Vegetarian pet food, this sounds like a moral dilemma.
By Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
Manchester, England
January 12, 2013 7:29pm CST
I have recently noticed a few adverts for vegetarian dog food, which I initially found an amusing concept. However, this has drawn my attention to the thought of a vegetarian with a pet, such as a cat or a dog.
Many vegetarians choose the lifestyle for a variety of reasons, but there are those who do so because they believe that it is wrong to sacrifice animals in order to eat them. If they feed their pet with meat then it would conflict with their morals, whereas restricting a pet’s diet to vegetarian food would seem cruel since nature selected then to eat meat as well as vegetation.
Does anybody know anyone who buys vegetarian pet food?
5 responses
@urbandekay (18278)
•
17 Jan 13
I am a neo-vegetarian, I eat fish, I do not eat meat because I would not like to kill the animal, I eat fish because I recognise it as essential for health. I own 3 dogs and include meat in their diet though much of it is waste meat, since that is natural for them
all the best, urban
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
17 Jan 13
I have always respected that being a vegetarian is a personal choice and would never question the decision, but I was a little perturbed at the thought of someone imposing their choice on their pets. You have obviously made a conscious decision to avoid meat on moral grounds but still have enough consideration for your dogs to treat them well, which I admire you for greatly.
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
30 Sep 15
@urbandekay This approach of respect my beliefs but I do not respect yours is not the way to attract people to your way of life.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
17 Jan 13
There are many vegetarians that want to foist their beliefs on others yet expect meat eaters to respect their beliefs. I have killed animals that have been hit by cars and were suffering, yet many meat eaters tell me that they would be unable to do the same. It is a strange old mixed up world to be sure.
all the best, urban
1 person likes this
@devonavis (1854)
• Greece
13 Jan 13
Basically, dog foods are made and designed with different ingredients that would balance their nutrition needs. I think the "vegetarian" word there is just to get more customers since you can't feed your pets especially cats and dogs with pure vegetable. Competition is rapid in the market and I don't wonder why some companies do variations that would attract more customers to buy their products.
Therefore, we customers should be knowledgeable about these stuffs or we waste our money.
@devonavis (1854)
• Greece
13 Jan 13
Really? Then that would be good to regulate the quality of products that could be available in the market. Well it would not be bad as long it is not violating the laws.
@hora_fugit (5862)
• India
13 Jan 13
I don't like killing animals for any purpose... but that's for humans. Also, now I don't impose it on other persons so how can I do that to a pet?
Never bought food for my cats. They got whatever they liked from our menu, plus rats and mice if they could catch any. Sometimes we did that for them. I don't eat mice so never felt any dillema.
On a side note, not killing for food has grown to be a problem for me. I avoid this discussion as far as possible coz I don't want to starve!
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
13 Jan 13
Hello hora_fugit, that seems a very fair attitude to take. The choice of eating meat is a personal one and I admire your decision not to try to imose that choice on your cats.
I can understand your reluctance to enter into such debates with people because far too often they will allow the conversation to decay into an argument, which is not desirable for anyone.
I am intrigued by your username, which seems to be a hybrid of Spanish and Latin resulting in "Hour flees". Have I interpreted this correctly or am I missing something?
@antverdovsky (138)
• United States
13 Jan 13
No but it sounds like a pretty strange concept. House pets like cats and dogs usually do not have to any preferences to eating meat or vegetables. Unless they don't want to eat then it's okay with them.
@antverdovsky (138)
• United States
13 Jan 13
Yes I think they should eat both types unless they have some special preferences.
