Worldview Essay
My interest in food animal medicine is a result of how I view ethics and sustainability in the context of animal husbandry. This is a part of my worldview, which I explore in the essay below.
The advent of animal domestication has been instrumental to human survival and success. Animals have served humans as safe and consistent sources of food, clothing, research subjects, and even companionship for centuries. Fundamentally, our use of animals qualifies as exploitation; as defined by historian Joanna Swabe, animal exploitation is the use of animals for human purposes (5). There is no purposefully implied moral judgement in the use of the phrase “exploitation,” however -- the word is intended, rather, to provide a dispassionately accurate description of the animal-human dynamic. It is within this dynamic that lies a mainstay of my personal worldview: that we are morally obligated, as humans, to ensure that animals used for human consumption of any kind are provided with the best possible quality of life.
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It is this moral obligation that drives my belief that there is room for improvement in the way that we raise animals. Concentrated animal feeding operations, though an abundant and cheap food source, are frequently criticized for their damaging environmental impact, as well as concerns of animal maltreatment and mismanagement (e.g. housing large numbers of animals in cramped conditions, animal abuse, antibiotic overuse, etc.). Concerning conditions in animal housing facilities, Dr. Temple Grandin has said: “Nature is cruel, but we don’t have to be” (2008). It is this sentiment, coupled with concerns regarding climate change and sustainability, that reinforces my belief that more can be done to improve these systems. Like Dr. Grandin, I also believe that the most meaningful change can be created when advocating for improvements within these pre-existing animal raising systems. There must be an acknowledgement that animal consumption is not likely to disappear in the immediate future; therefore, instead of arguing to abolish the practice entirely, changing the system as it exists is the most effective way to exact improvements.
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These changes, however, must come with understanding and sympathizing with the people who are employed in these industries. I am heavily invested in the success and long-term security of farmers, the people who will be at the fighting lines for any change to conventional food systems. A passion and love for animals alone is not enough to sustain an interest in veterinary medicine – it is necessary to have a deep appreciation for their human counterparts as well. I have spent my college career working alongside farmers and trying to amass a greater understanding of their situations, especially as they will continue to be complicated by climate change. To institute any lasting and meaningful change in any context, communication between all involved parties is essential. My worldview maintains that collaborating with farmers is a vital step to effect any desired changes to the current systems of food production.
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It is these beliefs that have driven me to food animal veterinary medicine. My deep interest in exploring long-term solutions for the problems in our current food systems, as well as in advocating for better practices and living conditions of animals for human consumption, has solidified my interest in becoming a food animal veterinarian. The urgency of the current climate crisis is a major motivator in trying to find solutions for a better future for humans, domesticated animals, and all life on Earth. It is my hope that I will someday be able to offer solutions to issues regarding food animal health and welfare through the lens of sustainable agriculture.
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Sources:
Grandin, Temple. The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Aspberger’s. Future Horizons Inc., 2008.
Swabe, Joanna. Animals, Disease and Human Society: Human-animal Relations and the Rise of Veterinary Medicine. Routledge, 1999. Retrieved from https://epdf.tips/animals-disease-and-human-society-human-animal-relations-and-the-rise-of-veterin.html