As a vegan, I sign many petitions concerning cruelty against non humans. I am never sure how effective they are, but feel that if all they do is raise awareness, both of committed cruelty and what cruelty is then they have had a positive effect.

However one type of petition I will not sign, is one asking for better welfare. Welfare is quite simply, what we do to accept and excuse cruelty. It enables and allows animal abuse, not least because it allows others to remain comfortable in their apathy.

I feel that by signing any such petition I am complicit in and supporting that abuse. I understand that many will feel that by improving conditions for farmed or wild non humans we help them.

But my feeling is that it is not helping them, it is lengthening the time they continue to suffer. Even if, it can be argued that the suffering is reduced by some small degree.

As an example, I would liken it to allowing a whip of cotton instead of leather. Or a cage 2' square as opposed to 18". How is that improving the situation? The cotton whip still hurts, wounds and cuts the individual upon whom it is used. The cage still confines.

I also understand the argument that by making small in roads into changing attitudes it is possible to move the process towards the end goal. However, I think that, if we ask for seemingly outlandish things, such as, banning whips and cages completely,

the idea that non humans should
not be abused, enslaved, murdered or eaten at all becomes far more reasonable and acceptable to far more people far more quickly. So let us not ask for kinder abuse, let us ask for no abuse at all.

Because non human welfare is non human abuse.