“Cruelty-free” is a term widely used today. It is on the labels of some products to show the absence of cruelty to animals. It’s a catchphrase, but it doesn’t make sense.

When we read “cruelty-free” on the label, it means that no animal suffering has been caused to the realization of that product. But what does that mean, exactly? This wording makes little sense. All the products on the market are “free from cruelty“; otherwise, they could not even be sold. Instead, by highlighting on the label that a type of product is cruelty-free, it is suggested that all the others are not. And that is not correct.

All products using animals, such as cosmetics, detergents, medicines tested on animals, or food produced by animals, such as meat, milk, and eggs, must be completely “cruelty-free” by law to be marketed. No animal is abused, and no pain or suffering is intentionally caused. In Italy, on top, the penal code stringently regulates the law. People who do not respect it commit a crime, punished with imprisonment from three months to a year or fines from 3,000 to 15,000 euros.

In short, it is better to respect it, not only to continue to work but also because an abused animal is not productive. Farmers are well aware of this, as they see production and earnings drop dramatically when an animal is sick or in distress. That’s why today, in livestock farming, more strategies are adopted to ensure the animal welfare, also relying on the innovative tools that technology provides.

Italy has one of the most efficient veterinary services in Europe, led by the Ministry of Health. It puts in the first place the “One Health” concept: food safety, consumer health, animal welfare, animal health and health of the environment. It is in nobody’s interest to work the wrong way.

Despite the attempts of the vegan/animal rights propaganda to make believe that all farmers are torturing their animals, the reality of farms shows that everyone is functional, productive and “cruelty-free” to be able to stay open according to the law.

It would make more sense for the wording “Stupid free” to be affixed to natural animal source foods. One more way to distinguish them from their hyper-processed plant substitutes sold using deception. They are promoted as healthy and with identical nutritional power to the real ones they claim to replace. The actual animal source foods are simple, genuine and natural. They are sold for what they are, without imitating anything and deceiving citizens and consumers. And, of course, they are “cruelty-free“.