Do you want to know whether vegans have pets and what their views are on the subject? Then you've come to the right place! First of all: yes, some vegans naturally have a dog, cat or rabbit. At first glance, this may seem to clash with the vegan philosophy of simply leaving animals alone and not treating them as objects of human use. So how do vegans and pets fit together?
In this article, I would like to provide you with the most important information on this much-discussed topic. Let's go!
In advance you can find here already a short Overview about the contribution:
Notice: I would like to give you an insight into the role of pets in the vegan lifestyle. Please note that the information cannot, of course, be applied across the board to all people and situations.
Why do vegans avoid buying pets from breeders?
Vegans want Cruelty to animals avoid Degrading animals as commodities However, sooner or later this inevitably leads to the suffering of dogs, cats, tortoises, parrots, rabbits and countless other animals that are considered "pets" in our society. However, the vegan philosophy makes no distinction between pets and farm animals. Whether cow, pig, dog or cat - at the end of the day, they are all sentient creatures that do not need to be categorized by humans and certainly not by anyone. Speciesism require.
Motivating facts
- Animal suffering on the streets: In the USA alone, it is estimated that there are around 70 million homeless dogs and cats struggling to survive.₁
- Customized breeding: We want the best, most beautiful and cutest animals. This is exactly how breeders earn a lot of money, which is why they specifically breed the animals "as desired".
- Overcrowded animal shelters due to overbreeding: As "unwanted" animals fall by the wayside at the breeder, there are inevitably more and more homeless animals. As a result, the capacity of animal shelters is exhausted and millions of animals are ultimately killed.
- Lost interest: There are also so many wild dogs, cats and other former pets because young, cute animals are bought in pet shops, which many people lose interest in over time.
- Castration and sterilization: In order to avoid such an overpopulation of pets, vegans strive for the immediate castration and sterilization of animals.
As a rule, vegans avoid buying pets from breeders in order to curb the flood of farmed animals and the urge to profit on the backs of the animals. Instead, they take in and rescue the very animals that are already living on earth in unworthy conditions because they have been overbred.
So why do many vegans have pets?
So, as a rule, the pets of vegans do not come from breeding, but from the animal shelter, animal welfare or directly from the street. One argument against this is that the animals are forced to behave in a certain way. However, the fact that they fundamentally experience a decisive improvement in their living conditions - through care, food, routine and safety, among other things - speaks in their favor. The point of rescuing animals is not to provide them with absolutely perfect conditions, but to enable them to live in improved circumstances. It's also a way to combat overbreeding and overpopulation of popular "pets" on the street. Why? Because no more animals are bred and instead a new, free place is created in the shelter.
As a vegan, you should ask yourself the following question before adopting a pet:
Is keeping the animal an improvement on the current alternative? If the answer is "yes", the inclusion of the animal should also correspond to the vegan lifestyle.
Tip: There are an incredible number of great animal welfare organizations and small associations that stand up for homeless animals. You can find more detailed information about adoption there.
What do vegans feed their pets?
The fact that hundreds of other animals have to end up as dog food for one dog, for example, does not correspond to the ethically-motivated, vegan way of life. But even if it is descended from the wolf, the Domestic dog no longer a carnivore, but an omnivore. The stomach and intestines have adapted to humans during the course of human domestication, which is why one Feeding dogs a vegan diet can. There are even different, purely plant-based complete feeds that are enriched with all the essential nutrients.
We have our Bitch from Romania taken in and they under veterinary supervision carefully introduced to a vegetarian-vegan diet. I strongly advise you to do this in order to avoid any mistakes.
Notice: At sustainable dog ownership for more information. However, a vegan diet does not work for all pets. Make sure you talk to your vet or other experts to ensure your pet's needs are fully met.
Of course, vegans also have pets
Despite the apparent contradiction, vegans also keep pets. This is particularly compatible with the vegan philosophy if the animals are adopted into a better life in order to counteract overbreeding at the same time. This also automatically ensures that dogs, cats and animals in general are viewed less as commodities in our society and eventually no longer as commodities at all.
Fortunately, the number of homeless animals that have been euthanized and killed has fallen steadily since 2011.₃ The fact that more and more people are adopting dogs, cats and other stray animals gives us hope for the future.
Do you have any questions or your own experiences with the vegan approach to pets that you would like to share? Then simply write me a comment.
Stay animal-friendly,
PS.: You want to know, why i live vegan? in the linked article you will now get to know all the important motifs. Have fun!
References:
₁ PETA: Companion Animal Overpopulation, available at https://www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/overpopulation. [26.10.2021].
₂ American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Pet Statistics." Web Accessed February 26, 2015.
₃ Earthling Ed: Why don't vegans buy pets?, YouTube, 08.11.2020, Web, 26.10.2021 at 08:32, in: http://y2u.be/g8Thb4E8_HY.
