Vegan Animal Food

[Nomilynn]

I read the question wrong and clicked "yes" but I meant to click "no" so the numbers are off. Too bad there isn't a way to edit a poll vote??

I also don't believe that dogs and cats can be healthy on vegan diets. I think if we look to wolves and wild cats we will see what their diets consist of, and it's mostly meat. So, I think it's more natural for them to eat meat, and I also believe that it is better for their health.

I am not a vegan or vegetarian but I've always hated the implication that because I eat meat I can't possible be an advocate for animal welfare. That simply isn't true. Like PayItForward stated, killing for food can be done in a humane way, and the animals can be treated better until they have to be put down. Just because I buy and consume meat does not mean that I wish for animals to be brutally hurt or anything.

[Cisco's Mom]

All I know is that there are definitely some dog foods out there that are absolutely nasty!

[veegan]

I appreciate all the input. Lots of differnet views. Unfortunately they are still all against.. heh It is frustrating because I know there are a lot of people who agree with me, and a lot of people who do feed their pets vegan diets with lots of success and know more about the topic, and Im sure they would also have different views/imput, that is for a vegan pet diet.

"I've always hated the implication that because I eat meat I can't possible be an advocate for animal welfare."

yeah I know what you mean Nomilynn. And I hope I didnt make you feel that way, because I always hate it when people make other people feel bad because they arent vegetarians too.

Now, I made the statement about that website, way back before this whole thing got started:

"its that kind of mentality that leads to animal abuse, and just, the reason why so many people still eat animals.. roar."

Let me clarify.. lol After reading it again now, I can see how it must sound like an attack on all non-vegetarians. :O It wasnt supposed to be directed at anyone first of all. And it was kind of a generalized statement, and wasnt written exactly how I was thinking. (Im really bad with words).. I was really having a hard time trying to put what I was thinking into one sentence. I didnt mean to start anything. lol I basically just meant that there are too many people in the world, (nobody on PT though! everyone here loves their animals!), who treat animals like they are objects, and who have the mentality that they dont deserve respect and kindness, and its those people who think vegetarianism is stupid. I didnt mean evenyone who isnt a vegetarian is like that, because I know it can be a hard lifestyle change, and I know that some people cant do it for dietary reasons, or they just dont feel its natural, or I dunno, whatever reason, but they at least support vegetarians as fellow animal lovers, ya know what I mean?? That statement was just meant to be against the morons who abuse their pets, or even the people who have pets but keep them tied up outside all the time, people who dont really love their pets. Its that kind of mentality that is sadly shared by too many people in society, the mentality that, "oh they're just animals". THAT is what I meant by that statement. lol

and PayItForward, I would love to have pet cows lol & I know a lot of other people who would and do too. (there are many farm sancuaries). So I dont think we'd let them become extinct.

[veegan]

oh yes, I just wanted to add this:

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm...=news.quirkies

the world's oldest living dog is vegan.

[veegan]

I found some more vegan pet food websites.....

http://www.vegepet.com/about.html -this company has been making vegan pet food since 1986

http://www.vegepet.com/stories.html -stories of pets on their food

http://www.veganpet.com.au/ -australian vegan petfood company.

http://www.vegetariandogs.com/index.html -site/book about vegetarian dogs

http://www.vegsoc.org/info/catfood.html -very thorough article on what cats require nutritionally and why you have to be careful when feeding them a vegan diet. (just so you know Im aware of these issues and will be careful. and so you dont think all info on vegetarian websites is onesided. lol)

http://www.vegsoc.org/info/dogfood1.html -same website, but the article about veg dogs.

http://www.vegansociety.com/html/info/info15.html -more info on vegan pets.

[Nomilynn]

Veegan - I didn't mean that you made me feel that way.

[veegan]

okay good

[PayItForward]

lol. You want a pet cow.
My Aunt has a dairy farm with loads of cows, if you can persuade her to go vegan, you could have an entire herd !!!

