Voice Recorder – My Turn: An Alternative to Using Animals for Entertainment at County Fairs

As we go through another year of many agricultural fairs in western Massachusetts, celebrating our land, our hard work, and our legacy, I wanted to offer some thoughts on alternatives to using animals for recreation at these fairs. Especially pigs, horses and cattle.

I realize that using animals is traditional. I remember seeing these things with my family in New Hampshire when I was a little girl. This upsets me. Something wasn’t quite right in my opinion, but I could never put my finger on it until I was an adult. Then I discovered my love for animals, and they have the same needs as we do. They need socialization, water, food, shelter and fertility. We put the three animals I mentioned above, especially horses and cattle, as pack animals throughout history. This quote always makes me uneasy.

As a 72-year-old woman, I must say that I totally understand the phrase “kids live by what they learn”.

This is my hope and I believe we are realizing that animals are not entertainment. They feel pain, hunger, cold, lack of water, unsafe or scary conditions and many other things we humans experience. In the example of the three animals above, it is difficult for me to imagine any pig, horse or cow who would choose what they would suffer when used for entertainment in this way.

I want to offer some alternatives that I think are healthy, beneficial, and bring people into the show, so it’s going to be a win-win situation.

How about the sack race! ?

The strong and strong woman incident.

Finally, the traditional and always fun wok toss.

If the above three events are replaced by pigs, horses and cattle, I think many people will come to see their friends to participate.

Participants can choose and they can stay safe. They can move freely. They are not transported in the often crowded, hot conditions.

Children learn about their lives.

May our hearts triumph over our habits. Humans have both.

Elizabeth Nate lives in Greenfield.