PIGS AND PREVENTABLE - CRUELTY [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SI11,—All those who are interested in animal welfare must feel grateful to Dr. Baker for calling attention to the opera- tions so commonly performed on both male and female pigs, and to the great and prolonged suffering thereby entailed. Such operations should doubtless be made illegal except to veterinary surgeons.
Dr. Baker, however, goes on to imply that efforts to secure the humane slaughter of animals should be discontinued because other cruelties are still permitted. He almost suggests that efforts to conquer one wrong imply the con- doning of another.
Surely such reasoning is futile, and may indeed tend to defeat its own object. Whilst still continuing efforts to obtain legislation to make the use of the humane killer com- pulsory in our slaughter houses, there is surely no reason why- we should not strive to overcome other abuses.—I am, Sir, &c., NORMAN GRAHAM. C.J.A.H.S.A., 42 Old Bond Street, London, W.1.
[We agree with the writer. Just because there are other urgent reforms needed in our treatment of animals there is surely no need to relax our efforts to make humane slaughter compulsory—a long overdue reform. Our slaughter house methods are much behind those of Northern Europe, and in Great Britain Scotland is giving a fine lead.—En. Spectator.1
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