ah, hatemail~

[Truckinguy]

Those people should also know that the death of an animal in the wild is usually not a quiet peaceful death. Usually they are chased down and spend the last minutes of their lives in pain and terror. Some predators will actually start eating before the prey is fully dead. Not to mention that the life of a prey animal in the wild is one of constantly being alert and many episodes of being chased around before their life ends. It's not all frolicking in a peaceful sunny glade in the forest with rainbows and unicorns all around. Mother Nature can be cruel and harsh.

Our animals lead a mostly peaceful life and meet their end suddenly and likely without even seeing it coming. In the meantime they are cared for and protected until the final day.

Just my two cents...

 

[Zass]

To me it's more about what happens if there are not predators.
Disease, fighting, disability, starvation.

My own domestic lines seem to need constant culling to keep the unfit animals out of the gene pool.

 

[PSFAngoras]

I do always feel bad when I see the 'vegetarian fed' advertising on chicken products. Poor things!

...

I wonder what would happen when the people keeping those vegetarian fed backyard chicken flocks see those birds stumble upon a mouse or two in their coop! >

 

[Nyctra]

I wonder what would happen when the people keeping those vegetarian fed backyard chicken flocks see those birds stumble upon a mouse or two in their coop! >

From the pet chicken blog posts I've seen, they tend to freak out then take it away - assuming they can get to the bird before it gulps it down! Chickens can make real quick work of mice. lol Quicker than any cat I've seen.
I think they must've eaten more mice behind my back than I caught with the water bucket trap.

 

[EagleGirl]

I have to admit that for a long time I don't think I realized to what degree chickens are omnivores rather than herbivores/insectivores. I think I always pictured them eating mostly grains, with some insects, veggies and greens. Then I started to actually look into it and found out about them eating meat, guts, and the like, and it being perfectly fine and natural. :lol: So I can't really blame most people too much for thinking that about chickens, though if they have chickens themselves they should really do more research... :roll:

 

[MaggieJ]

:yeahthat: please How does she get the gravy so tight? mine is always runny.....and that crust looks divine :dinner: .....Oh and great reply to the hater...... :lol:

When I make a meat pie (usually rabbit) I zap a handful of oatmeal in the blender if the gravy is too runny. I just mix it into the filling and it thickens the gravy as it bakes.

That pie sure does look splendid! I could go for a big piece of it for supper.

 

[ckcs]

I never understand why people try to get there point across in a negative way like the anonymous person. By all means if you want to convince me that eating meat is wrong, have at it. I'll discuss the subject with you. Soon as you go over the edge though we are done. Those that eat animals should contact the animal rights extremist and behave the same.

Not anonymous writes:

If I could break in and get rid of all your fruits and vegetables, I would do it in a heartbeat. After I take them I'll leave nothing for you to eat but eggs, milk and chicken. I'll take your hemp belt and replace it with leather. You disgust me

 

[EagleGirl]

I never understand why people try to get there point across in a negative way like the anonymous person. By all means if you want to convince me that eating meat is wrong, have at it. I'll discuss the subject with you. Soon as you go over the edge though we are done. Those that eat animals should contact the animal rights extremist and behave the same.

Not anonymous writes:

If I could break in and get rid of all your fruits and vegetables, I would do it in a heartbeat. After I take them I'll leave nothing for you to eat but eggs, milk and chicken. I'll take your hemp belt and replace it with leather. You disgust me

Umm... not what I would advise. :shock: I hope you are joking? That would just enforce their opinion that you are the crazy one. They probably wouldn't understand the irony play, or if they did would just think it immature... and not realize that they were immature, and more, to begin with.

 

[Miss M]

I assume all these saviors of animals convert all their animals to a vegetarian diet too, right?

Considering all the vegetarian and vegan cat food, dog food, and even chicken feed out there... a good number of them do. :|

Good grief! And here me and mom had recently been dumbfounded over all the corn in some of the dog and cat food we've seen. Who could think that corn is a natural or even halfway reasonable diet for a dog or cat? Now you tell me there are entirely meat-free dog and cat foods out there? :shock:

Sadly, yep:

http://www.redbirdfarms.com/healthy-chicken/
http://www.bellandevans.com/content/all-vegetarian-diet
http://www.peta.org/issues/companion-an ... dogs-cats/
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/produc ... ductId=18&
http://www.veggiepets.com/
http://www.vegancats.com/
http://petfoodshop.com/

<br /><br /> __________ Sat Jan 24, 2015 7:43 pm __________ <br /><br />

I never understand why people try to get there point across in a negative way like the anonymous person. By all means if you want to convince me that eating meat is wrong, have at it. I'll discuss the subject with you. Soon as you go over the edge though we are done. Those that eat animals should contact the animal rights extremist and behave the same.

