What do you think?
Rate this book
Mercy For Animals: One Man's Quest to Inspire Compassion and Improve the Lives of Farm Animals
A compelling look at animal welfare and factory farming in the United States from Mercy For Animals, the leading international force in preventing cruelty to farmed animals and promoting compassionate food choices and policies.
Nathan Runkle would have been a fifth-generation farmer in his small midwestern town. Instead, he founded our nation's leading nonprofit organization for protecting factory farmed animals. In Mercy For Animals, Nathan brings us into the trenches of his organization's work; from MFA's early days in grassroots activism, to dangerous and dramatic experiences doing undercover investigations, to the organization's current large-scale efforts at making sweeping legislative change to protect factory farmed animals and encourage compassionate food choices.
But this isn't just Nathan's story. Mercy For Animals examines how our country moved from a network of small, local farms with more than 50 percent of Americans involved in agriculture to a massive coast-to-coast industrial complex controlled by a mere 1 percent of our population--and the consequences of this drastic change on animals as well as our global and local environments. We also learn how MFA strives to protect farmed animals in behind-the-scenes negotiations with companies like Nestle and other brand names--conglomerates whose policy changes can save countless lives and strengthen our planet. Alongside this unflinching snapshot of our current food system, readers are also offered hope and solutions--big and small--for ending mistreatment of factory farmed animals. From simple diet modifications to a clear explanation of how to contact corporations and legislators efficiently, Mercy For Animals proves that you don't have to be a hardcore vegan or an animal-rights activist to make a powerful difference in the lives of animals.
Nathan Runkle would have been a fifth-generation farmer in his small midwestern town. Instead, he founded our nation's leading nonprofit organization for protecting factory farmed animals. In Mercy For Animals, Nathan brings us into the trenches of his organization's work; from MFA's early days in grassroots activism, to dangerous and dramatic experiences doing undercover investigations, to the organization's current large-scale efforts at making sweeping legislative change to protect factory farmed animals and encourage compassionate food choices.
But this isn't just Nathan's story. Mercy For Animals examines how our country moved from a network of small, local farms with more than 50 percent of Americans involved in agriculture to a massive coast-to-coast industrial complex controlled by a mere 1 percent of our population--and the consequences of this drastic change on animals as well as our global and local environments. We also learn how MFA strives to protect farmed animals in behind-the-scenes negotiations with companies like Nestle and other brand names--conglomerates whose policy changes can save countless lives and strengthen our planet. Alongside this unflinching snapshot of our current food system, readers are also offered hope and solutions--big and small--for ending mistreatment of factory farmed animals. From simple diet modifications to a clear explanation of how to contact corporations and legislators efficiently, Mercy For Animals proves that you don't have to be a hardcore vegan or an animal-rights activist to make a powerful difference in the lives of animals.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published September 12, 2017
24 people are currently reading
758 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
April 7, 2018
This book was heavy. And moving. And inspiring.
Mercy for Animals is an organization that is dear to my heart. I've heard Nathan Runkle speak numerous times on vegan podcasts and he is a special man. He's devoted much of his life to improving the quality of life for farm animals. He and his fellow cohorts from MfA have had to go deep into the ugly parts of factory farming to make this happen.
I think most everyone is against animal cruelty, but some people don't think this applies to farm animals. It does. All animals are living creatures and whether you eat them or not, they don't deserve to be treated with cruelness before they die. Some of the things witnessed by the undercover MfA folks, I almost couldn't handle listening to. It was graphic and heartbreaking, but it's also inspiring to me. That people devote their lives to this cause. I applaud them for that.
This is book 4 of my non-fiction challenge and my favorite non-fiction I've read this year so far.
December 26, 2017
I wish I had more stars to give. This is a passionate, informative book that exposes the horrors of factory farming. It also explains what can be done when you have the courage to change things. It's a book everyone should read. It will open your eyes and your heart.
February 10, 2020
Amazing. I have never read such in-depth accounts of undercover slaughterhouse workers. It was only a fraction of the whole book, but it will absolutely stick with me.
Nathan Runkle spends a few pages detailing his journey at the beginning of the book as a young gay teen in rural Ohio to the founder of one of the largest animal rights organizations in the world. I first heard a little of his journey on the Chickpeeps Podcast (hosted by Evanna Lynch aka Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movie franchise if that matters to you), and I knew immediately I had to read his book.
Runkle's book covers his path toward veganism, his early activism, the growth of his organization, the cruelties of the meat and dairy industry, how Mercy for Animals has made a real impact in the otherwise impenetrable meat industry in the United States, and how to live a happier, more fulfilling life in a world that can seem hopeless and doomed. I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Taking in information about animal abuse in factory farms is difficult, and those stories are often presented in detached, gratuitous, gruesome ways, similar to how 4chan trolls post torture porn to get a reaction out of unsuspecting viewers. I didn't feel like these animals' stories were presented in that way, partly because they were shown through the eyes of the undercover investigators whose investigations led to enormous wins for animal welfare. Thank you, investigators! I feel reinvigorated to do my part to help the causes and organizations I care about.
Nathan Runkle spends a few pages detailing his journey at the beginning of the book as a young gay teen in rural Ohio to the founder of one of the largest animal rights organizations in the world. I first heard a little of his journey on the Chickpeeps Podcast (hosted by Evanna Lynch aka Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter movie franchise if that matters to you), and I knew immediately I had to read his book.
