Rabbit as Food

Rabbits are becoming more and more popular as "food": meat rabbits are seen everywhere from upscale restaurants to families practicing urban farming and attempting to be more sustainable by raising rabbits in their backyard for food. The slaughter of rabbits is not regulated by the USDA, which can lead to widespread abuse and rabbits suffering endlessly for human gain. When you watch these videos, consider how a positive look at meat rabbit farming influences your views, especially when compared with the juxtaposing undercover videos inside rabbit farms where cruelty abounds. If you only saw the positive depiction of rabbit farming, would you be more likely to support eating rabbits? What if you only saw the negative depictions? Please comment below after you have watched the videos if you feel so inspired. The point of this blog is to get a dialogue going about these issues!

This first video shows the facilities of a New York Rabbit Breeder. A fairly positive depiction of the rabbit farming industry.


Another utilitarian view of rabbits as "food".


Another positive utilitarian depiction of rabbits; just a hard-working farmer struggling to make a living. Interesting emphasis that does not show the rabbit's perspective at all.


We turn now to the other side of the story: rabbits suffering for human gain.


Rabbits are considered "poultry" by the USDA, and therefore there are no regulations on their slaughter. A negative look at the meat rabbit industry.


Again, Michael Moore says it all. In this clip from Roger and Me, you will clearly see the ambivalence we hold toward rabbits. In one scene, a rabbit is being loved and adored and in the next, that same rabbit is being pummeled to death for someone's supper. How can we, as a society, allow such a conflicted and troubled relationship with rabbits? What will the emotional consequences of such disconnect be for humans? Why do we allow rabbits to be treated in such diverse and conflicting ways, even when they are the same loving, sentient beings they have always been?

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