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Esther the Wonder Pig by Steve Jenkins & Derek Walter with Caprice Crane

January 21, 2017 by Tofu Temptress Leave a Comment

Pigs just want to have fun!

The review on the front of this book, by Ricky Gervais, is fab and just about sums things up. It reads ‘Funny, moving and heartwarming. The greatest love story ever told between two men and their pig.’


A few years ago, Steve Jenkins was offered the chance of rehoming a mini pig. He jumped at the chance – what could be cuter? – but he neglected to inform his partner Derek of his plans. As you can imagine, arriving home to an unexpected pet is always going to have its pitfalls, especially as the couple already had two dogs and two cats in their modest sized house. But who could resist a mini pig in the end? They named the pig Esther and she became part of the family.

The book tells the story in Steve’s voice and documents how the pair went about welcoming a pig into their home. There were many challenges, but these became even more difficult when Esther wouldn’t stop growing. It’s no spoiler to say that Esther was a piglet when adopted and proceeded to grow into a full sized, (six hundred and fifty pound) commercial pig.

The normal fat of a commercial pig
The normal fate of a commercial pig – Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals

Commercial pigs, as the name suggests, are the type of pigs that people normally chop up and make into bacon, ham and pork. Although meat eaters before Esther arrived in their lives, her presence led both men to become vegan. They are now animal advocates and Esther even has her own facebook page and twitter account. You can catch up with her adventures every day on social media. There’s always a cute picture or video and an amusing caption!

Pigs just want to have fun!
Pigs just want to have fun! Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals

 

This book is a lovely, easy read that will warm your heart and tickle you by turns. The writing is a casual, chatty style that endears you to both Steve and Derek. There’s so much love for animals here that it’s impossible not to like them. I even secretly wished I could have a piggy companion too, but be warned anyone who finishes this book feeling the same – there’s no such thing as a mini pig!!!

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Books, farm animals, pigs, reading, sanctuary

Animal Rights by Mark Rowlands

July 25, 2016 by Tofu Temptress Leave a Comment

A baboon caged in a zoo
Pig in factory farm
Pig in factory farm. Jo-Anne McArthur We Animals

I have been described, rather disparagingly, as ‘one of those animal rights people.’ The phrase ‘animal rights’ seems to have gone out of fashion, sometimes replaced with ‘animal welfare’ as though to see non-human animals as having rights at all is ridiculous -the strange, non-conformist philosophy of crazed left wing hippies. The theme of whether animals do or should have rights is explored in this book, written as part of the All That Matters series, which aims to bring all manner of different subjects to new readers. They’re written by top authorities in each field – Mark Rowlands is a professor of philosophy specialising in animal rights.

The book is divided into sections looking at situations we encounter in everyday life where animal rights need to be considered. The author makes the argument that animals count in a moral sense and goes on to explain why this is. For those of us who are vegans for ethical reasons, this seems a no-brainer, but it needs explaining to those who, through societal conditioning, have come to believe that they don’t. The chapter on using animals for meat explains how doing the ultimate harm to an animal (killing them) can’t be morally justified because we don’t need to eat them. Again, for ethical vegans, this seems obvious, but it is refreshing to have an academic philosopher put forward this reasoning.

Companion animals are discussed
Companion animals are discussed

Other chapters cover the meat industry, animal research, hunting, blood sports and other sports involving animals. Some of the less discussed areas of animal rights are covered here too, such as the morality of having companion animals, how we should treat wildlife, how to approach conservation and the relevance of zoos. The tone of the book is calm, logical and even humorous at times. Rowlands has a likeable voice and I can’t help thinking that this would be a great book to give to a friend or family member who is struggling with your philosophy of life. In no way does he come across as an extremist, a kook, or overly emotional, although he takes a moral stance that most find tricky to deal with.

The cramped conditions endured by racing greyhounds
The cramped conditions endured by racing greyhounds. Jo-Anne McArthur We Aniamlas

He forces the reader to take a long look at why we behave the way we do and why we believe the things we do. There’s also great boxed text and quotes from famous philosophers, vegetarians and academics that can sum things up pretty succinctly. Here’s one of my favourites from C.S Lewis: ‘If we cut up beasts simply because they cannot prevent us and because we are backing up our own side in the struggle for existence, it is only logical to cut up imbeciles, criminals, enemies or capitalists for the same reason.’

A baboon caged in a zoo
A baboon caged in a zoo. Jo-Anne McArthur We Animals

Each subject is fully explored and provides alternative suggestions for behaviour that would be morally preferable. The FAQs cover a few enquiries we get as vegans, so there are some good discussion points. There’s a list of one hundred ideas at the back too, giving resources and examples of what you can do to help the cause. If everyone read this book and took on its philosophy, I think it might well make the world a better place.

Highly recommended.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: animal rights, animals, Dogs, farm animals, meat

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