can a non-vegetarian be against animal cruelty?

Hi there, thank you for thinking about the animals.

Technically, a person can be in support of animal rights (not just animal cruelty) and not be vegetarian (or vegan). However, that would be extremely hypocritical and any efforts made to spread the message of their beliefs might not be well received and actually give a mixed message and do more harm than good. Therefore I'd seriously recommend you go at least vegetarian before crusading for the animals, since the main way to stop their suffering is to convince people to go vegetarian or vegan as well.

All animals, even those in 'free-range' and 'organic' systems suffer. Hens farmed in the most 'humane' ways still have their beaks chopped off without anaesthetic, fight each other for territory until they're missing feathers and have bare, sore skin, can be starved for weeks to prompt their egg laying cycle and are killed after 18 months when they can live for over a decade. On top of this, almost all of the male chicks are killed after one day, as this is when they can be sexed. They're of no use to the egg industry so they're gassed, macerated (ground up alive) or simply tossed away. So eating 'humane' doesn't really do a lot to save the animals. I used to think so, but then I read some more and watched more videos on the subject, and decided to go vegan (I'm also a lot healthier now).

There's no reason why you should be anemic if you have a vegetarian or vegan diet. You can get a perfectly adaquate amount of iron provided you take a little care and do a little research. The main reason why people 'got ill from being vegetarian/vegan' is that they cut the meat and animal products out of their diet and didn't replace them with other things.

Here's some information about foods containing iron from the Vegan Society website:

Examples of amounts of foods providing 2mg iron

Type of foodQuantity (g)

Pistachios14

Cashews (roasted)32

Whole lentils 57

Chick peas (boiled) 95

Wholemeal bread 74

Sesame seeds or tahini19

Black molasses22

Apricots (dried)59

Spinach (boiled)125

You don't even need supplements if you just enough food with iron. It's even in some fortified products such as cereals.

I've experienced the same thing with my family in going vegetarian and then vegan. Rejection, ridicule, embarrasment... it's annoying, but I just deal with it, because the animals mean a lot more than me being in a slightly uncomfortable position with members of my family. Maybe they'd admire you for sticking up for your beliefs, eventually.

Please don't hesitate to send me an e-mail if you have any more questions, I'd be more than happy to help and have a wealth of knowledge about the subject.

There's a link to the page about iron and also a main page where you can find lots more information in the sources block below.

I hope this helps,

Tim

Ok, I don't really know how to answer this question. For some reason, I don't buy most of the other answers. I don't necessarily believe that killing animals is just fine because "God put them here for us to eat" or "that's the way the food chain works." However, there is a difference between cruelty/abuse, and killing animals for food. I've seen videos of both, and watching two guys beat the heck out of a cow is much more upsetting to me, than seeing a cow get killed quickly, before she even knows what is happening to her. Cruelty is not a necessary part of the process. However, many of today's factory farms do practice cruelty every day, so if you eat meat from these sources, it is a bit hypocritical. If you decide to boycott companies that are known for animal cruelty (KFC comes to mind immediately), that will add some credibility to your proposal. One other thing I want to say, is that you don't have to be a vegetarian to insist that animals are treated better. Being against animal cruelty isn't just for vegetarians, every bit helps. Perhaps during your research you'll find info that will make you stop eating meat from farms that are cruel to animals.

Vegan Animal Cruelty

Yes. I'm not a vegetarian but still strongly against animal cruelty. I know there are some processors of meat that are very cruel to animals and I don't think that's right for one minute. I prefer to buy meat from the local butchers where I know the animals have been killed humanely and haven't suffered. I grew up on a farm and we grew a lot of our own livestock for meat and the animals were handled in a very humane way, and didn't have any suffering, and I believe some animals were made for our use for meat, and other products.

You need to follow your heart though, do what makes you happy. If you don't want to eat meat, that's your choice to make. If you're worrid about anaemia, make sure you eat a lot of green leafy vegetables as they are high in iron, silverbeet, spinach, cabbage etc and iron tablets may be a good idea too.

