Dogs and RSPCA

February 24, 2006

I am really delighted to hear that dogs do so well on a Vegan diet! My pets are vegan too.. but then again... they are rabbits :-) So, your friend works for the RSPCA... I was just wondering, why is it that a good number of vegans and people involved in animal rights 'have it in' for the RSPCA? I'm really open-minded and would just be really interested to know what others think, and why. S-J John Davis <mcxg46 wrote: Hi James,My dogs are vegan, and I was worried about putting them onto a vegan diet.But afriend of mine worked as an animal welfare officer for the RSPCA (yes Iknow) claimed that a diet of fresh vegan food is the best thing a dog canhave, and as far as I know the oldest two dogs on record are both vegan. Myvets at the time said that there was no

reason to suspect a balanced vegandiet would do any harm, the vegan pet food companies I contacted said theiranimals thrived on it, and all the vegans who I asked said the same thing.So they have been vegan now for several years, and are praised by the vetfor how healthy they are for their breed each time I go in. Oh, and I gavethem a choice between a vegan and a non-vegan food when I first got them andweaned them off Iams, and they went for the vegan food, so they like thetaste as well.So unless your dog is ill in some way, I'd say that in my experience a vegandiet seems great for them. Just make sure you either feed them a completedog food, or, if you're going to feed them on fresh food, take the time toensure that the diet is giving them everything they need. (I use a moistenedcomplete dry food.)I don't know of any non-vegie sources offering comparisons, but if it helps,www.veggiepets.com is a pretty reputable

source of both pet food andinformation.JohnPs: Yes, I get rejection messages every time I post here too, though theemails seem to get through anyway!- "James Hodgskiss" Wednesday, February 15, 2006 9:09 PM DogsI've just got a dog, and want to find out if a vegan diet is suitable forit.Our homeopathic vet says she sees a couple of vegan dogs, but says eventhough vegan dogs tend to live as long as meat-eating dogs, from herexperience they don't seem to appear as healthy (e.g., not as shiny coats)as other dogs.Does anyone know of any independant (i.e., not veggie-orientated) resourceson the web where I can find out more info.Cheers,James~~ info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Please remember that the above is only the opinion of the

author, there may be another side to the story you have not heard.---------------------------Was this message Off Topic? Did you know? Was it snipped?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guidelines: visit Un: send a blank message to -

February 25, 2006

I don't know about anyone else's views, but I personally am not a big

fan of the hypocrisy - ie helping pets and select wildlife, but being

quite happy to devour a cow, pig or hen who has had an awful life. I

helped with an RSPCA open day, and they had a BBQ (and not a veggie

one!) - why help some animals and harm others? (I realise many people

who work for the RSPCA are veg*n, but in my experience the majority

aren't.)

I think some people are also frustrated because they think the RSPCA

don't do anything - but that's not their fault, it's the law's. I

think the law was changed recently to allow the RSPCA to take action

when there is a likelihood of an animal suffering, rather than having

to wait until it's too late, which has sadly often been the case.

Apart from the illogicality (if that's even a word!) of meat-eating, I

don't have a problem with the RSPCA. The animals need all the help

they can get!

, gushoneybungirl <gushoneybungirl

wrote:

*snip!*

>I was just wondering, why is it that a good number of vegans and

>people involved in animal rights 'have it in' for the RSPCA? I'm

>really open-minded and would just be really interested to know what

>others think, and why.

>

> S-J

February 25, 2006

I lost faith in the RSPCA years ago, when they told me that they wouldnt come out to a wild kitten that had cat flu, and was abandoned. That was 13 years ago, and she`s upstairs on my bed as I type. How can they abandon animals like that? The Valley Vegan............gothcatz <gothcatz wrote: I don't know about anyone else's views, but I personally am not a big fan of the hypocrisy - ie helping pets and select wildlife, but being quite happy to devour a cow, pig or hen who has had an awful life. I helped with an RSPCA open day, and they had a BBQ (and not a veggie one!) - why help some animals and harm others? (I realise many people who work for the RSPCA are veg*n, but in my experience the majority aren't.)I think some people are also frustrated

because they think the RSPCA don't do anything - but that's not their fault, it's the law's. I think the law was changed recently to allow the RSPCA to take action when there is a likelihood of an animal suffering, rather than having to wait until it's too late, which has sadly often been the case.Apart from the illogicality (if that's even a word!) of meat-eating, I don't have a problem with the RSPCA. The animals need all the help they can get! , gushoneybungirl wrote:*snip!*>I was just wondering, why is it that a good number of vegans and >people involved in animal rights 'have it in' for the RSPCA? I'm >really open-minded and would just be really interested to know what >others think, and why.> > S-J~~ info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Please remember that the above is only the

opinion of the author, there may be another side to the story you have not heard.---------------------------Was this message Off Topic? Did you know? Was it snipped?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guidelines: visit Un: send a blank message to -

