The NY Times published an article about “A group in Rhode Island [that] has created a fertility bank for heritage livestock, freezing embryos in preparation for an outbreak of disease – or the next food trend.” The article, of course, is in the “Dining & Wine” section of the newspaper.

The nonvegan who sent me this link asked “We have to eat these animals to save them???” Of course not! It’s absurd, the lengths to which animal agribusiness will spin the truth. We DON’T have to eat animals in order to prevent their extinction.

Let me give you some examples of how animals bred by humans for one purpose can find a place within our current society without having to fulfill that original purpose. “Herding dogs” such as Border Collies, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Australian Shepherds, and Shetland Sheepdogs are rarely used for herding farm animals. Herding dogs excel in “dog sports” like agility, flyball, disc, obedience, and even dance:

Herding dogs rarely actually herd. Even the AKC, not even remotely an animal rights organization, says:

“The vast majority of Herding dogs, as household pets, never cross paths with a farm animal. Nevertheless, pure instinct prompts many of these dogs to gently herd their owners, especially the children of the family. In general, these intelligent dogs make excellent companions and respond beautifully to training exercises.” (source)

This shift from farm to family is mostly due to the sad fact that the farm animals have been moved indoors into factories, confined into small stalls and so they aren’t out grazing on a pasture. But the shift of these dog breeds from outdoor herding dog to indoor pet dog (or preferably “family member”) is just one example of how animals who have been bred for one purpose can continue to survive without fear of extinction yet they don’t have to provide humans with the particular service that they were bred for.

Another example: the dog breeds known as “hunting dogs” are rarely used by humans for hunting. Like the herding dogs, dogs who were bred for hunting can do something other than hunt: some become police dogs or service dogs for people with disabilities. Or they become fun family pets. (Sadly, many are also used in animal experiments.)

These examples are facts. I am not suggesting that animals should be bred for any human use, be it for herding, hunting, sport, or pet. However, the reality is that people do “breed” animals for a variety of human “uses.” My point in the examples above is simply to demonstrate that the uses for bred animals can vary. The uses for animals in the past need not determine the uses for animals in the future… in more ways than one.

The people who fear veganism because they think it will result in the extinction of some species or breeds of animals are not thinking creatively. There’s more than one way to peal a mango! And there’s more than one way to appreciate an animal.

“Food animals” do not need to be food. The only “dying breeds” I want to go extinct are the breeds of humans who torture and kill animals.

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For the record, I share my home with a rescued “herding dog” who now does flyball and disc. We involved her in dog sports in order to help direct her herding drive into something more family-friendly, vegan-friendly, and just plain fun. She also tries to herd the cats in the household, but cats are not cows and they will not easily be herded

And also for the record, anyone interested in “training” their dog should always, always, always use positive, kind methods: reward desired behavior with treats, praise, and play and discourage undesired behavior by withholding rewards.

Sections: Vegan Theory
Topics: birds, breeds, chicken, chicks, dogs, farm animals, food animals, hen, poultry, turkey, veg, Vegan