A reader has jumped to our defence for saying that it is illogical to treat animals compassionately until they are killed for food (Lobsters in the shell, Eye 23 November).
This prompted a response in Letters (7 December) pointing out that the humane treatment of food animals is important. 'Animals die hideously in the wild', said the correspondent 'humans can do better'.
Fiona Owen from Holyhead Meeting took issue with this. Abattoirs were the human version of killing and had the correspondent visited one? 'They are immense, industrialised units', says Fiona. 'The work is done mechanically. We must not fool ourselves: animals do suffer "hideously" at the hands of humankind.'
We were pleased to see that our Christmas issue carried a hopeful report of the latest molecular developments in medical research which take away the need for animal models. Eye knows many readers are deeply uneasy about the human record in animal welfare. Progress to change is painfully slow but it wasn't that long ago when bears were baited in the street and it was considered legitimate entertainment.

Labels: animals abattoir welfare