Runkle's book covers his path toward veganism, his early activism, the growth of his organization, the cruelties of the meat and dairy industry, how Mercy for Animals has made a real impact in the otherwise impenetrable meat industry in the United States, and how to live a happier, more fulfilling life in a world that can seem hopeless and doomed. I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Taking in information about animal abuse in factory farms is difficult, and those stories are often presented in detached, gratuitous, gruesome ways, similar to how 4chan trolls post torture porn to get a reaction out of unsuspecting viewers. I didn't feel like these animals' stories were presented in that way, partly because they were shown through the eyes of the undercover investigators whose investigations led to enormous wins for animal welfare. Thank you, investigators! I feel reinvigorated to do my part to help the causes and organizations I care about.
November 16, 2022
MERCY FOR ANIMALS is the story of the founding and work of the organization of the same name—a small group that has taken on the Herculean task of working on behalf of animals on factory farms: chickens, pigs, cows, and more.
One of MFA’s most successful and hard-hitting tactics involves undercover investigations—sending employees to work in factory farms and slaughter plants wearing pinhole cameras and recording the goings-on. It is because of high-risk investigations like this that so many people have gotten a peek into how the industrial animal food system operates. The industry has responded, not by attempting to clean up their problems, but by pushing for “ag-gag” legislation that criminalizes photographing industrial farms and slaughterhouses.
MERCY vividly hit home for me about just how broken the commercial egg industry in particular truly is. While it’s a race to the bottom, it wouldn’t be outrageous to say that the battery-caged hen suffers more prolonged unrelieved suffering than any other animal. The battery cage system never should have been implemented, let alone become the way that 80% of eggs in the U.S. are produced. This system needs to end, and the onus can’t be on the consumer. The egg industry itself needs to change the practice across the board.
As this book was published in 2017, it was a little sad to read its hopeful words of industry promises that haven’t always come true.
United Egg Producers stated that by 2020 they would cease grinding alive millions of newly-hatched male chicks each year, by using technology that could sort male from female embryos before they develop and hatch. This has yet to happen.
Meanwhile, California voters passed an historic proposition that banned caging hens, pigs, and calves so tightly they were unable to make normal movements on the state’s farms. However, the National Pork Producers Council has now gone to the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the law, as they wish to keep caging pregnant pigs in gestation crates that resemble something out of a medieval dungeon. If SCOTUS does overturn Prop. 2, which many expect it to do, animal welfare initiatives across the country could be next on the chopping block.
MFA, along with many other animal welfare groups, have secured promises from many major players in the food industry to implement reforms in their supply chains. This has been a mixed bag—some have, and some have made no meaningful improvements despite feel-good pledges and press releases.
Because a decent portion of this book describes the work of investigators exposing what can only be described as routine and systemic animal cruelty and neglect, I fear that it will mostly be preaching to the choir. This is, however, information mainstream consumers should have. Nearly 99% of all farm animals in the U.S. are raised on factory farms. No matter how a person chooses to eat, they can still put pressure on this industry to end its worst abuses. It’s easier than ever to contact corporations and industry associations and press for change.
One of MFA’s most successful and hard-hitting tactics involves undercover investigations—sending employees to work in factory farms and slaughter plants wearing pinhole cameras and recording the goings-on. It is because of high-risk investigations like this that so many people have gotten a peek into how the industrial animal food system operates. The industry has responded, not by attempting to clean up their problems, but by pushing for “ag-gag” legislation that criminalizes photographing industrial farms and slaughterhouses.
MERCY vividly hit home for me about just how broken the commercial egg industry in particular truly is. While it’s a race to the bottom, it wouldn’t be outrageous to say that the battery-caged hen suffers more prolonged unrelieved suffering than any other animal. The battery cage system never should have been implemented, let alone become the way that 80% of eggs in the U.S. are produced. This system needs to end, and the onus can’t be on the consumer. The egg industry itself needs to change the practice across the board.
As this book was published in 2017, it was a little sad to read its hopeful words of industry promises that haven’t always come true.
United Egg Producers stated that by 2020 they would cease grinding alive millions of newly-hatched male chicks each year, by using technology that could sort male from female embryos before they develop and hatch. This has yet to happen.
Meanwhile, California voters passed an historic proposition that banned caging hens, pigs, and calves so tightly they were unable to make normal movements on the state’s farms. However, the National Pork Producers Council has now gone to the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the law, as they wish to keep caging pregnant pigs in gestation crates that resemble something out of a medieval dungeon. If SCOTUS does overturn Prop. 2, which many expect it to do, animal welfare initiatives across the country could be next on the chopping block.
MFA, along with many other animal welfare groups, have secured promises from many major players in the food industry to implement reforms in their supply chains. This has been a mixed bag—some have, and some have made no meaningful improvements despite feel-good pledges and press releases.
Because a decent portion of this book describes the work of investigators exposing what can only be described as routine and systemic animal cruelty and neglect, I fear that it will mostly be preaching to the choir. This is, however, information mainstream consumers should have. Nearly 99% of all farm animals in the U.S. are raised on factory farms. No matter how a person chooses to eat, they can still put pressure on this industry to end its worst abuses. It’s easier than ever to contact corporations and industry associations and press for change.