Not anonymous writes:

If I could break in and get rid of all your fruits and vegetables, I would do it in a heartbeat. After I take them I'll leave nothing for you to eat but eggs, milk and chicken. I'll take your hemp belt and replace it with leather. You disgust me

Umm... not what I would advise. :shock: I hope you are joking? That would just enforce their opinion that you are the crazy one. They probably wouldn't understand the irony play, or if they did would just think it immature... and not realize that they were immature, and more, to begin with.

Oh, yes, I do believe Ckcs was joking. It might be amusing to see how they would react, but I doubt that they would get the irony, as you said.

 

[michaels4gardens]

I have to admit that for a long time I don't think I realized to what degree chickens are omnivores rather than herbivores/insectivores. I think I always pictured them eating mostly grains, with some insects, veggies and greens. Then I started to actually look into it and found out about them eating meat, guts, and the like, and it being perfectly fine and natural. :lol: So I can't really blame most people too much for thinking that about chickens, though if they have chickens themselves they should really do more research... :roll:

rabbits are only herbivores when forced to be so-- if given the choice, they will make short work of a roast beef sandwich.

 

[EagleGirl]

You tricked me into clicking on a PETA link... Lol...
So some places feed meat to cattle, but others won't feed it to chickens, or even dogs or cats? :x Seriously messed up! I think my brain is gonna explode from all the crazy I'm hearing in this thread...

rabbits are only herbivores when forced to be so-- if given the choice, they will make short work of a roast beef sandwich.

Ummm..... :shock: :help:

:explode:

 

[Zass]

It's true. I had a house bun go after a bowl of mashed potatoes and rabbit gravy.

I tend to think that most of those very opinionated vegans must have never known hardship or "food insecurity" themselves.
Don't get me wrong.
I don't dislike the vegetarian and vegan mentality.
It is, in essence, an attempt at taking responsibility. At the core, there is often the same repulsion with industrial farming practices that set many of us onto the path of raising our own meat animals to begin with.

It's only those who take things to extremes, use verbal(or written) abuse, and try to force their beliefs onto others that are disgusting to me...no matter what beliefs they hold.

 

[Celice]

It's only those who take things to extremes, use verbal(or written) abuse, and try to force their beliefs onto others that are disgusting to me...no matter what beliefs they hold.

:yeahthat: I know many people in my life that will not touch meat, but they don't tell me anything bad about me wearing a rabbit fur coat or eating a bunny-pot pie. I honestly don't care what other people do, if they think eating just veggies is better for you then go for it, but I personally can't. I have to have meat in my diet it's just a craving that I have and there is no way I's going to be stopping that anytime soon.

this conversation also comes up with my taxidermy business on DA. people can't understand that culling a few will be better for the population; whether it's foxes or rabbits.

I think people like to humanize animals so that we will not want to harm them in movies like "Open Season", "Fox and the Hound", and "Bambi" people think they are seeing the animals point of view of their horrible lives, but they are only seeing what other human think the animals feel when it is being hunted.

But it's far from the truth.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

It's possible sometimes to force a dog to live on a vegan diet, but it really will kill a cat because they require the taurine found in animal meat.

Don't'cha know, EagleGirl? Wolfies only go around eating bunnies they find dead already. They're far too noble to maim them.

Your cat food with meat probably already has added taurine. A vegan cat food can indeed be survivable so long as they add (typically synthetic, since it'd be counter intuitive to use meat, lol) taurine. However vegetables have a lower ph (than meat) so cats can develop urine crystals, which is why most vegans don't feed a vegan cat food, nor is it recommended.

That said, a vegan dog food is pretty safe. But I've never even met anyone who feeds it.
And vegans know wolves eat rabbits and are fine with it, because a wolf can't just go buy vegan food or eat a vegan diet. It's why most vegans are fine with those who have to hunt for food, if otherwise they'd starve.

I get why y'all might dislike vegans, and I do agree a lot of internet vegans are, er, uh... :lol: ridiculous, including the one in the original post, but most are pretty reasonable people who simply believe that animals shouldn't be killed if we can help it. It's just the ones who can say stuff anonymously that suck.

With that said, I think that pie looks delicious.

 

[EagleGirl]

It's true. I had a house bun go after a bowl of mashed potatoes and rabbit gravy.

That doesn't mean it's a good idea! :shock: Some crazy does eat their babies... it doesn't mean that they are supposed to eat meat or that it's good for them; with the possible exception the placenta, with special nutrients right after the stress of birth. Rabbit digestive systems are specialized and delicately balanced to digest plant matter. Much like cows with their four stomachs for digesting grass. A rare occurrence of eating meat, or the special case for the placenta, may not harm them, but surely it can't be healthy to actually give them meat. Not all protein is the same.


And yeah, as long as they keep their opinions as just that, opinions, without trying to dictate what others eat or do, best of luck to them. And there are other reasons some become vegetarians or vegans. But those that try to impose their craziness on others, like most of those who think that animals are better than people and we must have no contact with them in any way (PETA); or those who think animals are just like humans, and think like humans, and so their pets are their spoiled brat "children", and anyone who could kill a cute little bunny is a monster... ugg. :wall: The former are crazy anti-humans and the latter have no concept of what animals are really like! Even then, as long as they don't go "rescuing" someone's animals, or passing crazy laws to persecute us, or harassing us for what we believe, they can keep their delusions and even debate them with us if they are polite.

