My response to the Animal Welfare Challenge
http://rumpydog.com/ has a challenge for all of us; “It’s easy! Just write a blog post about something you do in your daily life and how it impacts animals.”
As a Buddhist I consider animals to have the same rights to happiness, avoiding suffering, and the necessities of life as us humans. I choose not to wear clothing made from animal skins. I have owned leather shoes in the past, however I have never purchased any article of clothing made with fur or skins from animals that were killed strictly for their ability to clothe us. My mother had a rabbit fur coat when I was growing up, and used to say, that all the rabbits that gave up their lives for food, also provided the fur for her coat. She had the view that as the rabbits were already killed for food, that the use of their fur, was the best way to avoid having other animals die, just to provide warm clothing. This was back in the 60s when synthetic clothing wasn’t nearly as advanced as it is today. So using goose or duck down for comforters was common, as well as down filled jackets for cold weather. Today with materials such as Thinsulate, we no longer need to use animal parts to stay warm. So that is one way, my choices in life impact our fellow beings on the planet we all call home.
Jan 31, 2013 I am adding a link to another great post: http://myeverydaypsychology.com/cohabitating-with-animals/
We are vegetarians.
Then you can post your own response to the challenge, as it is supposed to be about ourselves, and non-preachy. I was raised with bbq steaks as part of my diet, and that is still a major temtation to my tastebuds, especially after the nose gets a whiff.
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