August 21, 2017
I was hooked from the moment I opened this book until I turned the last page. You can tell that the author is not only knowledgeable in the subject matter but also very passionate about it. It really pulls at your heart strings.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I find the descriptions of the truth of what goes on in the animal agriculture industry far more personal than the videos. The author really grabs you with his descriptions and brings you into the world of farmed animals and makes you feel like you are there. If you're Vegan, this book will reaffirm your commitment. If you are not Vegan, I dare you to read this and not look at your choices, and what you are supporting, differently; to still be able to defend the meat, dairy and egg industry.
*I was given an advanced readers copy at no charge in exchange for an honest review*
I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I find the descriptions of the truth of what goes on in the animal agriculture industry far more personal than the videos. The author really grabs you with his descriptions and brings you into the world of farmed animals and makes you feel like you are there. If you're Vegan, this book will reaffirm your commitment. If you are not Vegan, I dare you to read this and not look at your choices, and what you are supporting, differently; to still be able to defend the meat, dairy and egg industry.
*I was given an advanced readers copy at no charge in exchange for an honest review*
September 18, 2017
Loved it! Nathan included a powerful quote by Alice Walker: "The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They are not made for humans any more than black people were made for whites, or women for men." Incredible stories of heroic men and women going undercover to document the our cruel, demented and sadistic nature of Corporate "Factory Farms." Nathan goes further and gives accounts of people developing vegan meat and cheese alternatives, labs creating cultured meats, he lists activist opportunities and avenues to donate money to support 'animal rights.' Very uplifting ending. I can envision a future without Corporate slaughterhouses. Activism can bring that future closer to the present! I will get more involved.
July 16, 2018
This is a wonderful book. One that I wish everyone would read. It is such a passionate book, and quite informative. Nathan has a huge heart for animals, and is dedicated to sharing his experiences and knowledge with anyone willing to have an open heart. I highly recommend this book. I was very glad to have won this through a Library Thing giveaway. A great win!
October 24, 2017
Note: This is a review of an animal rights title with some heavy content. If you follow me for my fiction (thank you!), know that while I am passionate about my own beliefs, I respect that others see things differently. I hope you’ll continue to follow me—I appreciate your readership! Now, to the review. : )
If you don’t understand why people are vegan, what’s wrong with dairy or eggs, and/or you think of active animal rights protestors as going too far (I think this sometimes also), I urge you to read this book. Nathan’s story starts with his upbringing and motivations, but quickly shifts to graphic descriptions of the famous undercover operations conducted by Mercy For Animals (MFA). I had seen the videos; they have helped shape my life over the last decade. But now to see the faces, hear the stories behind those videos—it was gripping. By partway through the book, my hands were shaking with rage and horror. And I already knew what happened. If you don’t know, please consider hearing Nathan’s stories. Even if they don’t influence your own beliefs, they should provide a better understanding of why vegans feel the way they do. (Personal note: that’s not about food. It’s about what our relationship is and should be with other species. And how we impact suffering and joy in the world, the way that we see it.) Then the book ends with a positive section - about plant-based food alternatives and vegans who are changing the world.
If you are a vegan and require no convincing, it’s worth reading to hear the details of these undercover operations and the brave heroes who conducted them. Be warned—it’s as ugly as you think it’s going to be. And the whole time you will be internally screaming that making exploitation humane isn’t even the point. But yet, MFA’s reforms have reduced suffering for so many. What they have done and are doing must be embraced as we strive for a greater ideal. If you don’t think you can handle these upsetting stories, consider buying an e-book to show support. Or donate to MFA. By the way, you’ll probably skim the last section as I did, since I know more than I need to about plant-based proteins and famous vegans. (Also, still ewww on lab-grown tissue and egg fluid. Sorry, I cannot be convinced on this!)
The story had additional personal significance as I spent the last ten years in the Dayton, Ohio region where Nathan grew up, and now know the surroundings and culture well, including the attitudes toward dairy, eggs, leather, and meat.
The book is also a fast read. Well worth your time.
Nathan and all the MFA undercover agents, thank you for your sacrifice and thank you for sharing your stories. They will not leave me.
If you don’t understand why people are vegan, what’s wrong with dairy or eggs, and/or you think of active animal rights protestors as going too far (I think this sometimes also), I urge you to read this book. Nathan’s story starts with his upbringing and motivations, but quickly shifts to graphic descriptions of the famous undercover operations conducted by Mercy For Animals (MFA). I had seen the videos; they have helped shape my life over the last decade. But now to see the faces, hear the stories behind those videos—it was gripping. By partway through the book, my hands were shaking with rage and horror. And I already knew what happened. If you don’t know, please consider hearing Nathan’s stories. Even if they don’t influence your own beliefs, they should provide a better understanding of why vegans feel the way they do. (Personal note: that’s not about food. It’s about what our relationship is and should be with other species. And how we impact suffering and joy in the world, the way that we see it.) Then the book ends with a positive section - about plant-based food alternatives and vegans who are changing the world.
If you are a vegan and require no convincing, it’s worth reading to hear the details of these undercover operations and the brave heroes who conducted them. Be warned—it’s as ugly as you think it’s going to be. And the whole time you will be internally screaming that making exploitation humane isn’t even the point. But yet, MFA’s reforms have reduced suffering for so many. What they have done and are doing must be embraced as we strive for a greater ideal. If you don’t think you can handle these upsetting stories, consider buying an e-book to show support. Or donate to MFA. By the way, you’ll probably skim the last section as I did, since I know more than I need to about plant-based proteins and famous vegans. (Also, still ewww on lab-grown tissue and egg fluid. Sorry, I cannot be convinced on this!)
