Ask Amy
Q: Why do some animal lovers still eat certain animals?
A: Your question reminds me of the title of an excellent book: Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, And Wear Cows. When I was first reading up on becoming vegan, it struck me that Americans' love for cats and dogs is rather arbitrary. In some countries, these animals are eaten. Why not here? In some countries, cows are sacred or pigs are not consumed. Why are they routinely consumed here?
It can be hard to break out of the cultural norms that some animals are to be valued, loved, and protected, while others should suffer and die for our dining pleasure. In Western society, we've attached certain attributes to some animals but ignored those same qualities in others. Pigs, for example, are highly intelligent animals (smarter than many dogs and even young children, according to research), yet they are mistreated and made into bacon on a regular basis.
For many years, I fell into this cultural trap without really thinking about. Now that my eyes are open to the value of all creatures, I treat all animals as equal. Some may be smarter, more social, or more docile than others, but all animals (including us) want to avoid pain and death. We all deserve to be happy and free.
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