Did PETA UK Really Just Show Kids Slaughter Footage?

In PETA UK’s latest video, kids are asked where meat comes from, and their answers—among them “poo,” “ham is a vegetable,” and a spirited chicken dance—show that they don’t know the truth about whom they’re eating. But if they did, how would they feel? Watch to the end to see if PETA UK showed these kids slaughter footage:

Don’t want your kids to know “how the sausage is made”? That’s exactly our point.

There’s a reason you take kids to an orchard to get apples and not to a slaughterhouse to get meat. Children instinctually have compassion for animals. Their natural feelings toward animals often make parents uncomfortable because it’s impossible to justify killing them when we can live healthy, sustainable vegan lives.

Just like the dogs we share our homes with, pigs bond with humans and love to cuddle. Like many other animals, cows have best friends. Chickens are such caring mothers that they’ll “talk” to their chicks in the egg before they’ve hatched to teach them to recognize their voice in a flock. Now imagine how mortified a kid would be if they found out that these animals were killed for the food on their plate.

Kids understand that cows, pigs, fish, and other animals have personalities and can think and feel. Most children don’t want to do anything that would hurt them—and if they do, that could be a red flag for future violence against humans.

From our clothing to our entertainment to our food, PETA encourages kids to talk to their parents about making everyday choices that no one was abused or slaughtered for.

Let’s stop desensitizing our children to suffering and letting them grow up normalizing cruelty by feeding them animal flesh. Instead, we should foster their natural empathy with healthy, animal-friendly food.

Kids can get all the nutrients they need from a well-balanced vegan diet that includes fresh fruits and veggies. Find recipes, games, fun crafts, and other ways to help save animals by visiting PETA Kids.