On last month (January 22), as I was arriving from the market after buying a pair of slippers, I stopped at a scenic place full of greenery and with young buffalo calves tied to trees. As I was enjoying the scene I found that there was a slaughterhouse in a nearby building and the animals were actually meant for slaughter.
Having seen a few youtube videos recently on the brutality of animal slaughter in slaughterhouses, I sympathized with the young calves and felt sorry for them. One of the calves was bleating a lot repeatedly indicating stress, and I went forward to it hoping to comfort it a bit.
Interestingly, the calf, seeing me coming near, itself came near to me indicating interest in sociability and companionship.
I stroked his head and face lovingly for some time, at which he visibly relaxed. He poked his face at me for some more strokes which I obliged. The continuous bleating stopped, and he started eating the grass around staying next to me, peacefully.
While stroking, I was surprised to see a clear dark line of tear streams from his eyes to the lower part of his face. I wondered whether this was actually tears of emotion, or tears associated with eye infection or hormonal biochemical changes or something.
(Checking the internet the next day, I found that there had been an instance of a calf visibly crying after its mother was knocked down dead by a truck while crossing a road.There were similar articles and videos in this regard.
https://sg.tv.yahoo.com/newsflare/bu...120000441.html )
Later reflecting on this experience, I remembered a orphaned girl I met a decade back, and whose head I stroked affectionately. She had similarly and very tangibly relaxed after a single friendly stroke on the head.
Imo, based on these experiences, children, whether human or animal, are quite sensitive and insecure when without their family, and suffer from high stress levels.
I think, in terms of animal rights, young calves or infant animals should be exempt from slaughter at least till they had matured or grown up.
Returning back I was glad that I had turned to vegetarianism and was not contributing to animal slaughter in this regard.
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