Facts of Life - 1 - Companion Animals

Some simple facts about the companion animal industry worth thinking about...

A Gorilla.. Thinking about it..

1. Roughly 50% of all fish caught goes toward feeding companion animals.
   
2. In 1986, around 70% of animal medicines were used in farm livestock. Now over half animal medicine sales, by value, are for companion animal use.
   
3. Pet food provides a convenient way for slaughterhouse offal, grains considered “unfit for human consumption,” and similar waste products to be turned into profit. This waste includes intestines, udders, heads, hooves, and possibly diseased and cancerous animal parts. - about 50% of every food animal does not get used in human foods. Whatever remains of the carcass — heads, feet, bones, blood, intestines, lungs, spleens, livers, ligaments, fat trimmings, unborn babies, and other parts not generally consumed by humans — is used in pet food.
   
4. Because irresponsible people accidentally or intentionally allow their animals to reproduce, about 10 million “excess” dogs and cats will be killed in shelters this year, while millions of homeless animals live short, hard, hungry lives on the streets, only to die miserably from disease, injury, or predation.
   
5. Most dogs sold in pet stores, through multiple breed newspaper ads, or over the Internet come from “puppy mills,” where dogs are bred solely for profit, are kept in abhorrent conditions, and are frequently denied adequate veterinary care.
   
6. In some localities, animals who end up in shelters may be sold into research through a practice known as pound seizure.
   
7. companion animals from clinics, pounds, and shelters can and are being rendered and used as sources of protein in pet food.

Disobedient Beaver

These are just a random selection of some of the multitude of facts, that many, even seasoned vegetarians, are not fully aware of, and reasons why it is worth considering not being part of this particular animal domination field..

- Or at the very least why serious efforts should be made to feed pets a more sane diet. In my opinion, preferably a raw vegan one, but better still to take a firm step forward from keeping animals as pets, and realise that doing so is degrading for both animals and ourselves.

peace,
mango the raw vegan fruitarian.