Published Letters and Op-Eds from
COK’s Writers Group

Food for Thought

As a former animal control officer in Washington who helped rescue several of the residents now living happily at Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary, I was delighted to read Karen Goldberg Goff’s article, “Animal house” (Family Times, Sunday).

Much like the beloved cats and dogs with whom we share our homes, chickens, pigs and cows have individual personalities and are just as capable of experiencing joy, sorrow and pain. Yet, with virtually no laws to protect them, most farm animals are treated like mere meat-, egg-, and milk-producing machines. Standard practices include confining egg-laying hens in wire cages so restrictive they can barely move and male calves and piglets are routinely castrated without any anesthesia.

Thankfully, for those of us eager to help put an end to such cruelty, we can best express our compassion for animals by simply leaving them off our plates.

ERICA MEIER
Executive director
Compassion Over Killing
Washington