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1) We domesticated horses and dogs to perform a service, not serve as food. These animals were not bred to be flavorful. 2) If you are eating a service animal,

1) We domesticated horses and dogs to perform a service, not serve as food. These animals were not bred to be flavorful. 2) If you are eating a service animal, that implies it was either too sick or too old to be of service. An old or sick animal is unlikely to yield quality meat. 3) Domestication is a powerful force. With great power comes great responsibility. Warning, the next paragraph is dark. One of the most abominable animal abuses comes from eating dogs. Dogs are bred to be timid and sensitive. Consequently they are easily tormented. While it is an uncommon practice, in rural Korea dogs are tormented prior to butchering and then served in such a way to give the consumer an adrenaline buzz. These dogs are also a special farm-breed that is more flavorful. The above story was told to me by several hosts while I was in Korea.

infinite8s 11y ago
Do you disdain eating all meat? That kind of treatment is common for most factory livestock.
codezero 11y ago
1) Lots of people eat dog that is bred to be food: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_meat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_meat 2) Based on the article, the horse butcher claims that all their meat was from working horses, but that they were butchered before the "prime" of their life (before 9 years) or after 14 years because the meat is more tender then. These working horses are fed a good diet, so the meat is supposedly good tasting compared to farmed animals who are fed specific food to get them fat & large faster. The contradictory way in which we see one living creature's value over another is the reason I became a vegetarian. We bred dogs to be (insert reason that's not food) we also bred cows to be (insert reason that is food), We are the factor here, not the animals. Just because we bred animals to be a specific way doesn't itself justify the industrial slaughter of one versus another. With that said, my choice was: embrace eating dog, or stop eating meat. I chose the latter, but I fully support anyone who chooses the former, but hope they don't do so under the premise that one animal we control is somehow more appropriate to kill and eat than another.
- 2muchcoffeeman 11y ago
  > With that said, my choice was: embrace eating dog, or stop eating meat. Why is that the choice? I'm not eating dog since there is no way I can ensure that the dog was treated with some minimum level of care before being killed. Probably a lot of the meat I eat was not killed in the most ideal conditions, but I like to think that I am buying better raised animals these days. > The contradictory way in which we see one living creature's value over another is the reason I became a vegetarian. My idea is that if we look at the economic value of animals it becomes less contradictory. Some animals taste good, can be put to work, give us enjoyment, provide materials we can use, are cute, are just fascinating etc. We're willing to bear the cost of keeping these around in some way. Others have really little going for them, e.g. the mosquito.
- spacehome 11y ago
  > The contradictory way in which we see one living creature's value over another Just playing Devil's advocate here - what's contradictory about assuming that humans are the most important thing in the universe and everything else is here to serve us? I'm not saying it's the ethical thing to do, but contradictory is not a charge I'd level.
LoSboccacc 11y ago
2) true, but you'll find looking at places which had traditionally high rate of horse meat consumption that they also used to had a local chivalry military garrison. those are the horses that were used back then for consumption, because they weren't as hardened as work animals and they ended their useful life before being totally spent.
jessaustin 11y ago
An old or sick animal is unlikely to yield quality meat. A sick animal is unlikely to yield quality meat. (Or at least, much meat, even if the quality is fine. Ask me how I know!) The older an animal gets, however, the richer and more intense the flavors can become. We eat young steers, barrows, and chickens because it costs less to feed an animal for 18 months than it does to feed it for ten years, not because the taste is necessarily better. Of course there are many other factors that affect flavor and quality of meat, but it's wrong to assume that younger is better. A great movie to check out if this interests you: http://steakrevolution.com/ http://steakrevolution.com/

infinite8s 11y ago

Do you disdain eating all meat? That kind of treatment is common for most factory livestock.

codezero 11y ago

1) Lots of people eat dog that is bred to be food: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_meat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_meat 2) Based on the article, the horse butcher claims that all their meat was from working horses, but that they were butchered before the "prime" of their life (before 9 years) or after 14 years because the meat is more tender then. These working horses are fed a good diet, so the meat is supposedly good tasting compared to farmed animals who are fed specific food to get them fat & large faster. The contradictory way in which we see one living creature's value over another is the reason I became a vegetarian. We bred dogs to be (insert reason that's not food) we also bred cows to be (insert reason that is food), We are the factor here, not the animals. Just because we bred animals to be a specific way doesn't itself justify the industrial slaughter of one versus another. With that said, my choice was: embrace eating dog, or stop eating meat. I chose the latter, but I fully support anyone who chooses the former, but hope they don't do so under the premise that one animal we control is somehow more appropriate to kill and eat than another.

2muchcoffeeman 11y ago
> With that said, my choice was: embrace eating dog, or stop eating meat. Why is that the choice? I'm not eating dog since there is no way I can ensure that the dog was treated with some minimum level of care before being killed. Probably a lot of the meat I eat was not killed in the most ideal conditions, but I like to think that I am buying better raised animals these days. > The contradictory way in which we see one living creature's value over another is the reason I became a vegetarian. My idea is that if we look at the economic value of animals it becomes less contradictory. Some animals taste good, can be put to work, give us enjoyment, provide materials we can use, are cute, are just fascinating etc. We're willing to bear the cost of keeping these around in some way. Others have really little going for them, e.g. the mosquito.
spacehome 11y ago
> The contradictory way in which we see one living creature's value over another Just playing Devil's advocate here - what's contradictory about assuming that humans are the most important thing in the universe and everything else is here to serve us? I'm not saying it's the ethical thing to do, but contradictory is not a charge I'd level.

LoSboccacc 11y ago

2) true, but you'll find looking at places which had traditionally high rate of horse meat consumption that they also used to had a local chivalry military garrison. those are the horses that were used back then for consumption, because they weren't as hardened as work animals and they ended their useful life before being totally spent.

jessaustin 11y ago

An old or sick animal is unlikely to yield quality meat. A sick animal is unlikely to yield quality meat. (Or at least, much meat, even if the quality is fine. Ask me how I know!) The older an animal gets, however, the richer and more intense the flavors can become. We eat young steers, barrows, and chickens because it costs less to feed an animal for 18 months than it does to feed it for ten years, not because the taste is necessarily better. Of course there are many other factors that affect flavor and quality of meat, but it's wrong to assume that younger is better. A great movie to check out if this interests you: http://steakrevolution.com/ http://steakrevolution.com/