Rex Tyler's Poetry Blog

We love them
Truly love them
They are part of family
When they pass, we sadden
It does happen eventually
Even to our human family
Eventually they die
But they decided what to eat
And actually know why

Pet animals are different
Human beings do
Make food from the animals
Out of the dead it’s true
Carnivores that’s humans
They eat the dead of course
Cows and pigs and sheep and fish
Some though won’t eat horse

But they don’t get a look in
Much of what they eat
Is the tin or pouched monstrosities
That in a nutshell cheat
Much is made of render
Conversion of animals Dead
Not very good for humans
But heat treatment it is said

Heat cook out the pathogens
Feather meal and bone
Blood and animal plasma
Fish meal fat to tone
Our pussies and our dogs and others
All sorts of recipes
Value added materials
Hopeful to appease

Our furry friends
And many waste a lot of it you know
Maybe they like the gravy
But a lot we have to throw
Out it’s very costly,
And we pay
20% tax extra To the government of the day

Our animals are given this
Stuff most every day
Goodness knows what’s in the tins
But then of course we pay
Some of us buy fresh fish and chicken
And give that to our pet
They now are getting humane flesh
Which may be dry or wet

Do we notice they get diseases
Cancer and of course
Many waste the so called meat
Not knowing the source
The label tells us one thing
The ingredients no one knows
And when they pass it’s to the vet
Where each of us then goes.

We tell ourselves we have to
Then put them to sleep
Actually we assist in killing
That sadness yes we reap
Satisfaction possibly knowing that there will
Be an end to their suffering
When the vet assists the kill

this a time of great reflection
When we ought to stay
Cuddle them and tell them
And show them our dismay
All our pets will perish
We know that we love them we do
And they love us back
And hopefully all through

So we must stay put with them
Comfort them and say
The vet is going to kill you
Eternal sleep okay
Stay with them and watch the death
Some will fight it they
Clamber off the floor I have seen them
Trying to get away

Pet food is like human food
Nutritionally our care
Balanced without chemicals
Really we must share
The better much less rendered food
From really god knows where
Love them with a tenderness
And Just be more aware

Of what the Corporations do
The stench of rendered meat
Anybody working there
No one can compete
It gets into their bodies
Into tissue come what may
And ruins their vitality
In a rather sordid way.