veganism: okay, we humans MIGHT be vegan based but common knowledge dogs are carnivores. why on earth would vegans parade around supporting that we are a herbivore species and it's unatural to eat meat, and then try to convert their carnivore pet into a herbivore ? that is HIGHLY unnatural and abusive towards the pet. if you don't believe me, google 'vegan dog'. |||You are generalizing far too much, and have your facts mixed up. Not all vegans try and convert their dogs to a veg*n diet, it is the personal choice of each individual owner. Secondly, dogs are not carnivores, they are omnivores(like humans), and can live quite well on a balanced meatless diet(in fact there are brands of vegetarian dog food). I see nothing abusive about switching a dog onto a vegetarian diet(there are many reputable brands of food that offer the choice). In fact it is often recommended for dogs with severe allergies to try a meatless diet, as they may be allergic to the meat proteins. I think you should get your facts straight before judging others for a choice that is perfectly healthy. You may not want to feed your dog a vegetarian diet, but others may choose it, and as long as it is done properly(and the right food is chosen), than it should be none of your concern.|||Like everyone else said 1. most vegans do not parade around saying we are herbivores. I'm vegan, I think we were naturally ominvores. 2. most vegans do not convert their carnivore pets into herbivores. But to answer the question, I think this is because dog and cat food are also made in factory farms. I reckon that some vegans want to feed their dogs a vegan diet because they will take every chance to reduce animal suffering. And think about it this way, if their dog is going to remain healthy from a vegan diet, then why not? Of course a vegan diet is not natural for dogs, but it won't hurt them. This being said, you have to remember that factory farming, on the other hand, is extremely cruel and WILL hurt lots of animals. So putting things in perspective, I hope you can understand why some vegans feel that feeding a dog a vegan diet could go long ways in reducing suffering, reducing demand, reducing supply, reducing cruelty in our factory farms. That's my take on it, hope it helped.|||To those saying dogs are carnivores, they're not - they're actually omnivores. (So much for "common knowledge".) Dogs will gladly (or at least, mine will) eat rice, potatoes, crisps, corn chips, popcorn, peanuts, pretzels, pasta, bread, toast, crumpets, nuts, cake, biscuits, carrots, peas, plums, grapes, etc. But while he likes those sorts of foods as an occasional treat, his favourite staple food (at the moment) is turkey. A lot of the better-quality dog foods in cans or sachets contain rice or pasta, with vegetables, all mixed in with the animal flesh. If dogs were truly carnivores, would that really be the case? Or would all the processed dog food only be of animal origin? I am a vegetarian, not a vegan, so I can't speak on their behalf. But, like me, I doubt that very many of them (of the parading around or the not parading around variety) would even entertain the thought of trying to convert their pet dog to veganism (or vegetarianism). I don't doubt that it is possible for dogs to be perfectly healthy on a vegetarian diet, because I've heard of a couple of examples, but it's not something I'm going to attempt. At nine years old, he's a little bit old to be drastically changing his diet. If I'd wanted to, I would have started it when he was still a pup. I think you're basing your rant (sorry, I really must try to remember to use the word "question") on the erroneous belief that a few extremist vegan dog-owners are representative of all vegan dog-owners. They're not. Why not just delete the question, before you're made to look (even more) stupid? HH: I honestly thought you were just the new troll on the block, but now I've found out that you're actually a major league moron to boot. The good quality dog foods are the ones that my dog is more likely to finish. The poor quality ones are the ones that he'll just leave in his dish. THAT is the measure of quality, not some cretinous "my family owns a chain of pet stores, so I know everything there is to know about everything" crap. EDIT: HH, I see you've either deleted your answer, or someone has reported it and got it deleted for you. I'll leave my response here, just in case you repost your twaddle.|||'why are vegans trying to convert their dogs into veganism?' Are they? I know several vegans, some who have dogs, and don't know any who are doing that. I'm vegan; I don't have a dog, but I do have a cat and I feed him meat. To do otherwise would be cruel. There are vegan and vegetarian pet foods produced it's true, but from the vegans I know with animals and from what I read on this forum I doubt they make a huge profit. Oh, and most vegans don't claim that we're herbivores; we're omnivores and some of us choose to live on a plant-based diet which, as omnivores, we are able to do. Can't remember the last time I paraded around, either|||You make several generalisations in your rant / question. 1. I'm vegan and I have never claimed humans to be herbivores. Humans are OMNIVORES (and yes, that's coming from a vegan). 2. I don't believe in forcing cats and dogs to have meatless diets. I have a herbivorous pet (a rabbit) so I don't need to feed him meat. That's not to say vegans don't have meat eating pets. I know vegans who own cats, etc and they feed them their natural diet - animal flesh. Meat is especially important for cats, because plant foods lack taurine, an essential amino acid for cats. Without it they go blind and eventually die. Humans are lucky, it just so happens we can be fine as a meat eater, vegetarian or vegan. But I think if you truly love your pet you would offer a diet that is NATURAL for it. So... Please don't generalise about vegans. Like anyone else we are a diverse group of people and each vegan will have a different perspective. You can't expect us all to be the same. |||I've heard of that, I've been a vegetarian for almost 9 years and a vegan for 2, and I am a COMPLETE supporter of vegetarianism, but this is the stupidest thing a person can do. Its unnatural to the pet (as you said) and very dangerous, unlike humans, cats and dogs ARE meant to eat meat, its what their body is designed for, to do other wise is seriously compromising their immune system, and ultimately, their life.|||I have 2 cats, they eat cat food that has meat in it. I'm vegetarian... However, I am careful with what cat food I use, the more natural with less fillers, the better... And I agree with you, animals need meat proteins alot more then us humans..|||Firstly, most vegans do not "parade around". Secondly, yes, dogs IN THE WILD are carnivorous however it is perfectly viable for a domestic dog to get all its nutrients from specially developed vegan dog food. |||thats just rubbish, dnt blv all the crap ppl put on the net|||Seems most people don't understand what is in most commercial dog (and cat) foods, otherwise they wouldn't be the best selling brands ("Ol' Roy" at Wal-Mart outsells all other dog foods). I sure didn't. Truth is most of those foods are corn, soy, rice, and wheat based with the various vegetable glutens boosting the protein content (these glutens are also used in meats meant for human consumption to raise the protein content as well as stretch the products and increase the profits). That's what was behind the pet food recalls last year because of the sourcing for the very cheapest ingredients leading to China which had greed-induced adulteration of the protein gluten with melamine. That's when I found out as it just never occurred to me that cat food wouldn't be salmon, tuna, beef & cheese, or whatever the label stated on the front but I was surprised to find nearly all food in most stores was basically corn. What "meat" is in the foods is by-products of rendering which can include euthanized pets and horse meat. But for the most part pet food is meat-flavored plant-based kibble & bits with vital nutrients (such as taurine for cats) added. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_food#Co鈥?/a> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_pet_fo鈥?/a> http://www.allbusiness.com/manufacturing鈥?/a> So frankly, I think most people, the majority being confirmed omnivores, who have pets are being abusive in what they feed them and I was one of them for quite a while. I no longer have a cat, nor will I get another in big part because of the need to feed them other animals even if the icky bits nothing else will eat (but perhaps those animals we consume such as chickens, cows and pigs). I do however donate to charity so animals can be spade or neutered so there will be less pets in need of homes they'll likely never get. .|||I have seen posts on here that boast the benefits of having your dog "go vegan". I think these people should have their heads checked. Dogs are carnivorous animals and should eat as such. People that try to change their pets natural behavior should not be able to own pets.