frequently asked questions about animal rights

	What about “free-range” eggs?
	In many commercial “free-range” or “cage-free” egg farms, hens are crowded inside windowless sheds, packed nearly wing to wing, with little or no access to the outdoors. Just like battery cage hens, “free-range” hens are sent to slaughter once their egg production declines and their baby brothers are disposed of at the hatchery. The best thing consumers can do is avoid eggs completely.

What about plants? Don't plants have feelings too?

While it is possible that plants have sensitivities that we do not yet understand, plants do not have a central nervous system and it is generally agreed upon in the scientific community that plants are incapable of suffering. Usually, this issue is not really raised as a concern, but more of an excuse or justification since few people truly believe that plants feel pain. However, if one really is concerned about plants suffering, adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet actually reduces the number of plants killed, since animals must be fed huge quantities of grasses and grains to be converted into small quantities of meat, milk, and eggs.

Don’t farmers have to treat their animals well or they won’t produce as much milk or lay as many eggs?

Animals on factory farms do not gain weight, lay eggs, and produce milk because they are comfortable, content, or well cared for but, rather, because they have been manipulated specifically to do these things through genetics, medications, hormones, and management techniques. In addition, animals raised for food today are slaughtered at extremely young ages, usually before disease and misery have decimated them. Such huge numbers of animals are raised for food that it is less expensive for farmers to absorb some losses than it is to provide humane conditions.

	What will we do with all the animals if everyone goes vegetarian? Wouldn’t they take over?
	It's unrealistic to expect that everyone will stop eating animals overnight. As the demand for meat decreases, the number of animals bred will decrease. Farmers will stop breeding so many animals and will turn to other types of agriculture. When there are fewer of these animals, they will be able to live more natural lives.

Animals kill other animals for food, so why shouldn't we?

Predators in the wild kill other animals out of necessity. Without doing so, they would not survive. Humans, on the other hand, kill other animals by choice. Our bodies have no need for animal flesh, milk, or eggs. In fact, medical research has consistently shown that a vegan diet is healthier than a diet heavy in animal products. Eating animals is not necessary for human survival. Rather, it is a choice we make. Is it right for us to choose to cause animals unnecessary suffering because of a mere food preference?