clueless?
Posted on | November 14, 2003 |
In general, I appreciate animal activists’ work. I believe that everyone has a right to their own opinion, and who am I to say this is absolutely right and you are wrong. However, something I saw on The View this morning really set me off. It is well known that Alicia Silverstone is an animal rights activist and vegan. During her appearance, Joy asked her if wool was okay since it’s just shaved off, causing the animal no harm. Alicia responded that it is bad because the shearing is a violent action, and it still must come from an animal.
Insert a big sigh from me. I love Alicia’s work including her new show, Miss Match, and Clueless is a classic, but she really needs to not propogate information which is blatantly incorrect. I have a couple tidbits of information for Miss Silverstone.
Firstly, the sheep will die if not sheared. DIE. I’m not joking. The wool accumulates to protect the sheep from subzero temps during the winter. However, given above-100 temps in the summer and any minimal movement by the sheep, this excessive wool will cause the sheep to suffer heat stroke and die.
Secondly, it can cause the sheep’s offspring to die as well. Sheep are typically sheared in the spring prior to lambing season. This isn’t by accident. It is much easier for the newborn lamb(s) to suckle if the ewe is sheared. If not, the lamb may not be able to find the teets to get the colostrum needed to survive. For those not in the know, colostrum is the nutrient- and antibody-rich milk that is produced by the ewe very early on after birth. It is absolutely essential that the lamb get this to survive. They will die otherwise within a couple days. Farmers and ranchers that lamb indoors may be able to get away with not shearing as they can patiently watch over their flock to make sure that the newborns can suckle, but outdoor lambers must absolutely have their flock sheared. However, even if the ewe manages to make it through lambing with healthy offspring AND her full coat of wool, it is in vain as she will die of heat stroke during the summer months.
Finally, as for the accusation of violence, I’m not going to act like it’s an absolutely gentle process. It’s not. However, I wouldn’t describe it as violent. The sheep may sustain minor cuts, but those are far less dangerous than eminent death.
And, what makes me the expert? I would say growing up on a sheep farm for 15-20 years of my life might.