The story had additional personal significance as I spent the last ten years in the Dayton, Ohio region where Nathan grew up, and now know the surroundings and culture well, including the attitudes toward dairy, eggs, leather, and meat.
The book is also a fast read. Well worth your time.
Nathan and all the MFA undercover agents, thank you for your sacrifice and thank you for sharing your stories. They will not leave me.
March 6, 2018
I loved this book... despite it being a bit difficult to get through due to the horrific details that were shared about the farming industry. I appreciated the practical suggestions on ways to make changes.
December 3, 2017
Part memoir, part exposé on factory farming, and part call to action...if I weren't already vegan, this book would have converted me. It has, no doubt, bolstered my desire to make a bigger difference. Though reading the stories of needless violence and torture foisted on billions of living, feeling beings worldwide was difficult, it was a small discomfort compared to farm animals' reality. It's necessary to know and understand the volume of cruelty that comes with every animal product that the majority of people take for granted—if more people were aware, they would be enraged, and change would happen quickly. I am heartened by the good work of others. Despite the heartbreaking stories, this book imparts a lot of hope and inspiration.
January 17, 2018
This book is astounding. As a vegan I’ve watched documentaries, read articles, seen tons of videos but reading this book taught me so much more. From Nathan’s amazing journey to where MFA is now is captivating. Undercover investigators truly are the unsung heroes of the animal welfare movement. The gruesome details of the horrifying truth of factory farming is hard to swallow at times throughout this book but it just puts it into perspective how extreme animal agriculture is and what it takes to evoke change in this day and age. I will recommend this book to everyone. Thank you Nathan Runkle and Mercy for Animals. Truly inspired to continue to live the most compassionate life possible.
October 15, 2018
A book about heroes.
March 19, 2019
A heavy but very important read.
Provides lots of information about the horrifying cruelty that farm animals are subjected to.
Provides lots of information about the horrifying cruelty that farm animals are subjected to.
March 17, 2023
It took me most of the book to realize that undercover investigations have had a profound affect on the animals well-being and are a necessity of life. I also learned that even if you can’t make your living saving animals the next best thing is to make a good living so you can donate to these crucial organizations.
July 1, 2019
This was another inspiring book on animal activism and had some pretty graphic, difficult scenes of animal brutality in factory farms. The very last section of this book is about raising awareness and money and it isn’t my favorite part but I can see it’s an essential part as is this book. More people need to put down their burgers (and their judgments about plant-based burgers) and actually open their eyes to the abuse that’s allowing them to not only be so spoiled but also so blissfully unaware of the damage their overconsumption of meat and dairy is having on animals, the environment, and their bodies.
April 1, 2022
It’s a shame we need groups like mercy for animals to continue to highlight animal cruelty but they are making a difference. Please choose compassion over killing and leave animals and the cruelty off your plate.
December 4, 2017
I had no idea that the person behind MFA is a couple months younger than me and started this well known organization when he was a mere teenager. What a difference someone can make in the world in a short timeframe! Anyway, this book not only covers Nathan's journey into animal rights activism, but also the world of undercover investigating at factory farms (what they found, what came of it, and the effects on investigators) and what a single person can do to help the plight of farm animals. The middle of the book gets into the real horrors of factory farming, which I'm incredibly aware of already. It's difficult to read or watch videos, although I know it's a necessity to want to keep fighting against these abuses and reaffirm being vegan. So, let's just say I had to read the middle parts in shorter stretches with more light-hearted material in the breaks. I haven't really read much that details what undercover investigators go through and its horrifying what they have to see and do in hopes of creating greater change down the line. Overall, it's a well written book with a more practical view on improving farming practices while working toward greater plant-based food availability.
November 12, 2017
This book combines a few different things. It begins with the recollections of Nathan Runkle about his life (so far), including his struggles growing up in rural Ohio and going on to found one of the leading animal rights organizations in the USA. The second section is a details history of Mercy for Animals, including many of the shocking findings of their undercover investigations into factory farms. Finally, he offers a hopeful vision of our path forward toward becoming a more compassionate society, including some great tips for people who are thinking of taking steps toward a vegan lifestyle. Great read.
January 22, 2018
This book provides a very in-depth look at the horrors that so many animals endure on a daily basis. It's a tear-jerker, it's heart wrenching, but above all, it's inspirational. It moves you to make change and encourages you to make the change that can make the most difference: switch to a more plant-based diet.
Nathan Runkle also gives a new look to the undercover investigations his team of activists perform: the videos can only show you so much, but the written version of these investigations shows you a new angle filled with just as much emotion.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is still unsure about how our dietary choices affect the lives of other creatures.
Nathan Runkle also gives a new look to the undercover investigations his team of activists perform: the videos can only show you so much, but the written version of these investigations shows you a new angle filled with just as much emotion.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is still unsure about how our dietary choices affect the lives of other creatures.
October 17, 2017
Obviously I don't eat meat, so this book was preaching to the choir. That said, I do feel that everyone should read it. It's so easy to overlook the absolute abhorrent abuse that goes on in CAFOs all over the country because it isn't in our faces. Yet, the abuse to animals, to sentient beings, is appalling. Even if you continue to eat meat, I do think it's important to know what your bacon goes through before it hits your plate and through MFAs years of undercover operations into corporate factory farms, some changes have been made, but so many more need to come.
