Sure, swallowing a dehydrated human toe - like the one placed inside the infamous “Sourtoe Cocktail” at the Downtown Hotel in Dawson City - is disgusting, but it’s no grosser than eating the breasts, thighs, ribs, wings, and other body parts that are served in most bars and restaurants.
Seriously, is it really that big of a leap from eating a chicken leg to swallowing a human toe? One practice is more common, of course, but neither is particularly rational.
And while the “original owner” of the toe may have lived a decent-enough life, chickens and other factory-farmed animals suffer immensely before being dismembered. They’re typically confined to filthy, crowded cages, crates, or sheds. They never breathe fresh air or feel grass beneath their feet. They’re torn away from their loved ones, and many are mutilated without painkillers. In slaughterhouses, they’re often scalded alive or hacked apart while they’re still conscious.
Do you really want to eat body parts? If not, visit www.PETA.org for free vegan recipes and product suggestions.
Heather Moore
The PETA Foundation
Norfolk, VA