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On a serious note, we are not against you or veganism. Though I can see how you feel, as it doesn't appear there are many vegan people on this site.

Vegan folk come out and play !!!

I respect that you, as an adult, wish to be vegan and although I personally wouldn't put my pet on a vegan diet. You sound like you'll be monitoring your pets closely on their new diet and would put them back on a meat diet if needed.

May everything go well and I hope your cats enjoy their new diet.

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by veegan
dogs are omnivores, like humans.

They are carnivores. I have never seen a dog, wolf, jackal, fox, dingo, or coyote chomping on a carrot and eating a salad with french dressing. They have huge canine teeth for a reason, and huge molars to chew the meat. Humans MAKE them omnivores, but they are truly carnivores.

Encarta: Dog Family

I personally would never feed an animal a veegan diet, that is, if the animal was a carnivore.

[veegan]

dude, they are onmivores. they eat MEAT & PLANT. cats are "true carnovires" because they cannot survive without certain things found only in meat but dogs & humans can.

Did you even read that article you posted? It says:

"Like humans, canids have different types of teeth that are distinguished by shape, position in the mouth, and function. The chisel-like incisors, used for cutting food and in grooming, are located in the front of the mouth. The incisors are followed by a pair of dagger-shaped canine teeth used in fighting and hunting. Premolars and molars, located near the back of the mouth, are used for grasping, slicing, and crushing meat and bone. The molars at the very back of the mouth are adapted for feeding on items such as insects, fruit, and leafy vegetation, as well as meat. Some canids include a high proportion of fruits, seeds, and other vegetable matter in their diets."

[veegan]

"lol. You want a pet cow.
My Aunt has a dairy farm with loads of cows, if you can persuade her to go vegan, you could have an entire herd !!!"

hehe! okay!

"Vegan folk come out and play !!!"

teehee yes! do!

"I respect that you, as an adult, wish to be vegan and although I personally wouldn't put my pet on a vegan diet. You sound like you'll be monitoring your pets closely on their new diet and would put them back on a meat diet if needed.

May everything go well and I hope your cats enjoy their new diet."

I appreciate that, and yes, if they have any problems at all they will be back to a meat diet. And thanks I hope they do too

[Soledad]

Dogs are omnivores! Why is this up for debate? It's a fact.

[RockyRoad]

What an interesting thread this is.

Firstoff, I'm a vegiterrian. I won't be going vegan until my bones have grown more and they do not need the calcium AS MUCH (I didn't say anymore), but I will go vegan.
But I'd never feed Lady or Sally a vegiterian diet. Like most have said, they are carnivores and I won't take them away from that privelage. I have been feeding them meat for eight years, and I am sure they would be unhappy if I suddenly made their choice whether or not to become a vegan for them. I made the choice myself, and I feel that it would be a bit mean to make the choice that I could make on my own for them.
It sounds like you are very confident in your views and are very well-educated about all of this, Vegan. It also sounds like you are going to take lots of responsibility to switch your pets to a vegan diet, and are willing to switch them back to meat if something goes wrong. Good luck.

[RockyRoad]

Meat is not the only way to obtain protein. There are eggs, beans, nuts, etc. There are tons of nice vegiterrian/vegan recepies out there, as well as veggie-burgers (although I myself don't like them very much).
I want to go vegan because...well I'll take an example:
Let's take a chicken. When the chicken lays eggs, they are cooked and eaten. This process repeats over and over everyday. Chickens lay eggs to feed the people. Then one day, when the chicken is too old to lay anymore eggs, it is killed and eaten.
I'm not talking about people who own chickens as pets, and love them and care for them. I'm talking about the farmers who raise their chickens for their eggs & meat, and even sell/ship them.
The same thing can be said for cows, goats, & other livestock animals brought up to feed us all the time. Some vegans may feel differently about this or have other reasons for going vegan, but that is just my own belief.

IMHO

[wolf_Q]

Originally posted by veegan
they eat MEAT & PLANT. b]"

Yes, meat AND plants....it's not an OR....