Sanctuary or Slaughter in Meat the Family

This Channel 4 series asks the question, how much do we really know about the animals we put on our plates?

“From environmental activism to vegan sausage rolls the debate around eating meat and animal welfare is more prominent than ever before. Confronting the reality of an animal’s journey from field to plate, Meat the Family will be a life changing and emotional experiment for all involved.” – Nicola Brown, Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual at Channel 4

Channel 4 has commissioned Meat the Family from Spun Gold TV that sees four families – partial to a bit of meat – share their homes with the animals they’d normally wolf down without hesitation. 

The three-part commission draws on cutting edge studies into animal behaviour and intelligence, examines the farming practices required to meet the demands of hungry consumers and looks at the environmental impact of the meat industry. It will also present surprising insights that challenge perceptions of why some animals become part of the family and others end up on the plate.  

Having grappled with the impact of their meat-eating habits, will these previously committed carnivores be able to give up meat for good and send their animals to a sanctuary, or will they send them to slaughter and face the prospect of serving up their former houseguests?

“In this series we confront some really timely themes of ethical eating in a unique and entertaining fashion. Why do we find it acceptable to eat a lamb but we wouldn’t eat our pet dog? Could you go back to meat once you’ve put a name and face to a meal? This is a series that will combine amazing research about animal intelligence with some heart-warming moments.” – Daniela Neumann, Managing Director at Spun Gold