April 9, 2018
From Witty Kitty's Cat Cafe and Book Bar:
Wow. I’ll be honest; this book is not easy for animal lovers to read. But it’s SO important, you simply must.
MERCY FOR ANIMALS is a memoir – partly of Nathan Runkle, the founder, and partly of the organization of the same name and the movement in farm animal protection that it fostered.
This is the first book I’ve read about factory farming. I’ve heard of the horrors of it, but this is the first time they were presented so clearly and so thoroughly to me.
Runkle begins by talking about the farm where he grew up, which was in a small town in Ohio, actually pretty close to where my mom grew up. So I wasn’t unfamiliar with it. His small family farm, operated by his parents, is where he learned to love animals so. It reminded me of those in which country veterinarian James Herriot tends to animals, in his ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL books. Those farmers care greatly about their animals – they have become friends, who are also responsible for the profitability of their business. These farmers wouldn’t think of hurting their animals, and they immediately call the doctor when something’s wrong. This is the idyllic life I would love to believe still exists. Okay, not so much the eventual slaughter, but at least the treatment of the dairy cows and the egg-laying hens, and of the pigs during their lives.
Sadly, horribly, when factory farming took over, that system disappeared, only to be replaced with one where the owners of these huge football-field-sized operations allow their workers to treat animals as inanimate objects at best, objects of animosity and even hatred at worst.
The book provides background on several of the organization’s early investigators, who bravely (because I know I never could NEVER have gone through what they did) conducted all-out Upton Sinclair-esque examinations of the farms. Dairy farms, pig farms, and chicken and turkey houses are all included. What the investigators saw and documented – via a hidden camera – and eventually presented to law enforcement and the media, are laid out. It’s painful to think about, or write about. Animals are beaten to death regularly, sometimes because they’re ill from lying in manure and cramped conditions, sometimes because they’re not needed (male chicks in egg farms, calves in dairy farms where the female cows need to be kept continuously pregnant to produce milk, etc.), and sometimes for no real reason – or because badly treated workers need to take out their frustration on someone. I don’t want to go on, but suffice it to say, this is an immensely educational, eye-opening book that everyone who wants to know where their food comes should read.
Its last chapters end on a positive note: clean meat. I didn’t know anything about this either, but big-time investors like Bill Gates and Richard Branson are backing young, brilliant, forward-thinking scientists who are striving to create actual meat – not vegetarian alternatives but real meat – from stem cells. With the world population increasing at the rate it is, there’s no way we’ll have enough land to continue to farm animals this way into the future. So clean meat will not only prevent the killing of approximately 10 billion animals per year, but is crucial to sustaining the planet.
I am so thankful to Runkle for exposing this all to me, and to Changing Hands bookstore for hosting his reading (which is where I learned of the book and met him). As I said above, it’s a difficult book to read, but incredibly important and necessary for anyone who wants to know what is going on in our world.
Wow. I’ll be honest; this book is not easy for animal lovers to read. But it’s SO important, you simply must.
MERCY FOR ANIMALS is a memoir – partly of Nathan Runkle, the founder, and partly of the organization of the same name and the movement in farm animal protection that it fostered.
This is the first book I’ve read about factory farming. I’ve heard of the horrors of it, but this is the first time they were presented so clearly and so thoroughly to me.
Runkle begins by talking about the farm where he grew up, which was in a small town in Ohio, actually pretty close to where my mom grew up. So I wasn’t unfamiliar with it. His small family farm, operated by his parents, is where he learned to love animals so. It reminded me of those in which country veterinarian James Herriot tends to animals, in his ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL books. Those farmers care greatly about their animals – they have become friends, who are also responsible for the profitability of their business. These farmers wouldn’t think of hurting their animals, and they immediately call the doctor when something’s wrong. This is the idyllic life I would love to believe still exists. Okay, not so much the eventual slaughter, but at least the treatment of the dairy cows and the egg-laying hens, and of the pigs during their lives.
Sadly, horribly, when factory farming took over, that system disappeared, only to be replaced with one where the owners of these huge football-field-sized operations allow their workers to treat animals as inanimate objects at best, objects of animosity and even hatred at worst.
The book provides background on several of the organization’s early investigators, who bravely (because I know I never could NEVER have gone through what they did) conducted all-out Upton Sinclair-esque examinations of the farms. Dairy farms, pig farms, and chicken and turkey houses are all included. What the investigators saw and documented – via a hidden camera – and eventually presented to law enforcement and the media, are laid out. It’s painful to think about, or write about. Animals are beaten to death regularly, sometimes because they’re ill from lying in manure and cramped conditions, sometimes because they’re not needed (male chicks in egg farms, calves in dairy farms where the female cows need to be kept continuously pregnant to produce milk, etc.), and sometimes for no real reason – or because badly treated workers need to take out their frustration on someone. I don’t want to go on, but suffice it to say, this is an immensely educational, eye-opening book that everyone who wants to know where their food comes should read.
Its last chapters end on a positive note: clean meat. I didn’t know anything about this either, but big-time investors like Bill Gates and Richard Branson are backing young, brilliant, forward-thinking scientists who are striving to create actual meat – not vegetarian alternatives but real meat – from stem cells. With the world population increasing at the rate it is, there’s no way we’ll have enough land to continue to farm animals this way into the future. So clean meat will not only prevent the killing of approximately 10 billion animals per year, but is crucial to sustaining the planet.
