This is where I will draw the line!

[hollywood926]

http://www.vegan.org/going_vegan/veggie_dogs/index.html


There is no frickin way I would punish my dog by taking away her meat just because mommy stopped eating it!

[smbolisnch]

1. I think you have missed the point entirely.

This is a vegan website and organization you have linked to. In order to understand why vegans feed their dogs vegie food, you need to understand veganism.

It is not just a measure to avoid animal products in general, but it is a way of life, so to speak. Vegans believe that all living things deserve the right to live their lives in peace. By feeding the dogs food with meat in it, we are defeating the purpose of our veganism in a way. What is the fifference between putting a slab of steak on a plate and you eating it or putting dog food made with meat products in a bowl nad feeding it to your dog? The point of veganism is to try and prevent the needless slaughter of living things for food. In buying meat products for your dog, you are supporting the horrible industry.

By feeding your dog a veggie diet, you are in no way punishing them. Why would the health ramifications of eating meat be any different for a dog?

I hope that made sense.

[hollywood926]

4. I'll speak to my vet about it and do some research, but...

I doubt I will change my dog's diet. She is on a lamb & rice formula that has proven to be a miracle cure for her skin and she loves her food.

Sentences like "you are supporting the horrible industry" are so militant and only serve to turn people off. Most of us are raised eating animal products and most dogs eat animal products. That doesn't mean we are bad people.

A more compassionate approach would probably result in less hostility and more vegetarians.

...reminds me of when those "environmentalists" set fire to dozens of Hummers, creating far more pollution than the Hummers ever would have. They were only environmentalists in their twisted minds.

[smbolisnch]

8. My intention wasn't meant to be hostile, it wasn't even directed at you.

I was speaking generally when I said you are supporting a horrible industry. I certainly am not militant about it. You asked, I answered. :shrug:

[Maru Kitteh]

2. All major brands of cat and dog food in this country contain rendered

animal products. This doesn't sound so bad on the surface because hey, dogs and cats eat meat naturally right? Well, it's what is IN those rendered animal products that are sickening.

When cows, pigs, turkeys and chickens are too diseased to walk into the slaughterhouse they are sent to the rendering plants. There they are ground whole into a foul rancid vat of similarly unfit animals. Cows who are victims of downer cow syndrome, with festering cancerous tumors, chicken and pigs that are putrid and rotting - none of these are refused by the rendering plants and that is not even the worst part yet.

Added to this horrifying conglomeration are road kill and the euthanized corpses of dogs and cats that are killed in shelters and animal control centers from all over the country.

I don't think there can be any doubt that feeding the animals you love the cancerous tumors and diseased bodies of animals "unfit" for human consumption can be good for them. And I'm pretty sure you will agree that feeding dogs and cats to dogs and cats is just sick.

I personally am looking for a better alternative for my 3 kitty companions. I don't want them coming down with terrible diseases because I fed them societies disgusting garbage. I happen to live close to an Iams plant, and the smell alone is almost to horrible to describe. Makes me want to puke every time I go by. Gross.

So you see, we look for alternatives because we know to much about what they put in that "food". We look for alternatives because we love them.

[livinginphotographs]

5. Well said.

With all the hormone-ridden flesh that most meat-eaters consume, one can only imagine how bad the shit they feed to animals is.

[flvegan]

3. Actually, all the dogs in our rescue

(15 right now) are vegetarian. All the dogs we've put through our rescue (adopted out) were vegetarian. They're omnivores, and thrive on quality food. The meat in dog food can be (depending on brand and quality) anything from roadkill and slaughterhouse waste, to euthanized shelter dogs.

It's a personal choice, though.

[smurfygirl]

6. Our dogs eat a brand called Pet Promise

They also eat wellness which is more widely available and a bit cheaper.
We do not give our dogs rawhide.
they do get fresh raw bones from a hunter friend we have. But I refuse to let our dogs have any animal by products. I know to some it seems stupid but it's our money and they are our children. I want only the best for them. Our Husky loves veggies though and eats them often, she is a sucker for carrots and spinach. Our other child (a mut mix) does not like veggies at all and won't touch them. Hubby has some land and they go hiking alot. It's not uncommon for the Husky to come back with a rabbit to share with her sister. We let them have it and don't fret over it. They are carnivores and the fact that she can still hunt and kill despite being so domesticated proves to me that dogs never loose their natural instincts. The vet recommended that we do give them a dewormer once yearly since they eat raw meat.

[AlienGirl]

7. Your dog won't know one kibble from another

Dogs are natural omnivores. Even in the wild, wolves eat a variety of grasses, and when wolves kill their prey, they eat the (vegetable) stomach contents. Domestic dogs (with the exception of certain northern breeds like huskies and malmutes) have a slightly lower protein requirement than wolves, and can easily meet those needs on a high-quality vegetarian kibble.

Here is an article about the world's oldest living dog--who is vegan: http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_659722.html?menu=news.quirkies

If your dog has skin problems, you should consult a vet with experience in allergy treatment and canine nutrition--and look for one who's heard of vegetarian dogs! Holistic vets can also give you information on supplements that might help (I'd think of using flaxseed oil and brewer's yeast).

Until pretty recently, having a vegan cat was nearly impossible, but with taurine-rich vegan cat foods available, even cats can be vegan.

Tucker

[kayleybeth]

9. All 4 of our dogs are vegetarian

They don't mind at all, in fact they flat out refuse meat, even if it's offered to them.

We feed them Evolution Diet
http://www.petfoodshop.com

and supplement with raw vegetables and occasional table scraps.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

10. they make human food too! n/t

[JackieO]

11. WORLD'S OLDEST LIVING DOG IS A VEGAN!

Schweetness! This just in:

A border collie said to be 27 could make it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest living dog.

Bramble's owner Anne Heritage says she's still alert and active and goes for a walk four times a day near her home in Bridgwater, Somerset.

The 43-year-old says she feeds her a vegan diet of rice, lentils and organic vegetables.

Her partner Roy Franklin takes her swimming once a week at a canine hydrotherapy pool.

A Guinness spokesman says the dog could be the oldest living and they are keen to examine any application.


http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_659722.html?menu=news.quirkies