Rabbit Fur and Meat Industry Videos

I wonder if anyone has ever seen the CAFT (first video) and PETA (second video) regarding the rabbit meat/fur industries. To my admittedly untrained eye it seemed that in at least one video (the CAFT one) the battery style raising and the fact that you saw rabbits raising their heads and screeching as they passed along an assembly line seemed a tad inhumane. Just wanted to see what breeders here had as far as opinions on these videos.

I'd like to see what the more balanced viewpoints on this board think regarding these videoes?

First video
"stolen from their mom".. no...it's called weaning.
Wire cages are good for helping keep rabbits healthy.
I STRONGLY dislike the cleaning of fecal matter only twice a year. And I'd have to question the accuracy of that statement. But that's because it's not good husbandry.

11 times a year for kindling? well... I suppose that might be possible. Though... I don't know if it's the norm. Don't know for sure that. Personally I do a 6-10 week breed back.

A well killed rabbit will make no noise when it's killed. I don't see that it was the norm, just a rabbit that was missed. WHICH SHOULD NOT happen by a professional.

The point of the first video seems to be to prove that rabbit fur is not a waste product but a focused production. I have no issue with that.

Second video...jerking is a normal muscle reflex upon death. Though bothersome to see, and troublesome the first time you see it, still a natural affect of death.

I am not sure what country these are taken in, but different countries have different laws about what is humane or not. And I can't speak to that. Do I like to hear a rabbit scream? Do I like to see a rabbit mistreated (aka grabbed by the ears)? no. But I have to wonder... what country are these taken in? AND is this the norm or just an off day?

The voice over seems to be deliberate to gender sympathy for the plight of rabbits.

You can find videos showing good and bad in any industry....it all depends on what you film, when you film it, where you film, and how you edit.

Are there places/people that treat animals inhumanely? Yes. Is that what good animal husbandry is about? no.

Since rabbit is an excellent meat source, I'd rather see the furs used for something than just discarded.

As Ladysown said...we don't know what country the videos were shot in. Ever seen a video of a Japanese whaler? Or a chinese man killing chickens in a Chinese meat factory? Not pretty. Different culture. it would be nice if we humans were all on the same page, but we're not.

The first video was in France and Portugal I think and the second was Europe and China.

The REAL problem is:
The people narrating on both of those videos
haven't the slightest idea of what they are talking about!
They are nothing more than talking heads and will make any statement
which agrees with THEIR philosophy. From what is being said I suppose
we ALL must become Vegans as anyone who eats rabbit or wears rabbit fur
is adding and abetting this "Form of Cruelty". I would like to know
what type of Shoes Gillian is wearing, I'll bet they are genuine
Cowhide leather! I suppose that's alright because Cows are not Rabbits!
I find that both of the videos are a bunch or Anti-breeding propaganda!
You are welcome to believe what you want, but I tend to believe that
the vast majority of breeders and eaters do everything the y can to treat their
rabbits as humanely as possible. It's not a beauty contest, it's food preparation.
I hope I did not offend anyone, it's just my opinion and the way I happen to see things.
An omnivore by choice.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

A chicken egg factory in the US isn't terribly humane either.

A large part of our food comes from these places whether it is a rabbit, or a cow, or an egg--or wheat and potatoes. That is part of why alot of us prefer to grow our own. I know what they ate, how they were treated, and how they were killed. I don't raise all my own food, but I am trying to get there from here. I try to be responsible for where it comes from. Know your own farmer.

Small farmers do it all, and I believe the fact that I held it as a baby, makes me more compassionate on the last day of it's life. I think that is what is missing in the factory farm model--you slaughter all day and it gets to be just a job...you stop caring. That is a tragedy.

Thawkwood, I think you are "preaching to the choir" here. NONE of us treat our animals this way, and ALL of us are shocked and appalled when animals are mistreated. If I wanted to see these kinds of video's, I would Google for them myself. I really am not trying to be rude, I just think it is possible to discuss these topics without the videos.

I agree, Shannon. I have removed them.

Thawkwood, we are open to discussion, but please do not post any more videos of this type. They are entirely contrary to everything RabbitTalk stands for and we do not care to be associated with them. Most of these videos are made by people with an agenda - and it is seldom the good of the animals that they have at heart.

So glad the Rabbit video was removed. I don't want to see any rabbit being mistreated. We love our bunnies no matter what purpose we are raising them for. We are just starting out and really look forward to enjoying our rabbits in all aspects of raising rabbits.

Whispering lies in your ears while your eyes witness atrocities?
No offense to the original poster, but anyone who believe those videos are weak-minded fools.
They are made for one reason, to elicit an emotional response, and they are very good at that.
The best lies start with a half-truth right?

You shouldn't worry about animals treated like this. You should worry about the people who fabricate these works of fiction finding out where you live and liberating your animals by burning you and your family alive. These organizations are why good hard working people like us must lock our gates and put video baby monitors in our barns.

<edit>
Perhaps mindless fools is a little harsh, but these same people have attempted to liberate my outdoor cages. Whats worse is they were successful in liberating over 10,000 mink within 10 miles of my home, in the river bottoms, and the DWR estimates at least 4000 of them survived and are now reproducing. Creates more problems for local farmers who now have feral/wild mink to contend as well as the standard skunks and racoons, because mink are a helluva lot meaner!

If it came from PETA, a PETA-like group or a group associated w/ PETA, it's complete and total BS! They are liars and fanatics. The don't believe in "using" animals for any purpose whatsoever. They don't even agree w/ pet ownership, they compare it to slavery. They have creatively edited and even fabricated videos showing the horrors of any and every animal industry you can think of. Then they use those videos to push their extreme animal rights agenda. "A few farmers/breeders mistreated their animals, so no one should consume, wear or use animals products or be allowed to have a pet."

I too, am glad the video was removed.

I also agree w/ eco2pia about knowing where your food comes from and growing it yourself, but that should always be a choice. Not every wants to do it and if they want to buy meat or animal products w/o knowing where it came from, that's their choice and their right.