I am so thankful to Runkle for exposing this all to me, and to Changing Hands bookstore for hosting his reading (which is where I learned of the book and met him). As I said above, it’s a difficult book to read, but incredibly important and necessary for anyone who wants to know what is going on in our world.
January 26, 2021
I wanted to learn more about MFA and have been meaning to read this for a long time. I don’t think it’s an inherently bad book and it’s clear the author cares deeply about animals. I didn’t realize there would be so many graphic descriptions of what happens to animals which I didn’t enjoy reading about as I already knew all of this information and have read about/watched it many times before so it's often gratuitous to me at this point, but that's more of a personal thing. I more so wanted to learn about how the organization started, although I should’ve realized it would’ve included a lot about the undercover investigations. I did like the look into how the author got started in activism.
My biggest issue with this book is that it is so incredibly… capitalist. Therefore, I don’t agree with many of the things that the author thinks will make big change in the world for animals – in a system that is built around profit and infinite growth, there will ALWAYS be exploitation of both human and non-human animals. I appreciate that there’s a need in this current society for organizations like MFA to improve welfare in the short term and small steps can be important, but we also have to think far beyond just welfare. Instead, the author ended the book by talking about innovation and profit potential in the plant-based sector of the market. He wants to create a “humane economy” where plant-based foods are cheaper and the norm but says nothing about how most of the companies he mentions (many of which are large/multinational corporations) creating plant-based products would still be incredibly unethical and unsustainable – animal liberation must account for ALL animals. For example, he briefly talked about the abuse that migrant workers in slaughterhouses go through but in his version of a "humane economy," those people would simply be pushed to other exploitative and degrading work. Similarly, in the case of companies like Nestle which he talked quite a bit about, even if they somehow stopped producing animal products, they are still a multinational corporation that greatly impacts wildlife habitats and exploits humans and nature at an incredibly frightening degree. A capitalist food system and economy will never be a “humane” one.
I do appreciate the lengths that the author and MFA have gone to to protect farm animals and doing what they can, but I think so many more things in this book needed to be discussed that were just left out. I think we have similar intent but a very different path and end goal so this book was not my cup of tea.
My biggest issue with this book is that it is so incredibly… capitalist. Therefore, I don’t agree with many of the things that the author thinks will make big change in the world for animals – in a system that is built around profit and infinite growth, there will ALWAYS be exploitation of both human and non-human animals. I appreciate that there’s a need in this current society for organizations like MFA to improve welfare in the short term and small steps can be important, but we also have to think far beyond just welfare. Instead, the author ended the book by talking about innovation and profit potential in the plant-based sector of the market. He wants to create a “humane economy” where plant-based foods are cheaper and the norm but says nothing about how most of the companies he mentions (many of which are large/multinational corporations) creating plant-based products would still be incredibly unethical and unsustainable – animal liberation must account for ALL animals. For example, he briefly talked about the abuse that migrant workers in slaughterhouses go through but in his version of a "humane economy," those people would simply be pushed to other exploitative and degrading work. Similarly, in the case of companies like Nestle which he talked quite a bit about, even if they somehow stopped producing animal products, they are still a multinational corporation that greatly impacts wildlife habitats and exploits humans and nature at an incredibly frightening degree. A capitalist food system and economy will never be a “humane” one.
I do appreciate the lengths that the author and MFA have gone to to protect farm animals and doing what they can, but I think so many more things in this book needed to be discussed that were just left out. I think we have similar intent but a very different path and end goal so this book was not my cup of tea.
Read
April 18, 2019I've had this book on my Audible wishlist for a while but hadn't gotten around to it. I'm glad I finally started to listen to it. I was surprised when it opened with a story of a stealth rescue of chickens from Buckeye Egg Farm in Croton Ohio. At the time of the story I was living in the area and driving past there a lot. The place was hugely hated because of its affects on the people living around it. There would be hoards of flies every summer. The smell was awful and all the groundwater was contaminated from the feces.
Mercy for Animals was started by Nathan Runkle as a teenager and has grown into a huge voice in the animal welfare community. They have sponsored a lot of undercover investigations into abuses at factory farms. The undercover investigators are tough. I couldn't work in slaughterhouses or factory farms for months on end to document abuses. Sadly, it is getting harder to do this kind of work because of agriculture protection laws that punish investigators more than the people perpetrating the abuse.
This was a tough book to listen to because of the abuse that it details. I took a few breaks from it to listen to other books for a day or two.
The last section of the book discusses how technology might help solve the problems. Companies that make plant-based meat substitutes like Beyond Beef are profiled in addition to companies making meat out of animal stem cells. This will allow people to eat meat with any animals being slaughtered. It was nice that this book ended on an uplifting note after all the horrors that came before. This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story
November 26, 2020
I went vegan for my health, as I had been battling an eating disorder for several years. When I went vegan, everything changed for me. It was like something clicked in my mind and body. I heard about this book after the author had been on The Chickpeeps Podcast. At the time I was definitely more focused on Veganism for health.
This book helped me make the connection to the animals and realize how sick and unethical factory agriculture is. I know that the world isn’t going to go vegan overnight, and you don’t have to be a vegan or an aspiring vegan to read this. You should read this book if you have any interest in ethical rights for living beings. If you want to know where your food is coming from- ya know, the ‘farm to table’ idea- this book will inform you of the amount of suffering that goes in to each meal with animal products on your table, especially if the animal product is coming from a factory farm.
