Porky Pie

I eat meat.

Eating meat for a Western European means killing animals that need not have died (or been bred to have ever lived) because we are perfectly capable of eating a vegetarian/vegan diet. I have to accept that fact about my choices.

I would prefer to eat meat from an animal that had not led a miserable existence before it had been slaughtered. I don't do so systematically because its too expensive (for me). I try to take ethical choices when I feel I can, such as free range eggs, some free range meat, etc.

I watched the Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall programme last night about intensively farmed chickens. It showed the argument in quite a balanced way I thought. No one can dictate to a ordinary working class house wife to buy a free range bird for £10 when there are non free range on the shelf, 2 for £5. Its a no brainer for the average family.

Saying all of that, people should make themselves aware of what they are eating - there is no excuse for ignorance in this area, how the animal has lived and died - its up to them to make thier own ethical choices.