chicks? Humans do have a special bond with dogs and cats, they're our pets, our companions, but at the end of the day they're animals just like cows and pigs and horses and sheep. Abuse is abuse, no matter what species.

Animal abuse is still a huge issue all over the world. More than 50% of the fur in the U.S. comes from China where millions of cats and dogs are bled to death and skinned for their fur. Dog fights, dog races, and puppy mills have increased in popularity all over the country during recent years. Over 115 million animals are killed during lab experiments testing things like cosmetics, household cleaners, food additives, pharmaceuticals and industrial/agro-chemicals (brands like Windex, Kleenex, Iams, and Vaseline are some of the largest that test). Every major circus that uses animals had been cited for mistreatment. The exotic pet trade that has become popular in recent years is a multi-billion dollar industry, while some animals are born in captivity, many are removed from their natural habitats and die during transport.

It is so easy to make a difference. Donate to any of the countless animal foundations, participate in Meatless Monday (or meatless every day), or just share this to inform others. The best gift you can give is the gift of knowledge. Even if you don't want to help, someone else out there might.

This has been a very depressing, dark ride and I applaud you for sticking it out. You're a brave soul. Now go forth into the world (hug your pet while you're at it) and do whatever you like with this new knowledge.

"If only we can overcome cruelty, to human and animal, with love and compassion we shall stand at the threshold of a new era in human moral and spiritual evolution - and realize, at last, our most unique quality: humanity."
-Jane Goodall (primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace)