MANILA, Philippines - Think twice about patronizing alamid coffee.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) gave this advice yesterday, as it reported that civet cats (alamid) kept in some farms in the Philippines and Indonesia experience cruelty just to produce those expensive coffee beans.
“Although unappetizing, drinking coffee made from beans that were plucked from feces is not the most revolting aspect of civet coffee, purchasing a product that’s the direct result of animal abuse supports that abuse, which is why PETA is asking consumers to boycott civet coffee,†said PETA campaign manager Rochelle Regodon.
Civet cats kept in some Philippine and Indonesia farms, according to the animal rights group, are reportedly forced-fed to produce droppings that are turned into the expensive coffee beans.
PETA Asia reportedly sent out an investigator who looked into the living conditions of civet cats in the Philippines and Indonesia, two of the world’s top producers of civet coffee.
In some farms, the investigator found civets living in filthy and barren cages.
The investigator reportedly secretly took a video footage at a farm showing how the civets “exhibit neurotic behavior such as incessant pacing – indications that the wild-caught animals are going insane from boredom and depression.â€
In their natural habitat, PETA said civets frequently climb trees to reach ripe coffee berries, but in captivity, they are fed more of the ripe fruit than would ever be natural for them.
The stress of confinement and lack of nutrition allegedly cause them to lose their fur, PETA said.