Some time ago we considered animals to be here solely for our use. To be used as tools, for entertainment purposes, for transportation, and when the fancy grabbed us, as food.
However, a lot has changed since then. The evidence that animals are in fact sentient beings is overwhelming. A review of over 2,500 scientific studies has shown without any doubt that animals are capable of experiencing emotions. Ranging from basic ones such as being happy or sad to more complex, such as empathy, jealousy, and grief.
We define sentience in animals as the ability to feel, perceive, and experience subjectively. Put in another way, it’s about emotions and feelings.
What does the evidence show us?
These studies have shown that:
Sheep are capable of recognizing the faces of up to 50 other sheep even after two years.
Elephants cry when they are hurt, either physically or emotionally.
Capuchin monkeys reject unequal pay (see video below).
Chimpanzees redistribute bananas in the group to make sure everyone gets their fair share.
Rats are willing to give up their favorite snack in order to save a drowning friend, demonstrating empathy. Oh, and they giggle when tickled!
Fish use tools and octopus think twice about whether the effort is worth the reward.
Furthermore, it has been shown that animals possess individual personalities and even demonstrating ‘glass-half-full’ or ‘glass-half-empty’ behavior.
Why do we insist on killing animals?
It would appear that we don’t really like to think about the sentience of animals. I suppose one reason for that could be that we like to kill them. While we kill some for food, we kill others just because we don’t like them. Just think of those spiders that come into our homes in autumn, in an attempt to find shelter.
We are also prepared to turn a blind eye to systematic cruelty on a massive scale, only to save some money on meat at the supermarket. So in order to enjoy a cheap meal without the feeling of guilt, we simply pretend that these animals don’t have feelings or emotions.
It’s time that we start thinking about the thinking beings around us!
Over the next couple of days, I will explore the sentience of farm animals. I will be looking in particular at cows, pigs, and chicken. So be sure to stay tuned and follow me by clicking the ‘follow’ button.
Thank you!
I hope I was able to show you that animals are sentient beings and that I was able to demonstrate the importance of moving towards a plant-based diet. I invite you to join my Facebook group here where I’ll gladly answer any questions that you may have regarding how to get started with a meat-free diet.
I encourage you to take action now and together we will devise a plan that’ll suit your personal circumstances and help you to gradually reduce the amount of meat you consume. This will enable you to live a healthier, happier, and more fulfilled life. I can’t wait to welcome you on the inside!
With Love ❤️
Maz
