The cows who produce milk for grocery store chain Harris Teeter eat, breathe and sleep in a deep pool of manure, as shown in PETA’s undercover video of their dairy supplier in North Carolina.

When Harris Teeter’s customers see this ghastly footage of the cows who supply their milk, the shit is going to hit the fan too, not only because the conditions on their dairy farm are so unsanitary but also because the cruelty is so egregious. While this footage is shocking on one hand, it is not at all surprising on the other because we have seen undercover videos of factory farm horrors so many times. Learn more about the investigation and find out how you can help.

In an article entitled Veal Farmers Adopt More Humane Methods, the NY Times gives people permission “to try veal again” by profiling a Kentucky veal company, which sells “pasture-raised” calves: “About 25 percent of the country’s veal comes from Strauss Brands, which, like many modern meat producers, has moved away from the methods that prompted outrage from animal-rights groups and diners alike.” It is only further down in the article, after many readers have moved on, that we learn that only 5% of Strauss’ calves are pasture-raised. So this begs the question: how are the other 95% of Strauss’ calves raised?

Photo: Tim Harris, NY Times

Both the text and the photos in this NY Times story paint a picture of happy, free-roaming baby cows who suffer only at the end, when they are slaughtered at 7.5 months old. Of course, slaughter is a terrifying experience and is reason, in and of itself, to abstain from eating animals. But for those who don’t oppose slaughter but do who oppose intensive confinement, this article (inadvertently?) gives the impression that the baby cows who they eat now come from big green pastures. This is not the case! In fact, only 20% of veal calves are pasture-raised, according to the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, which means that majority of calves are probably raised in conditions like this.  In the meantime, these images of lush, green pastures “take away the stigma” of eating veal and “give people permission” to eat it again.

In a letter to NYC Council Members, the Working Families Party (WPF) has taken sides in the heated battle between opponents and supporters of NYC’s infamous horse-drawn carriage trade: “We stand in solidarity with horse carriage workers who play a pivotal role in generating millions of dollars in revenue as one of the top three tourist attractions in the city.”  NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio continues to support a ban on horse-drawn carriages for humane and safety reasons, but he has not yet taken any steps to do so since taking office in January.

First of all, horse-drawn carriages are not “one of the top three tourist attractions” in the city. Not even close. Is the Working Families Party familiar with Broadway, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center, the Statue of Liberty, the Highline, the Empire State Building and the 911 Memorial — all of which attract far more tourists than the rickety horse-drawn carriages on 59th St? That is the first of many inaccuracies about the horse-drawn carriage trade in their uninformed letter to the City Council. The WFP members who are advocating to keep horse-drawn carriages in NYC, which doesn’t even have a pasture, will one day come to the realization that they are on the wrong side of history. In the meantime, someone should inform them that horses are not inanimate objects, as suggested in their letter: it is “horses WHO are an important part…” not horses THAT are an important part…” If you or anyone else still questions the rationale for banning horse-drawn carriages from Manhattan, please see the award-winning documentary film BLINDERS.

In July, I had the good fortune of traveling with friends to the jungle in the Republic of Congo to observe gorillas in the wild. We watched these intelligent and majestic animals travel through the trees, search for food, play with their young, and look for a site to build their sleeping nests. As I wiped myself off after a gorilla in the rainforest canopy dropped a piece of half-eaten fruit on my shoulder, the group’s silverback charged us while beating his chest. Because we were told not to move if a gorilla charges, I closed my eyes and said a prayer to Oprah. Of course, the silverback veered off, as they always do after a display. When I returned home in late July, I came across the now viral video of Robin Williams interacting with a gorilla in what appeared to be an office. I cringed because it was such a stark contrast to the gorillas living freely in the jungle with members of their own species. I quickly learned that Koko had been rescued from a zoo where she was born and was now living at the Gorilla Foundation in Northern California — where she was no longer an exhibit. Koko should not have been born in captivity because we shouldn’t hold wild animals captive in the first place. But at least she’s in good hands.

While watching the video, I was struck by Robin Williams’ genuine affection for Koko.  I hope this viral video, in which Robin and Koko enjoy each other’s company, doesn’t send a message to the general public that captivity is fun. For the victims, being stripped of the chance to live naturally in their own habitat with members of their own species is stressful and depressing, as it would be for us. Because Robin Williams died, this video is going to be seen by tens of thousands of people, if not more. If this video teaches people nothing about cruelty of captivity, then I hope that viewers look beyond the gorilla tickling and learn more about the conservation work of the Gorilla Foundation.

In a NY Times article about the estimated 7,000 remaining wild dogs in Africa, Dr. Rosie Woodrofe, a researcher who has studied wild dogs for 20 years, says, “There is nothing so enthusiastic as a wild dog. They live the life domestic dogs wish they could live.” As a dog owner, I’m not at all surprised to read that. Wild dogs, who can act on their natural instincts all day long, have wildly productive lives. Researchers say these “exceptionally social” and “civic-minded” dogs hunt, teach their young survival skills and care for the infirm. While one male and female in each pack breed, the remaining adults “serve as guardians, babysitters, even wet nurses for the alpha pair’s pups.” If our companion animals could talk, would they tell us that we should have never domesticated them? I think so. I have a rescue dog — a chihuahua/pug mix. He’s one of the “lucky” ones. I don’t chain him to a fence in the cold, leave him in a hot car, neglect him or abuse him in any way. I walk him four times a day; provide him with nourishment and medical care; play ball with him at least twice a day; and shower him with affection (I’ve been told to “get a room.”) Still, I think he’s bored and out of place. I wouldn’t want his life. Domesticating animals for our pleasure was a big mistake, in my opinion, especially when you consider the rampant abuse, neglect and abandonment. But companion animals are here to stay, and the burden is on us to make their lives as enriched as possible.

Photo: Scott Creel; Montana State University