February 25, 2006

I lost faith in the RSPCA 13 years ago when they refused to come out to a wild kitten that was dying of cat flu and abandoned.How can they refuse aid to a suffering animal? P.S. She is now upsatirs on my bed. The Valley Vegan..............gothcatz <gothcatz wrote: I don't know about anyone else's views, but I personally am not a big fan of the hypocrisy - ie helping pets and select wildlife, but being quite happy to devour a cow, pig or hen who has had an awful life. I helped with an RSPCA open day, and they had a BBQ (and not a veggie one!) - why help some animals and harm others? (I realise many people who work for the RSPCA are veg*n, but in my experience the majority aren't.)I think some people are also frustrated because they think the

RSPCA don't do anything - but that's not their fault, it's the law's. I think the law was changed recently to allow the RSPCA to take action when there is a likelihood of an animal suffering, rather than having to wait until it's too late, which has sadly often been the case.Apart from the illogicality (if that's even a word!) of meat-eating, I don't have a problem with the RSPCA. The animals need all the help they can get! , gushoneybungirl wrote:*snip!*>I was just wondering, why is it that a good number of vegans and >people involved in animal rights 'have it in' for the RSPCA? I'm >really open-minded and would just be really interested to know what >others think, and why.> > S-J~~ info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Please remember that the above is only the opinion of the author,

there may be another side to the story you have not heard.---------------------------Was this message Off Topic? Did you know? Was it snipped?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guidelines: visit Un: send a blank message to -

February 27, 2006

Hi,

The RSPCA is certainly not without its faults. As someone mentioned, there

is the hypocrisy of their considering some animals there to be helped and

saved, and others merely as food. There is their 'freedom foods' welfare

scheme for farm animals, which suggests that it is all right to eat and

abuse them so long as their conditions meet some rudimentary requirements.

There is the fact that until recently it was acceptable for pro-hunters to

sit on their board. There is the fact that their shelters are not no-kill,

and their officers often quick to euthenise before considering all other

options.

However. All of that said, they are the biggest and most widely recognised

animal welfare society in the UK. They are a powerful lobby serving to keep

animal welfare issues in the public eye, they put a lot of effort into

prosecuting those who are cruel to animals, and they do a lot of good for a

lot of animals.

So personally, I tend to be of the opinion that, overall, they do more harm

than good. I also support the WWF for similar reasons. But they are

certainly not perfect, and there is a case to be made for the argument that,

as they are seen as the country's primary 'voice for animals', the fact that

they think it acceptable for some animals to be used for produce and as food

does a great deal of harm to the animal rights and welfare movements.

John

-

" gushoneybungirl " <gushoneybungirl

Friday, February 24, 2006 8:58 PM

Re: Dogs and RSPCA

> I am really delighted to hear that dogs do so well on a Vegan diet! My

pets are vegan too.. but then again... they are rabbits :-) So, your friend

works for the RSPCA... I was just wondering, why is it that a good number of

vegans and people involved in animal rights 'have it in' for the RSPCA? I'm

really open-minded and would just be really interested to know what others

think, and why.

>

> S-J

>

> John Davis <mcxg46 wrote:

> Hi James,

>

> My dogs are vegan, and I was worried about putting them onto a vegan diet.

> But afriend of mine worked as an animal welfare officer for the RSPCA (yes

I

> know) claimed that a diet of fresh vegan food is the best thing a dog can

> have, and as far as I know the oldest two dogs on record are both vegan.

My

> vets at the time said that there was no reason to suspect a balanced vegan

> diet would do any harm, the vegan pet food companies I contacted said

their

> animals thrived on it, and all the vegans who I asked said the same thing.

>

> So they have been vegan now for several years, and are praised by the vet

> for how healthy they are for their breed each time I go in. Oh, and I gave

> them a choice between a vegan and a non-vegan food when I first got them

and

> weaned them off Iams, and they went for the vegan food, so they like the

> taste as well.

>

> So unless your dog is ill in some way, I'd say that in my experience a

vegan

> diet seems great for them. Just make sure you either feed them a complete

> dog food, or, if you're going to feed them on fresh food, take the time to

> ensure that the diet is giving them everything they need. (I use a

moistened

> complete dry food.)

>

> I don't know of any non-vegie sources offering comparisons, but if it

helps,

> www.veggiepets.com is a pretty reputable source of both pet food and

> information.

>

> John

> Ps: Yes, I get rejection messages every time I post here too, though the

> emails seem to get through anyway!

>

> -

> " James Hodgskiss "

> To:

> Wednesday, February 15, 2006 9:09 PM

> Dogs

>

> I've just got a dog, and want to find out if a vegan diet is suitable for

> it.

>

> Our homeopathic vet says she sees a couple of vegan dogs, but says even

> though vegan dogs tend to live as long as meat-eating dogs, from her

> experience they don't seem to appear as healthy (e.g., not as shiny coats)

> as other dogs.

>

> Does anyone know of any independant (i.e., not veggie-orientated)

resources

> on the web where I can find out more info.

>

> Cheers,

> James

>

> ~~ info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> Please remember that the above is only the opinion of the author,

> there may be another side to the story you have not heard.

> ---------------------------

> Was this message Off Topic? Did you know? Was it snipped?

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> Guidelines: visit

> Un: send a blank message to -

>

February 27, 2006

It is important to make sure your dog gets L-carnitine, especially if it is

big and old. See http://www.vegepets.info/pages/vegetarian_canine_diets.htm

amongst others.

Cheers

Mike

On Behalf Of

John Davis

27 February 2006 11:58