{"id":827,"date":"2019-05-14T10:39:12","date_gmt":"2019-05-14T10:39:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/?post_type=articles&p=827"},"modified":"2019-05-21T14:49:34","modified_gmt":"2019-05-21T14:49:34","slug":"do-vegans-keep-pets","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/articles\/do-vegans-keep-pets\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Vegans Keep Pets?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Want to know if vegans can keep pets and if having a cat, dog or other animal is okay if you\u2019re a vegan? The answer to the title question Do Vegans Keep Pets?<\/em> is actually really simple. Some vegans do keep pets (though they often don\u2019t use that word), whilst some do not.<\/p>\n That simple answer is quite instructive because, ultimately, like many things within the vegan world, whether one thinks having a pet is okay or not is a personal issue. Obviously some things, like eating meat or buying a leather jacket are non-negotiable when it comes to veganism; but many other issues vegans face are far more complex and nuanced. The Vegan Society offers vegan accreditation to palm oil but is palm oil<\/a> really vegan when its growth is so destructive to the habitat of animals? Should a vegan use medicines<\/a> that have been tested on animals? And, there\u2019s even an argument to suggest organic veg<\/a> isn\u2019t vegan.<\/p>\n It is not our style here at Vegan Friendly to speak in moral absolutes or pass judgement on anyone for the way they apply their vegan beliefs. Even a chegan<\/em><\/a> (that\u2019s a \u201ccheating vegan\u201d by the way!) is doing more to help animals and the world in general than someone who eats plenty of meat. Equally, someone trying Veganuary<\/a> for the first time may well be on the road to becoming a fully-fledged vegan, so should be encouraged, not belittled.<\/p>\n So, if you are a vegan wanting to know whether you are \u201callowed\u201d to keep a pet, we would say do what your heart feels is right. That said, here are the key things to consider and the main arguments for and against vegans keeping pets, so maybe have a good read first and let your heart follow your head\u2019s lead on the issue!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Before we look at the rights and wrongs and moral arguments of keeping pets, let us first consider the terminology. In vegan circles, what the mainstream world calls pets are almost always referred to as \u201ccompanion animals\u201d. Ultimately, there is no difference between a pet and a companion animal – they are simply different phrases for the same thing.<\/p>\n By using the phrase \u201ccompanion animals\u201d, those that keep them are trying to emphasise the reciprocal nature of the relationship. The animal is not owned like a piece of property but lives as a companion. The word companion<\/em> comes from the Latin and ancient French for breaking bread, meaning someone with whom you would eat and share.<\/p>\n Ultimately, the specific name we give to something does not alter what that thing actually is, nor does it alter its moral status. Whilst some people may prefer the phrase companion animal, we will use that and the word pet interchangeably within this article.<\/p>\n“Companion Animals”<\/h2>\n
Is Keeping Animals Vegan?<\/h2>\n