Imagine one day without the use of some aspect that comes from an animal, without any bi-products from animals, including dairy products, eggs, or even leather. For many of us, the idea is unthinkable. With these foods and clothing from animals being ever present in our daily lives, the animals’ impact is hard to avoid. Many people don’t know, listen, or care what happens to animals as long as they are not in the animal’s place. Although many people do not know and do not want to know where their food and other everyday products come from and how they were treated, it is important for everyone to learn and educate themselves about animals and how they are abused. In order for mandates to be imposed on animal cruelty, individuals need to take action and make a change in their lifestyle.

Millions of animals are taken advantage of for our taste buds and fashion sense. Animals are tested for our delicate skin and body that gets ruined anyway with the intake of cholesterol, meat, sugars and chemicals. On top of that, even domestic animals are abused and abandoned every day. Animals are used in circuses, being deprived of the exercise they so desperately need, trapped in zoos for our amusement, kept in captivity for a life that hardly measures up to what they deserve. Why does this happen? To be clearer, why do we -you and I- let this happen this? Ignorance may be bliss, but these problems will only become worse if we do not change our lifestyles.

So what can we do about it? You may be thinking, “but going vegan is unhealthy, and it’s not my responsibility to make a change.” These are misconceptions. What we don’t know is that hurting animals is actually hurting us, and it’s ruining the place we live in. Many Americans choose to ignore the sentient properties that their dinner once had. They figure, “hey, it’s already dead, so not eating it would not make it come back to life.” Although true, certain steps could be taken to insure that future chickens, cows, or pigs would not be slaughtered or else subject to a life of cruelty. It is the basics of supply and demand. If the demand decreases, so does the supply. A vegan lifestyle eliminates all animal bi-products including milk, eggs, meat, leather, honey, and even some clothes with dyes made from insects (Vandenburg, 1). All cholesterol is eliminated, saturated fats are decreased, and many cancers and diseases are prevented. Vegans live up to 13 years longer than the average human. So you choose--cheese or 13 more years of life and a happier, healthier planet and food system? The answer is simple: choose to change. (Foy, 1). Sure, the entire American public may never stop eating meat, but we can do better than this.

Not only do you need it, but the earth needs it. Cow production alone increases the hole in the ozone layer more than the entire car industry through emissions of methane and carbon dioxide gases. Thousands of gallons of water is used to grow the immense amount of animals being raised for milk, eggs, and slaughter. In one day, 160 million chicks are manufactured to be grown and eaten by the American public. Animals experience unthinkable agony just to produce milk or the simple piece of meat we enjoy for five minutes. The demand for these products is too high. Factories choose to ignore animals’ worth and discard humane treatment for a cheaper solution. The companies need to be restricted to their treatment and usage of animals. The animals should be prioritized as important as they are to the successes and possibilities they have made possible. There are countless laws regarding the treatment of domestic animals. What is the difference? Selfish reasons such as money and greed are being traded for an animal’s well-being right now, and not only are we letting it happen, we are supporting it.

            It’s common that people don’t always think or know what they are doing wrong. Among the places notorious for animal cruelty is South Korea. South Korea uses animals such as, horse, swine, dog, cat, rabbit, and other for their food. The different thing--or not so different thing-- is the way they are treated. These animals are also slaughtered for the high demand of meat. However, the government in Jeju Island are trying to do something about it: “The City, Provincial Governors are responsible to take measure to protect the abused animals and to remove the animals from abusers” (Park, 1). As can be seen, animal abuse is largely ignored by us. The list goes on about the way animals are truly mistreated in an inhumane way. We look the other way as dogs in the back of a truck ready to fly out on the open truck bed and ban abused dogs for biting back. Many are not educated about how to behave with animals, and we need to change that. It isn’t that hard to realize that we are the true ‘animals’: innocent animals are being abused, tested and banned. Animals are social creatures but others are predators or are accustomed to being wild. They live in the moment and if you agitate them after mistreating them, they will be scared and might take the chance to defend themselves. Animals can’t put themselves in other’s shoes like we can, therefore they never try to take advantage of you or hurt you on purpose.  Animals like dogs are so good they hope their owner loves them and they just want to protect their owner. They have been used to solely protect against robbers, drug tradings, and police dogs, when in the end, they aren’t really considered that important. Once your animal or ‘product’ becomes useless it looks like most just toss it in the dump like it is nothing; that is unfair.

One way to help resolve these unethical treatments is to stop the immense number of homeless animals by realizing how important it is to spay or neuter every pet: it lowers the possibility of stray dogs mating and creating more homeless dogs. Animals are not evil at heart: the animal doesn’t understand what they do wrong unless you show them. They have to learn that it’s best not to do the bad habit, this includes lots of praise, treats and patience. Treat your animals as you would treat your children, for they are sentient beings and hurt the same way humans do. Often, the problem is caused by us and then it is ignored, but the first step to solving a problem is admitting it is there. Although there are many other first world problems and it is going to be hard to make the change, it is easier to start with yourself, your state, your country.       

You are the only person that has the ability to change the current conditions of animal production and treatment. Although it may seem difficult to some, it isn’t hard to find other sources of protein, money or better hobbies that don’t affect the well-being of animals. So sacrifice your favorite leather shoes, your precious cheese, and your chicken fingers. Animals need it more. Go vegan. Write letters to politicians in your area. Spay or neuter your dog or cat. Treat animals the way you would desire to be treated. For your life. For the animals’ lives. For the environment.

Works Cited

Foy, Mark. "Vegan Outreach." Vegan Outreach. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2015. .

Park, Marvin K. "Jeju Island, Korea! Punish the "Dog Truck from Hell" and Ban the Dog Meat Trade! ??? ??, ???? ????!" Change.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2015.

Vandenburg, Krissi. Vegan Action. N.p., n.d. Web. .