Would you eat your pet? So why did they eat mine?

Dogs and cats are not considered food in most cultures, so naturally we don't eat them.

But what about cows? I guess cows just equal burgers in most countries. I know you might be thinking about India, where cows are loved and respected. But much like America, the Brazilian BBQ is a staple meal in Brazil, and cows are raised for dairy and meat accross the country.

[A drawing of the animals and nature I loved and admired so much as a child.]

I've always loved all animals, from their personalities and unique strengths to their beauty and spirit. I played with cats, dogs, chickens, cows, lizards and even frogs. I remember chasing chickens around the yard, then setting them free of course. I even think this "training" helped my martial arts practice later in life, as the chickens were really quick and agile. I really had to fake them out and strategize my movements to catch them, lol.

The loss of a friend with little sister and dear friends At our family farm there were cows and chickens. So growing up I could play and interact with them during holidays and summer vacations. One day my mom noticed me talking to one of the cows... the peaceful and loving creatures they are (at least this one was). So she asked: — Would you like her as your pet? You can even give her a name. I jumped in excitement and hugged my new best friend. I gave her a name and tried telling her the big news by making Moooo sounds, and watching her reply with a Moooo back at me, lol. Silly me, but it was fun! You know what's coming right...? One day I get up and run to the yard searching for my new best friend. Where was she? She wasn't there! I asked mom: — Where is my cow? It was Friday night and family began preparing for the weekly BBQ. Let's not get into too much detail then... you know what happened. I then sat outside alone watching the beautiful fireflies shine their light while trying to proccess what had just happened. My friend was gone!

 

Around the same time I had also lost my dear aunt, who inspired me to do the drawing on this page. She was a super talented architect and always motivated me to follow my dreams. She died from a tragic death unfortunately.

These two events had a really big impact on me as I was so young. I couldn't help but think "Nature is already violent, why add more when you can minimize it?".

And we are so used to systematic and hidden violence (especially factory farms) that people get so desensitized to the idea of butchering animals. Apparently so desensitized that some adults can even tell a child to befriend a cow before killing it... sooo not lol!

The moral of the story? Don't tell your kids about the Easter Bunny if you're going to cook some rabbit for dinner. Or else they'll grow up needing my "Vegan Mental Survival Guide", coming out soon... ;)

Please share your thoughts and comments