Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others

(We live on a small farm. I have a two-year-old son, and am keen for him to have a good understanding of looking after animals humanely, and understanding where our food comes from. We recently had two horses put to sleep due to old age issues, and as part explaining where they went we discussed not allowing animals to suffer pain if we can’t help them. We also had a steer home-killed to put in the freezer shortly prior to that, which my son had watched being shot and partially dismembered. I then manage to badly hurt my back and my husband is trying to explain to him why I can’t play or carry him about.)

Husband: “Mummy has hurt her back and can’t play.”

Son: “Oh, she’ll get a bang and get chopped up?”

(At least he got the point that we don’t let animals suffer needlessly! We did have yet another discussion on what happens to people after they die and how we don’t normally put them in the freezer to eat later…)