One thing this book does really well is highlight the egg industry and how absolutely terrible it is. I get it, you want to eat eggs. If you are going to eat eggs after reading this book, AT LEAST make the switch to eggs that are raised from a friend with backyard chickens who have actual fresh air and a yard to roam in. The factory farming model for egg production is honestly worse than any other animal farming method, which is confusing right? Because it’s just the egg, not the actual chicken being killed. But with the events depicted in this book, witnessed by the author, the suffering these birds endure seems to be even worse than their demise. Fabulous book and a necessary read for anyone who eats animal products or doesn’t want to go back to eating animal products.
I do have to note that the organization- MERCY FOR ANIMALS- has apparently accepted monomial offers to promote cage free eggs, which baffles me because this book is adamantly fighting against cage free eggs, as ‘cage free’ doesn’t mean a thing when you still don’t have enough space in the barn to walk because of the amount of animals, along with stepping in bird feces 24/7.
This book helped me make the connection to the animals and realize how sick and unethical factory agriculture is. I know that the world isn’t going to go vegan overnight, and you don’t have to be a vegan or an aspiring vegan to read this. You should read this book if you have any interest in ethical rights for living beings. If you want to know where your food is coming from- ya know, the ‘farm to table’ idea- this book will inform you of the amount of suffering that goes in to each meal with animal products on your table, especially if the animal product is coming from a factory farm.
One thing this book does really well is highlight the egg industry and how absolutely terrible it is. I get it, you want to eat eggs. If you are going to eat eggs after reading this book, AT LEAST make the switch to eggs that are raised from a friend with backyard chickens who have actual fresh air and a yard to roam in. The factory farming model for egg production is honestly worse than any other animal farming method, which is confusing right? Because it’s just the egg, not the actual chicken being killed. But with the events depicted in this book, witnessed by the author, the suffering these birds endure seems to be even worse than their demise. Fabulous book and a necessary read for anyone who eats animal products or doesn’t want to go back to eating animal products.
I do have to note that the organization- MERCY FOR ANIMALS- has apparently accepted monomial offers to promote cage free eggs, which baffles me because this book is adamantly fighting against cage free eggs, as ‘cage free’ doesn’t mean a thing when you still don’t have enough space in the barn to walk because of the amount of animals, along with stepping in bird feces 24/7.
October 21, 2017
This is an exceptionally well-thought out and well-written book. It could easily have been the author preaching and screeching about animal rights. Instead he begins with his upbringing and how he morphed into the activist he is. And it's not all about his life and what he's done. He writes about everyone he works with. I like that it isn't a 'Look at ME!' type of book. He wants the world to see what has happened factory-farm animals. The cruelty of the process, the workers, the need for the big ag companies to make more money and how powerful they are.
The scenes are horrific in a lot of the book, but are necessary for the reader to see. There are heart-warming parts too in the rescue of animals and the big food companies that make changes once they see what's been happening. Sometimes it's for the bottom line of losing customers, but sometimes it's for doing the right thing.
Nathan would like everyone to become a vegan, but knows that it's unrealistic. So he at least wants to help the animals who are raised for the omnivores of the world to be treated better and more humanely. He names names of people and companies. It's eye-opening.
I honestly thought I was going to do a lot of eye-rolling throughout the reading of this book, but I didn't. I appreciated what Nathan's story was trying to get across to the world. It didn't turn me into a vegetarian let alone a vegan, but it does make me happier in the choices I've taken to intake more humanely raised food.
I can recommend this book.
The scenes are horrific in a lot of the book, but are necessary for the reader to see. There are heart-warming parts too in the rescue of animals and the big food companies that make changes once they see what's been happening. Sometimes it's for the bottom line of losing customers, but sometimes it's for doing the right thing.
Nathan would like everyone to become a vegan, but knows that it's unrealistic. So he at least wants to help the animals who are raised for the omnivores of the world to be treated better and more humanely. He names names of people and companies. It's eye-opening.
I honestly thought I was going to do a lot of eye-rolling throughout the reading of this book, but I didn't. I appreciated what Nathan's story was trying to get across to the world. It didn't turn me into a vegetarian let alone a vegan, but it does make me happier in the choices I've taken to intake more humanely raised food.
I can recommend this book.
May 8, 2018
This book has effectively reinforced my decision to be a monthly donor for MFA. What fantastic work they do, and how inspiring Mr. Runkle's story is! And to think he started advocating at such a young age. Most of us see and hear about evil, but don't want to do anything about it. This man did, and what a difference he's making.
I'm not a full-fledged vegan, and am what you would call a flexitarian. I eat 80% vegan/plant based and 20% animal products (mostly when I'm at family gatherings with mine or the boyfriend's family, or if I'm eating somewhere with others where they don't have good vegetarian options). But I care very much about nutrition and where my food comes from, and have always loved animals, all my life.
The book starts off with Nathan Runkle's story and how he eventually founded the organization. He talks about various investigators with MFA and what they documented when they went undercover at factory farms (not for the faint of heart, but informative, eye-opening, and necessary to know. After all, we all have a right to know where our food is coming from and what we're putting in our bodies). It concludes with plant-based companies and options, and a chapter on how you can help to make a difference.
I donate monthly to MFA and will continue to do so, because they're doing wonderful work.
