Pit bulls, slavery, and whiteness in the mid- to late-nineteenth-century U.S.

This chapter considers both human and nonhuman animals require livelihoods and must work for them on the farm. It discusses slaughter in the context of livelier livelihoods. The chapter also explores whether livelier livelihoods can benefit the interconnected and interdependent lives and well-being of farmed animals, farmers, and social and ecological systems in farm communities – especially in a changing climate and liberalizing global economy. Permaculture is an integrated system of agro-ecological design based on enabling the wants and needs of nonhuman species in order to produce and procure food, water, fiber, energy, and profits for humans and nonhumans on the farm. Farmers also direct pigs to areas with invasive species or to fruit orchards to prevent the spread of mold from fallen fruit – putting the pigs to work, while satiating their omnivorous appetite and desire to explore. Confined animal feeding operations (CAFO) pigs live in barren environments.