2 Parts. 8 chapters. 105 pages. That's how far into Slaughterhouse by Gail A. Eisnitz I am at the moment.
I can already tell that I am not going to enjoy this book.
While
the author has a style of writing that is both blunt and intriguing,
her subject is extremely unpleasant. She does not try to hide this fact
from the reader by sensitively approaching the subject, but instead
begins the book by describing a horrific case (which she had to go
undercover for) of dog training using live rabbits.
Of
course this case had nothing to do with the food industry, but a case
she was given at the same time as this one led her to discover a somehow
even more disturbing crime that was taking place in a cattle
slaughterhouse.
By
the second chapter - only 28 pages in - Eisnitz already had two
witnesses who claimed that the slaughterhouse, called Kaplan, had been
making its workers skin living, conscious cattle. Not only is
this clearly a form of animal cruelty, but it also made for a dangerous
work environment for the people who actually had to skin the cattle.
If
you are wondering why this might be, try thinking about if someone
tried skinning you while you were aware of it. Would you simply relax
and let it happen? Or would you start kicking and fighting for your
life, and then trying to run from anyone who came near you; even if that
meant trampling anyone in your path?
I would hope most of you would have enough "life preservation" instinct to do the latter.
The
worst part, to me, is that even if the cow does not get loose it still
gets passed down the line, only to be stabbed in the spinal cord once it
reaches the skinners. According to Eisnitz, severing the spinal cord
only paralyzes the cattle so they can not move. It does not, however,
rid them of the pain of being skinned.
Conditions
in this slaughterhouse were not only gruesome for the cattle, of
course, but also extremely dangerous for the workers, and not just
because of scared cattle.
At
this point my main interest in finishing this book is being able to see
Eisnitz get the owners of this slaughterhouse in just as much trouble
as they deserve.
You are really far in this book! It sound's really interesting but it also disturbing at the same time. I can't believe some of the things people will do to animals. I sometimes can't believe that I eat meat. I wish I knew more about the mea industry and how meat was handled. I feel like I would have a different perspective of meat If i knew about how the animals were handled.
ReplyDeleteThis book does seem like a hard book to read by what I have read. It would disturb me a lot if I was reading this by what you have posted. I wish you best when reading this because I know it would be difficult for me
ReplyDeleteI am reading the same book and it is also very difficult for me to read. I can't even begin to imagine how people can do this to animals. And as you know the management of these companies just don't care and simply move past the subject of fixing anything. It is heartbreaking for the animals who have to go through this. And I definitely agree with you I can't wait to finish it to see if she catches the owner's of the slaughterhouses.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a hard read especially if you have feelings and care about animals. Very disturbing to hear that they can be skinned alive, now that's horrific. We have a slaughter house not to far from Kalamazoo and I hope they are not stabbing animals in their spinal cords and skinning them alive. I have a cousin that works at the slaughter house and now I am curious to know what are their practices.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first post I've read about Slaughterhouse that mentioned anything that descriptive. That is pretty awful that cows are treated that way. Slaughterhouse conditions have always been one of the biggest reasons pushing me toward vegetarianism.
ReplyDeleteI am reading this book also. Disturbing! I am so curious about Anita's comment. I wonder if some students from our class could visit a slaughterhouse in our area?? Would YOU want to go?
ReplyDelete