This Mother’s Day, Let’s Honor All Mothers
This Mother’s Day as we honor human mothers, there’s another group of mothers we often forget—those in the animal agriculture industry. Hens, cows, goats, pigs, and even fish are mothers too. They carry, birth, and instinctively care for their young. Yet, their maternal bonds are routinely violated for profit and convenience.
In the dairy industry, cows are impregnated repeatedly, only to have their calves taken away within hours of birth. These mothers cry out in grief, searching for their babies, often refusing to eat. Their milk—meant for their own young—is sold for human consumption. The cycle repeats until they are “spent” and sent to slaughter.
Goat mothers suffer a similar fate. They too are separated from their kids shortly after giving birth. Their natural instinct to care, groom, and bond is cut short by an industry that sees them as commodities.
A mother pig, or sow, sings to her piglets and creates nests before giving birth. But in factory farms, she is confined in a “gestation crate”—a metal cage so small she cannot even turn around. She gives birth and nurses her piglets without ever being able to fully interact with them. Her life is one of forced pregnancies, constant loss, and emotional deprivation.
Hens are caring and devoted mothers. In the wild, a hen will talk to her chicks while they are still in the egg, and they chirp back. But in the egg industry, she never sees her babies. Chicks are taken away, with male chicks often killed on their first day of life because they don’t lay eggs.
Even fish show maternal behavior. Some species protect their eggs in nests, others keep their babies in their mouths for safety. Yet in industrial fishing and aquaculture, their families are destroyed without a second thought.
What can we do?
Choosing a plant-based diet is one of the most compassionate actions we can take. It’s a powerful way to say no to industries that exploit the most fundamental of bonds—a mother’s love. Today, plant-based milks, cheeses, meats, and eggs are widely available, delicious, and better for our health and the planet.
This Mother’s Day, let’s broaden our empathy. Let’s honor not only the mothers who raised us but also those who were denied the chance to raise their young. When we choose kindness on our plates, we protect that sacred bond of motherhood—across all species.
LIVE KINDLY
With rich emotional lives and unbreakable family bonds, farmed animals deserve to be protected. You can build a kinder world by replacing animal food products with plant-based ones.
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