I think I better take a break, I'm going into rant mode and preaching to the choir... :soap:

 

[Miss M]

You tricked me into clicking on a PETA link... Lol...

:lol: I wondered if anybody was going to get me for that!

It's true. I had a house bun go after a bowl of mashed potatoes and rabbit gravy.

Yes, I have read here and there where a rabbit will occasionally tear into meat... all I can figure is that, like herbs that a rabbit will turn its nose up at unless it actually needs them for health, its body knows it is short on something that meat can provide. :shrug:

I honestly don't care what other people do, if they think eating just veggies is better for you then go for it, but I personally can't. I have to have meat in my diet it's just a craving that I have and there is no way I's going to be stopping that anytime soon.

Same here. Sometimes, we'll have vegetable dinners, but I can't seem to go without meat for more than two days in a row. I start feeling hungry even when I'm full -- and not hungry in a normal way, but in a must-have-meat-protein way.

I tend to think that most of those very opinionated vegans must have never known hardship or "food insecurity" themselves.

This is what I have figured, too.

I think I better take a break, I'm going into rant mode and preaching to the choir... :soap:

:lol:

 

[JenerationX]

I've known vegans that I fully respect for what they've had to read and learn to incorporate enough protein into their diets without the meats. It's not that easy to do. People that simply decide to stop eating meat and survive on just salads are sadly undernourished. I did the vegan thing when I stayed with a friend for 4 days and was fine with his food but most of the vegan meals leave me craving a pound of bacon. My body knows something's missing when it is.

 

[michaels4gardens]

It's true. I had a house bun go after a bowl of mashed potatoes and rabbit gravy.

That doesn't mean it's a good idea! :shock: Some crazy does eat their babies... it doesn't mean that they are supposed to eat meat or that it's good for them; with the possible exception the placenta, with special nutrients right after the stress of birth. Rabbit digestive systems are specialized and delicately balanced to digest plant matter. Much like cows with their four stomachs for digesting grass. A rare occurrence of eating meat, or the special case for the placenta, may not harm them, but surely it can't be healthy to actually give them meat. Not all protein is the same.


And yeah, as long as they keep their opinions as just that, opinions, without trying to dictate what others eat or do, best of luck to them. And there are other reasons some become vegetarians or vegans. But those that try to impose their craziness on others, like most of those who think that animals are better than people and we must have no contact with them in any way (PETA); or those who think animals are just like humans, and think like humans, and so their pets are their spoiled brat "children", and anyone who could kill a cute little bunny is a monster... ugg. :wall: The former are crazy anti-humans and the latter have no concept of what animals are really like! Even then, as long as they don't go "rescuing" someone's animals, or passing crazy laws to persecute us, or harassing us for what we believe, they can keep their delusions and even debate them with us if they are polite.

I think I better take a break, I'm going into rant mode and preaching to the choir... :soap:

The "rabbits are vegetarian" statements [by supposed experts, often quoted in reference books, and on-line] are completely unsupported by any real science, and have "misled" a lot of people. Even a shallow look at how rabbits were raised in the 19th , and early 20th century, will prove that rabbits are omnivores-- rabbits are amazing because they survive and do quite well on a plant diet, using plant materials that are not usable/ digestible by humans. Thus converting this "unusable" plant excess into very usable food and fur, for humans.
Even a small experiment by any rabbit raiser, - will show that if given a choice, rabbits will readily consume all kinds of [cooked, for safety] meat and meat products. -- as long as they have plenty of long stem fiber to balance their system, they will grow faster, and live a longer, and more healthy productive life if given a choice / chance to add meat to their diet.
I don't promote "feeding meat to rabbits" as that defeats the reason for raising rabbits for meat, as meat is a valuable food source for humans and our other pets, -- but-- if we have excess meat, or meat scraps, rabbits will readily recycle those for us.
[we could have this same discussion about sheep]

 

[Nyctra]

I was actually pretty shocked to find my free ranged guinea pigs would gladly eat meats my dog turned his back on, or that I left out on the ground to thaw... :shock: I seemed to also have a scary murderous cannibalizing bunch that would leave me nothing but some bones and skin.. :x Vegetarian my butt! Squirrels and deer will have a munch on meats as well...The deer out here are as bad as the vultures and ravens.

Luckily, I think most people have dogs or chickens to toss their meat scraps to.

 

[Dood]

:yeahthat: or a deer carcass

Yesterday I was hiking with my pups and came across a pack of cotton tails dining on deer entrails (likely left my an early morning poacher ) it was late morning so the carnivores must have been hiding out, giving the bunnies the chance at some easy protein and fat for their winter diet

They also devour suet, kindly dislodged by the squirrels from the bird feeder.