Vegan Animal Food

[Housh]

Very interesting debate was sparked from this thread in cat general: http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthre...threadid=24365

A link to a vendor with vegan animal food products with info: http://www.vegancats.com/

I was wondering what people's views on this topic?

I personally just find this fascinating and I wanted to start a clean debate on this. Lets see what you think.

[veegan]

cool, thanks for making the poll, Im curious to see what people think..

Even though I have a feeling Im gonig to be the minority. heh.

[veegan]

dogs are omnivores, like humans.

I think its cruel to supprt the meat industry, and to feed my pets the crap thats found in pet foods.

"What’s Really in Meat-Based Pet Food:

Carcasses of euthanized cats & dogs (some with flea collars and containing sodium pentobarbital used for euthasia).
Unwanted insecticides and pharmaceuticals from diseased livestock (complete with plastic ID tags).
Rotting supermarket rejects including plastic and styrofoam packaging.
Animal parts deemed “unfit for human consumption” (heads, legs, tongues, intestines, esophagi, beaks, feathers, bones, blood, lungs, ligaments, etc.)
Diseased and cancerous body parts from the 4 D’s: dead, dying, diseased, & disabled factory-farmed animals"

[wolf_Q]

No offence, but I have a hard time believing that is in ALL meat-based pet foods.

[RubyMutt]

Blinky, my hamster, is on a vegan diet, but my fishies and pup are not. However, I really admire a person who will do the research and provide a healthy and nutritious vegan diet for their animals.

[Housh]

This quote found off the Vegancats.com FAQ was rather shocking. I hope this isn't the Vegan 'Trump card'.

What is "natural" has never been the basis for what is ethical anyway. Rape is a perfectly "natural" reproductive strategy, utilized by many species, yet few would argue that this makes it okay. Morality is based on a vision of what ought to be, not on a dogmatic adherence to whatever has historically been.

[CathyBogart]

In general I do not approve of feeding an animal a diet so radically different from its natural diet. The digestive systems of dogs and cats are very different from those of herbivorous animals, and they simply do not process plant matter as well.

HOWEVER: If a person does the research, speaks with a nutritionalist, and takes the time to actually make sure that the animal is getting the required nutrition, maybe. I haven't met an animal raised on such a diet, so I can't say for sure what my opinion is.

Veegan: Please show me documentation proving that such things are still used in meat-based pet foods. I can find plenty of information from several decades ago, but nothing current of the sort.

[veegan]

Housh- i dont know what you mean by 'trump card'.. ?? and the rape thing really confused me too, if thats what you meant.

And actually, that excerpt from vegancats reminds me.. just because I post info from certain sites, doesnt mean I agree totally with what they believe and say. Im vegan, but there are many ways to be vegan, many reasons, and theres no one clear cut way to be vegan. A lot of people have more "radical" views than I, and a lot have a lot less "radical" views than I. I mean, I support PETA, but do not agree with everything they do. (And I appreciate that they have the option to choose what your donation money goes to). Anyway.. just wanted to say that..

wolf-q- no its not in all meat based pet foods, but most. I do appologize for not clarifying that! :O (I did in past posts).

popcornbird- yes dogs are omnivores. unlike cats, they do not require taurine to live.

WolfChan- here is a link to a site that discusses it, and has a link to a PDF (I think thats what its called lol) file of an article with all the info. http://www.petfoodshop.com/evolution_3.htm



I was afraid when this thread was created it would virtually turn into an entire debate against me..

I know veganism and animal rights is a hot issue. I just hope you are all open minded and accepting enough to not let my beliefs negatively affect your opinion of me. Because I mean, these are controversial issues and a lot of people do get turned off by animal rights activism/veganism, etc because, unfortunately, theres a lot of negativity surrounding it.

[CathyBogart]

Thanks for the link. I wasn't trying to be rude, I'm just skeptical about such information. I see that I was wrong in this case. ^_^

Where is the debate against you? I see several differing opinions, but no personal attacks.

I know what you mean about the vegancats quote....I'm pretty big on animal rights, but more often than not I think PETA is a bunch of overreacting loonies who have lost sight of their original goals. *giggles*

[veegan]

yeah I dont mean they are personal attacks, its just, stressful to be the only one who doesnt think its unhealthy or wrong or unethical, etc. ya know? lol I cant handle the pressure!! hahah Im all alone trying to support my silly vegan ways!

and yeah, I hear ya. I really do wonder sometimes about some of the things PETA does. heh

[CathyBogart]

Hehe, I'm always alone when it is brought up that my snakes eat too....You'd think that feeding my pets wouldn't be regarded as bad, but I've been called some nasty things. I've also been told that my cherished babies should be banned just because they're predators.

[Uabassoon]

I'm also a PETA member but I really don't agree with everything that they do, sometimes I think they go a little too overboard. As for feeding my cats a vegetarian or vegan diet I would never do it. It's ok for me, but that was my personal choice, me as a human decided that I would not consume animal products. But as for my cats they are different , and they can't survive without taurine. There are some vegetarian cat foods on the market but I don't really trust them. I've read a lot on the subject and learned that if you really want to give a cat a good and healthy vegetarian diet you need to personally cook their own meals... well I don't even cook my own meals so I don't exactly have time to cook meals for my cats so that I can ensure that they get everything they need. So they will consume non vegetarian foods because I think for their own health that is our (mine and theirs) best option.

[aly]

I am all for people being vegan but I won't feed my animals a vegan diet, especially not my kitties. There were some dogs on a show on Animal Planet that went blind from a vegetarian diet (sorry I can't give more details because I forgot what show it was).

[Soledad]

Veegan -

Trust me, I know what it feels like to have an unpopular opinion on PetTalk. The Doghouse is a good example of me being in the minority. So, I'm sorry if you feel picked on or attacked. I know how it feels.

I am pretty in line with a lot of what you have to say. I've had this discussion before with Kater (also another educated and level headed vegan on PT) and I was a vegetarian for years and I did attempt veganism at one point. Simply put, it was not for me.

Almost all of my friends are vegetarians and some of them are vegans. An even smaller number of them are kosher vegans. So, I understand where you're coming from and I respect your decision. But I've never heard a truly compelling and practical argument for veganism, and even more so for vegan pets.

I guess some of my frustration with veganism is that most vegans have a certain lifestyle that affords them the priviledge of being one. To me, it seems like quite an elitist lifestyle that is impractical for your average person.

However, I am a HUGE believer and advocate for animal welfare. I am disgusted with the American meat industry. The way they treat their animals, from the way the pump them full of antibiotics and hormones to the way they crowd them in filthy conditions completely incongrious with their natural habitat and behaviours, is disgusting and needs to be fixed ASAP. Not just for the animals, but for our health.

I do think we should be eating less meat, looking at the way we farm and care for our land and be more concerned/aware/conscientous of where our food comes from. I'm just not convinced that veganism is the way.

[PayItForward]

Veegan... This is not a personal comment about you
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I have vegetarian friends, one of whom is a vegan. Good on them for their life choices.

But I think no child under 18 or cat/dog should be placed on such a restrictive diet. Vets/doctors say the same thing, although it is possible to be healthy on a vegan diet, it is not necessarily healthy for everyone/animal to be on a vegan diet.

I'm sure some animals/children could thrive fine on vegan food but I wouldn't risk it.

I would never force my animals onto a non-meat diet. Though if I could find a humanly killed meat sourced cat food, I would pay additional for this advantage. The same as I spend more money on other cruelty free products.(i.e. Cleaning stuff/makeup)

I just can not equate eating animals that are breed for food, with animal abuse. Sadly, if meat cattle (apposed to dairy cattle) were no longed eaten, these animals would cease to be. Which farmer in their right mind would feed, care & breed a creature with no use ? This may be sad but it is a fact.
(Edit. I always buy free range beef/chicken/eggs, but I would be happier if I knew the killing methods were humane too.)

Vegan Website That senseless statement on rape, tars all the information on that site as 'potential extreme rubbish'. Which is a shame as I feel Veganism for adults is a gentle acceptable way to live.
This website does more harm than good and encourages anyone who reads it to think that Vegans are illogical mad extremists (This is not true, the website just looks that way)