Wild Abundance, a homesteading business near Asheville, North Carolina, has organized a do-it-yourself “humane” sheep slaughter class November 19-20. They frame their slaughtering of two defenseless animals as “sacred” and “honoring” them, while they literally cut their lives short.

Regardless of how the sheep are raised -- or the language and rituals accompanying the killing process -- the needless taking of innocent lives is cruel and inhumane.

Furthermore, cultivating affection and emotional bonding with animals before killing them is not kindness -- it is a betrayal. By mainstreaming and putting a seemingly ethical face on do-it-yourself, backyard slaughter, Wild Abundance is reinforcing the myth that slaughtering animals is necessary and compassionate.

Proponents claim that familiarity and participation in slaughter instills sensitivity to the animals who are killed for food. But to the contrary, the normalizing of such atrocities as natural events and cause for celebration hardens kindness into callousness. It’s not enough to be better than a factory farm. Wild Abundance has the opportunity to set an example of true sustainability, compassion, and justice by halting their classes that harm and kill animals.

Please ask Wild Abundance to cancel its do-it-yourself slaughter classes and to let us bring the two sheep to a local animal sanctuary for a life-time of love and care!