Unbelievably, live farm animals, including sheep, ducks and chickens, are to be used as part of the Olympic opening ceremony in London at the end of July. Did anyone check with the animals, to see if they wanted to be subjected to this nightmare?
Danny Boyle, organizer of the event, said upon revealing the plans that "The opening scene of the July 27 ceremony represents a traditional and idyllic view of the British countryside. "It is a green and pleasant land because it is something we are really proud of."
Not only is this a lie - almost all farming in Britains is intensive, indoors, in factory farms - it is also cruel and exploitative to the animals involved.
I am really looking forward to the Olympics this summer, but I was horrified to read that live farmed animals will be used during the opening ceremony.
I can’t believe that anyone could think it was a good idea to subject farmed animals to the pandemonium of an Olympic opening ceremony! Many of those animals, especially sheep (which are particularly susceptible to stress), are likely to be terrified.
Quite apart from the serious welfare concerns of using farmed animals as little more than living props, it is also perpetuating a myth of a British countryside that doesn’t exist anymore. The stark reality is that most animals raised for meat and dairy in Britain are increasingly intensively farmed.
Please make London 2012 something we can all be proud of and abandon plans to use live farmed animals at the opening ceremony.
