Where are the saved animals?

Vegans and vegetarians do not save animals, despite their frequent claims to the contrary.

When challenged, they generally attempt to qualify what they mean by "saved"; they claim that, by not eating meat, less livestock is produced, therefore the animals are saved- from life.

Putting aside the obvious fact that preventing something from existing hardly constitutes "saving" it, those veg*ns making these claims are able to prove only that they do not understand supply and demand. They think a reduction in demand correlates exactly with a reduction in supply- however it doesn't.

Livestock is a commodity, and most of the costs associated with livestock production are relatively fixed. Because of this, a livestock producer (farmer) makes more money by producing more livestock, regardless of minor price fluctuations caused by fluctuations in demand. In theory, a reduction in demand would result in a reduction in price, which would then increase demand. It is in the economic interest of the producer to produce as much livestock as facilities allow.

In other words, the fact that veg*ns do not eat meat does not have the claimed effect of decreasing livestock production. Yes, if everybody stopped eating meat, there would be no more livestock industry, but that is not the claim they are making; the claim they are making is that each veg*n saves X amount of animals, which is patently false. If any of the veg*ns in this section could provide even a single example of a livestock producer that reduced output or closed due to veg*ns, I would be very interested in knowing about it, but thus far no such example has been provided.

Veg*ns often state that they don't eat meat because they cannot support an industry that they oppose; I am all in favor of voting with your checkbook. I do the same thing, but I don't pretend or make phony claims about it in an effort to inflate my own self-worth.

The facts may not support the claim. If vegans did not eat the animals, someone else probably did. If everyone was a vegan, then you would see some evidence that these animals were "saved" but it's very doubtful that a vegan "saves" 100 animals from slaughter every year. More likely it's that the demand for processed meat drops a bit--but those who DO eat processed meats will be eating what the vegans don't. I don't consider this dishonest, it's simply a mis-use of the facts and statistics.

Sadly, I agree with Dion J's answer, the consumption of animals has been steadily growing, not diminishing, I'm also not clear as to why veg*ns refuse to acknowledge this fact.

Here's what I consider saving:

http://www.directactionforanimals.org/

As for those who condemn direct action as violence, f* 'em; they want to munch on their seitan sandwiches while bemoaning those who are trying to save a chicken or a pig from a beating or a lifetime of madness. People who engage in rescue have saved far more animals than eating buckets of tofu and kale, or posting incessant questions on YA ever will.

It blows my mind how people are too stupid to understand supply and demand. Veganism is on the rise, and meat consumption in the USA is down. That's fact. Less animals are bred, therefore less are slaughtered needlessly. That's how corporations stay afloat- they don't breed and pump animals full of hormones that they are going to toss away. They breed less.

Also if you look at the World Health Organization as well as the United Nations- vegans save 7 HUMAN lives every year- being that the decrease in demand means a decrease in demand of slave labor, which the meat industry uses in 3rd world countries to help subsidize your 10 dollar burger for 5.

I would answer, but apparently my brain is too small to comprehend anything and retain the information provided. However, I just think that you lack respect for the choices of others and come here to inflate your own ego.

Oh, why not.

At the same time, it is nice to see you post the out-dated (if not possibly false) statistic that veg*ns eventually go back to eating meat. (I apologize for not recalling the numbers. I've seen your claim very frequently to the point that I skim over the statement.) According your "question" it seems as though it's okay for you to make claims, but not others. Again, you make a claim, but did not provide the direct source.

Do you ever really have a point to your questions and comments? Perhaps I am incorrectly speculating, but it appears that your agenda is to incorrectly foster stereotypes and lump a group of people together and possibly make you appear ignorant. Not every veg*n makes those claims or even advertises their choice.

The rest are eaten by the rest of us obviously. And the population doesn't increase because most are farmed and bred for our consumption. They do actually save these animals. With demand comes supply. The vegans are saving the animals from dying a painful end at their hands. If everybody's a vegan, then animals are truly saved from being killed by humans.

I love how you start out with a generalization.

Maybe I should just start eating meat again, because I'm not "saving animals"

Effectively that many animals will never be born when they would have been, which is for the best given the treatment they would receive.

I would love to see their proof but it almost never appears, and what does is normally biased in some way shape or form.

eaten regardless.