Tony, we have to kill it before cooking it, unless you wish to consume the animal alive. The only option to me is to kill it in a humane way as is possible with what is available. Trouble is with today's huge masses, they have to mechanize a lot of the process, and when it comes to that, there are no feelings. A lot of people (especally city folk) are today desensitized from the killing aspect of the animal, but have no qualms about eating meat. I'd say, take them to an abbatoir, many will change their minds. Myself, I was raised the old-fashioned way, come CNY, my dad would make slaughtering the chickens my duty. I am able to not have any feelings for the birds when I slit their throats. None of my other cousins my generation are able to, worse still their kids, and they love KFC. As for the treatment of the animals, they have to be legislated by some authority. Too bad those around are profit driven. Animals like chickens and pigs have families and are raised by their mama, in commercial farms, there's no such thing. It is indeed a cruel world.
Cheers!