I hope I haven't offended anyone with my veiws, I haven't tried to. I think being vegetarian/non vegetarian is a very personal issue and everyone should be respected for their decision.

Well, technically, its not completely against animal cruelty. Animals still have to die so you can have food, but it's good that you don't eat at KFC (go to kfccruelty.com) so thats helping a little bit.

But you should look into starting ot become vegetarian from websites. I had the same problem with anemia. I started eating cereals like Smartstart and Total in the morning (which have 100% of your daily amount of iron). You can do that along with taking iron pills if it gets bad.

Yes, a non-vegetarian can be against animal cruelty. I eat meat quite happily, but still don't think the livestock should be treated cruelly. And yes, I know that some will say killing it is cruel, but it's not. Sure, it's not the best thing for the animal, but cruelty would involve pain beyond the absolute necessity. So if you can accept that the animal's purpose is for food, then you can still eat meat.

I don't think there's any link between anaemia and vegetarianism.

Of course!

There are regulations with respect to how animals are handled and processed.

There are stories of cruelty. However there are more cruelty reports from companies doing research.

Being a vegetarian is a personal choice that requires detail to your diet because you need to get your protein. I know many vegetarians. I always accommodate them when cooking a dinner. Making sure they have several choices when they come for dinner.

Discuss the options with your family. Do some research there are many great sources of information. Your doctor can also provide you with good information. You should see a doctor before starting so you get started on the right foot.

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Chef Robert

Author of Chef Robert Presents Romantic Dinners For Two

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No, it's not wrong. I think it's silly that you're worried about "getting on your family's nerves" with it though.. I mean that is nothing compared to an innocent being's torture and if they don't respect your decision sounds like you don't have a very supportive family (just being frank about it). Anemia is really not a concern at all I don't even know where you got that from. You can always take iron pills if you worry you won't get enough from your diet, but a daily multivitamin (which you should take regardless of whether you eat meat or not) should supply enough iron for your body.

ANYWAY, I think it's great that you're even considering becoming a "veggie". It takes a great mind to question the things that the rest of the world takes as standard and to really think about what eating meat involves (and to discover how awful the process of it ending up on your plate really is). I mean people talk about the concentration camps of Hitler's heyday as though they were the most ghastly thing ever (and of course they were ghastly) but don't realize this is what we force innocent creatures to endure day after day, year after year, because "it tastes good". People make me sick. Congrats for being one of the ones to restore my faith in good souls.

No it is not wrong. It's really good that you don't go to fast food chains though. You know, where I live (which is in the middle east) is a muslim country and in the Quran it says that it is okay for us to eat meat as long as it is "Halal". Halal is basically when the animal is killed quickly and in a way where they feel as little pain as possible. That meat is okay for us to eat. So that is why we eat meat here. But I have seen videos of how animals are killed in the states that made me cry. I just don't understand how people can be so cruel. I mean, I am not saying don't eat meat, I am just saying that why torture the animal first? Well, anyways my point is, yes you can still be against animal cruelty and not be vegetarian. Because if you think about it we need the protein from meat and we are on top of the food chain. Animals eat other animals right? Well unlike most people, I have stuck to chicken, beef and seafood. I don't want to be "exotic" and try other animals like horses, frogs, alligators, dogs, rabbits, goats, and lamb. I am just sticking to this and won't even try anything else because there is no need. I don't care how good it is, I don't NEED to eat anything else so I won't.

Are you morally against the killings of animals or morally against the torture of animals?

You can’t eat meat if you feel it’s morally wrong to kill an animal. If you are that passionate about ending the “torture” of animals, then it is ok to eat meat, provided you do amply research on wherever you are buying your meat, perhaps going as far as visiting that farm or you buy wild game from a hunter. Plus, fast food is probably off the list. I do not believe in animal “torture”, but find it acceptable to “kill animals for food intake, provided the process was done clean and fast as most religions promote, i.e. Christianity, Islam, Native American religions that I am aware of so far. It’s all part of the circle of life; torture is not part of that circle.