How you can help stop animal cruelty

This post was written by my sister, Isla. All credit goes to her - I hope you enjoy it and find it interesting (I know that I did)!

When you eat chicken in your Sunday roast or sausages with your mashed potato, do you ever really think about what you are eating?

Some animals are forced into pregnancy and their babies are born in terrible conditions. These babies are fattened by being overfed and then killed only so we can eat them. Not a great life, is it?

I'm not saying this is always the case; many farms are very fair in how they treat their animals, but do you really think that a life full of sorrow and inequality is acceptable - even if it's in the minority? I know that I do not.

That is why I decided to become a vegetarian. I am not suggesting that you have to become a vegetarian, because there are lots of other ways to help:

• Buy meat from local farms that you trust and you know that the farmer gives their animals a happy life.

• Every once and a while, eat non-meat options. For example, meat-free sausages.

These can also have positive environmental effects too, like carbon footprint will be smaller if you buy from local farm shops, and fewer animals will be bred in the long run if you do decide to become a vegetarian. This doesn't have to be permanent, but every little change helps.