# Food Dilemma and Laws **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 22, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419 "2013-04-22T17:44:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mattmcana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mattmcana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mattmcana)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/1 "2013-04-22T17:44:08Z")
A person kills a chicken in public, no charges are laid. If that person were to kill a dog, or cat in public I would bet you that person would be charged in a heart beat. Humans eat both chickens and dogs, however North Americans are not used to eating “pets”, they are used to buying their chicken in a package. If their were no more packaged foods, the majority of people would starve to death, except those who could fend for themselves. Hunt, prepare and cook hunted aniimals and know what is edible in the wild. Interesting laws we humans have… which comes to mind this thought… The pet you walk around outside on public land can legally pee any volume of pee, however the bylaw states that feces (if left) is punishable by a fine. Both are organic fertilizer. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/2 "2013-04-22T17:50:03Z")
…and the question is? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/3 "2013-04-22T17:53:23Z")
> [@mattmcana](#): > > If their were no more packaged foods, the majority of people would starve to death, except those who could fend for themselves. Hunt, prepare and cook hunted aniimals and know what is edible in the wild. I’m pretty sure I could pay someone who knows these things to do it for me, and presto, I get to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/4 "2013-04-22T18:03:30Z")
Since I see no question in the OP, let’s move this over to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/5 "2013-04-22T18:25:17Z")
Great Debates might be a better place for pseudo-religious witnessing. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/6 "2013-04-22T18:35:14Z")
> [@mattmcana](#): > > If that person were to kill a dog, or cat in public I would bet you that person would be charged in a heart beat. My father used to do it all the time, and he was never charged with anything. > [@](#): > > The pet you walk around outside on public land can legally pee any volume of pee, however the bylaw states that feces (if left) is punishable by a fine. Both are organic fertilizer. Not as far as I can tell. > [@](#): > > Dog waste does not make good fertilizer. In fact, it goes beyond being bad fertilizer; it may contain harmful microorganisms and bacteria that can make you and your family sick. For this reason, you should never compost pet waste and reuse it as fertilizer. [Cite](http://www.doodycalls.com/services_dog_poop_iq_quiz_answers.asp). Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/7 "2013-04-22T19:19:44Z")
Where do you see people killing chickens in public? Pee soaks into the ground. Feces sit there, turning into a smelly heap, waiting for somebody to step in. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/8 "2013-04-22T20:24:20Z")
> [@sahirrnee](#): > > Where do you see people killing chickens in public? [East Cambridge, MA](http://www.mayflowerpoultry.com/) I know, they don’t kill them out in public but they do right inside the store. It’s world famous in parts of New England. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/9 "2013-04-22T23:02:35Z")
> [@mattmcana](#): > > A person kills a chicken in public, no charges are laid. It certainly depends on the circumstances and method of killing. Cockfights are illegal in nearly every state and the organizers prosecuted under animal cruelty laws. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/10 "2013-04-22T23:12:16Z")
Yet game cocks surely live better than factory-farm fryers. ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/11 "2013-04-23T00:07:39Z")
Some pets are killed on NA farms. When the cow got old, they’d eat it, despite it being named Betsy and the kids trat it like a family pet. Would happen with pigs, rabbits, just about anything edible. I buy my meat packaged. But if circumstances changed and we all had to suddenly become farmers and ranchers, we would not starve. And besides… Why pick on North Americans? I don’t think the majority of folks in London, Rome, Tokyo, Shanghai, Sydney, or Mexico City are chopping up their own chickens, pigs, or cattle for dinner tonight. There are markets selling meat everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/12 "2013-04-23T09:11:39Z")
A few years ago some folks killed a goat for food in public( Melbourne). They were charged with various things related to being public nuisances, making a hell of a mess, upsetting the kiddies (ah hell I can’t remember). I imagine if I were to walk down the main street and start killing chickens I would be in a bit of strife too. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/13 "2013-04-23T09:42:58Z")
> [@mattmcana](#): > > A person kills a chicken in public, no charges are laid. > > If that person were to kill a dog, or cat in public I would bet you that person would be charged in a heart beat. Well, I don’t know what it’s like where you live, but here in the UK we have pretty tight laws about humane treatment of animals and slaughter. You can’t just stand in the street and wring a chicken’s neck. > [@mattmcana](#): > > Humans eat both chickens and dogs, however North Americans are not used to eating “pets”, they are used to buying their chicken in a package. > > If their were no more packaged foods, the majority of people would starve to death, except those who could fend for themselves. Hunt, prepare and cook hunted aniimals and know what is edible in the wild. If there were no more packaged foods, we would go back to having butchers, like our parents had (I buy my meat from a butcher, in any case). > [@mattmcana](#): > > Interesting laws we humans have… which comes to mind this thought… The pet you walk around outside on public land can legally pee any volume of pee, however the bylaw states that feces (if left) is punishable by a fine. Both are organic fertilizer. Which would you prefer to step in? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/14 "2013-04-23T16:15:51Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > It certainly depends on the circumstances and method of killing. Cockfights are illegal in nearly every state and the organizers prosecuted under animal cruelty laws. But what if you had chickens fighting dogs? It would be like an animal UFC. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/15 "2013-04-23T18:08:12Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > [East Cambridge, MA](http://www.mayflowerpoultry.com/) > > I know, they don’t kill them out in public but they do right inside the store. It’s world famous in parts of New England. Pleanty of places in Chicago as well. [John’s Live Poultry](http://www.yelp.com/biz/johns-live-poultry-chicago) is my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-dilemma-and-laws/656419/16 "2013-04-23T18:32:10Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > It’s world famous in parts of New England. TIL New Englanders are bad at spacial reasoning.