Highly recommended for anyone who's looking for ways to make eating and living more compassionate, anyone who loves animals, and anyone who wants to know where our meat and dairy and eggs truly comes from (at least, 99% of it).
I'm not a full-fledged vegan, and am what you would call a flexitarian. I eat 80% vegan/plant based and 20% animal products (mostly when I'm at family gatherings with mine or the boyfriend's family, or if I'm eating somewhere with others where they don't have good vegetarian options). But I care very much about nutrition and where my food comes from, and have always loved animals, all my life.
The book starts off with Nathan Runkle's story and how he eventually founded the organization. He talks about various investigators with MFA and what they documented when they went undercover at factory farms (not for the faint of heart, but informative, eye-opening, and necessary to know. After all, we all have a right to know where our food is coming from and what we're putting in our bodies). It concludes with plant-based companies and options, and a chapter on how you can help to make a difference.
I donate monthly to MFA and will continue to do so, because they're doing wonderful work.
Highly recommended for anyone who's looking for ways to make eating and living more compassionate, anyone who loves animals, and anyone who wants to know where our meat and dairy and eggs truly comes from (at least, 99% of it).
November 17, 2017
Mercy for Animals is a well written and insightful book. It's also kind of three books in one. It begins very personally and autobiographically with the author's story, especially how he came to found what would become one of the top animal rights organizations in the world at a very young age. The bulk of the book is comprised of various stories of animal rescue and the documentation of abuse on factory farms once Mercy for Animals was off the ground. Some of this section can be hard to read for a reader who already understands the sentient nature of the victims, but this section is only as brutal as it needs to be, no more. Finally, the book ends with a section that is optimistic for the future, showcasing a handful of companies/organizations that are working to make farm animal lives and the planet a better place, then encouraging the reader to one or all of several actions that can help. I think I would've given this book 5 stars instead of 4 if I'd found more info that was new to me. (To be fair, I've read thousands of pages on animals, their intelligence, their treatment, etc., so it's a little hard to spring something new on me at this point). For any reader who is new to this kind of info, this book is well worth the read!
September 16, 2020
This was a wonderful book. Nathan Runkle is truly an impressive person. His commitment to changing the situation for farm animals at such a young age is an inspiration to all of us that we can make the world a better place. I was worried that this book would horrify me, that I could not get through it but it was not written that way. Yes, it does go into some very disturbing detail about the treatment of farm animals and my heart did break for them but it was the commitment of Nathan and the people around to bring this to the public eye and to bring about positive change that kept me reading. By the end of the book you do know that a lot more needs to be done but you can see that we are moving in the right direction. The end of the book also highlights the positive progress and lets you know what you can do to help the cause.
The lives of farm animals do not have to be as horrific as they are today. I live in Canada and without whistle blowers and under cover investigators none of these stories would come to light. Unfortunately we have footage released this summer from a pig farm where the pigs are kept in horrific conditions. To Nathan, MFA and any and all of the undercover investigators....THANK YOU!!
The lives of farm animals do not have to be as horrific as they are today. I live in Canada and without whistle blowers and under cover investigators none of these stories would come to light. Unfortunately we have footage released this summer from a pig farm where the pigs are kept in horrific conditions. To Nathan, MFA and any and all of the undercover investigators....THANK YOU!!
February 13, 2018
Nathan Runkle is a compelling story teller and captivated my attention from the beginning. Not only does he pull on heart strings with visual descriptions, but he also is informative in the way he explains current laws state to state as well as federally as it pertains to farm animals welfare.
This book and hearing Nathan talk in person have truly changed the way I approach food and my understanding of the animal agriculture industry. It is easy to overlook what is really happening on the farms that provide most of the grocery stores with the meat and dairy products we purchase. We live in a day in age where we are desensitized to the inner-makings of the food we put into our bodies because it is conveniently out of our reach and does not require that we do the research ourselves.
I urge you to educate yourself and decide for yourself if you agree with the practices farms use and if you want to support such practices.
If eating less meat or going vegetarian or vegan have been an interest to you, but you just haven’t been able to push yourself to do it, I highly recommend you read this book. It will help you make the decision.
This book and hearing Nathan talk in person have truly changed the way I approach food and my understanding of the animal agriculture industry. It is easy to overlook what is really happening on the farms that provide most of the grocery stores with the meat and dairy products we purchase. We live in a day in age where we are desensitized to the inner-makings of the food we put into our bodies because it is conveniently out of our reach and does not require that we do the research ourselves.
I urge you to educate yourself and decide for yourself if you agree with the practices farms use and if you want to support such practices.
If eating less meat or going vegetarian or vegan have been an interest to you, but you just haven’t been able to push yourself to do it, I highly recommend you read this book. It will help you make the decision.
August 24, 2017
I disagree with the author on many things. I am still not a proponent of animal rights, I still eat meat, and I still hunt and fish. But, I would say there is no need or justification in being flat out mean to animals even those we plan on eating eventually. I agree with the proverb that says "The righteous regardeth the life of his beast (Proverbs 12:10)". I do believe man has a right to own animals, to use them for labor, and to eat them. But, he ought not abuse them or mistreat them unnecessarily. I am giving this book 5 stars for one reason and one reason only. The author did a great job exposing the harsh conditions animals have to suffer often their whole lives in the cooperate, mass produced, farming industry. Far too many of those who I am sure would claim do be righteous have no regard whatsoever for the lives of their beasts.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews