Happy Halloween!

Animals as food

Wow, that seems to be the theme this week in my blog roll.

First Gina Spadafori says everything I want to say, and more.

A great essay from Dr. Khuly about DIY slaughter and the ethics of eating animals.

Skepchick asks what species people won't eat, and why.

Slightly related: Fugly Horse of the Day with (yet more) about horse slaughter.

And in my own life: I bought my hunting license, my dad got a deer (and said he'll share! Yay!), I discovered a farm within walking distance that sells cheap free-range eggs, and I made a delicious stew from the lamb that I helped my dad slaughter, skin, clean and butcher.

Interesting

This new Animal Planet show looks pretty good.

Hunting

Once again, Gina Spadafori is more succinct and elegant than I could be:

"Because if you’re going to eat meat — and I do, and so do my dogs and cats — you’re going to kill or have something killed on your behalf. (Actually, that’s even true of vegans: Countless numbers of small birds and animals are killed when those soy fields are harvested. It’s a fact: It you live, something will die. It’s the circle of life, folks, and one day you, yes you and me, too, will be the food for maggots, beetles and bacteria.)"

There's not many people I find myself agreeing with all the time, but she appears to be one of them.



(Dad got a black tail yesterday. In his words, "We eat good this winter")

Sick today

And when Suzanne is home from work with a fever, she does silly things. Like spend the afternoon vintage-izing digital photographs:

Poor planning

I have nothing against the killing of wolves per se. I can't see myself doing it personally.

But doncha think (I'm talking to you, Montana) it gets a little weird to allow hunting 4 months after a species' removal from the endangered species list? Especially when hunters end up bagging two radio-collared females from the packs you were studying?

I mean, is that not awkward? Couldn't you have, I dunno, waited at least a year or something?

(nicked from Bioephemera)

Neighbor puts lien on dog after volunteering to pet-sit

Apparently mixed breed terriers are valuable now. I'm going to call my local shelter and tell them about the gold mine they're sitting on. And to think they've been adopting out dogs just like this for only $100!

(nicked from stupidpetowners)

How proud is Zelda...

...of getting a 6th place ribbon at her first agility trial?

This proud:

Staff meeting doodle

Note the claws. I was going to make it some kind of mutant monster elephant, but then the stipple took over.

My mom is awesome

She made me a quilt!

Dancing children at a street fair