can you eat meat and still be an animal lover?

Question

ok so i am having a debate with my brother he says that you are a hypocrit if you say you are an animal lover but then you eat a hamburger or some type of meat and when you say "that is so wrong" when you see people using their animals in dog fights or when people eat dogs or when people leave there animals in terrible living conditions. but then we eat pigs and cows and have millions of cows and pigs in slaughter houses. so what is your point of view. can you say you love animals and hate when they are hurt but then eat a hamburger and what not?

Answer 1

Of course. Some creatures are herbivores. Some creatures are carnivores. Some creatures are omnivores. We are omnivores. We were built to eat both plant and animal. Individuals can absolutely choose not to, but we are built *by nature* to eat both.

If you ask me, the real hypocrites are people who allege to revere nature and then demonstrate that they don't understand how nature actually works. Death is as much a part of nature as Life, and while I'm not personally in a rush to experience it, I also don't see it as the ultimate in terrible things that can happen to a being. Factory farms are a horrible and highly unnatural thing. Eating respectfully-raised meat is not. Big difference there. And don't even get me started on "animal lovers" who try to convert their carnivore pet cats and dogs onto vegetarian / vegan diets.

In my mind, you can not begin to compare humane slaughter of a food animal with the torture that is inflicted on abused animals and fighting dogs. Of course the catch comes in that some large amount of our current food supply actually does live out a short and miserable existence without humane slaughter. I'd say in that case, avoid hypocrisy by purchasing free-range meats or better still, buying off the farm from local farmers where you can see the conditions of the animals for yourself. Personally, I feel good about eating a lot of venison, the ultimate in free-range.

Answer 2

Sorry, much as people would like to believe it, you cannot call yourself an animal lover and also eat meat.

Some might call it hypocrisy, but I think it is due to ignorance and a wilful effort to avoid thinking about the misery inflicted on animals raised for slaughter, and the pain they feel when they are murdered. It does not matter if you don't personally slaughter the cow or pig or chicken or fish that you are consuming. You are still responsible for that killing. Otherwise, why do they convict people of murder who hire a killer to kill someone else? It's the exact same logic.

Nor can you call yourself an animal lover if you profess to like dogs and cats and horses, but eat cows and fish and pigs and chickens.

Animals feel suffering intensely - you can see it in their eyes, hear it in their cries, feel it in their body language as they are being led to slaughter. And you end up feeling the same when you consume their meat, for those stress hormones are released into the meat. You are indeed what you eat!

Answer 3

Of course! Animals eat other animals and they're capable of loving other animals. (is that confusing?) If you eat meat or something, you aren't causing that animal pain. In dogfights, animals get hurt and die (mainly dogs, which are houshold pets). The animals we eat are usually cows and pigs. Some farms actually are created just for the purpose of breeding these animals for our food. You can eat meat and still be an animal lover.

Answer 4

Yes, you can be an animal lover and eat meat and not be a hypocrite.

Does that mean an animal lover wouldn't drive a car because of all the bugs that are killed on the windshield and grill.

A hypocrite is an anti fur person that wears leather!

Answer 5

Of course! I feel so bad for killing cows and chickens but you have to eat for the protein. It is not exactly a hypocrytical *if thats a word lol* thing. Sure go ahead and eat some chicken nuggets and a hamburger. I see what your brother is thinking but oh well. I totally think that you should go ahead and eat meat!
I love animals to,
From,
JJ

Answer 6

I know people will get mad at me for saying this, but my view on it is, and always has been: the same amount of cows are going to die whether or not i eat a hamburger. If my stopping eating the hamburger wwould stop the death of the cows I wouldn't do it. No, I will not go slaughter the animal i am about to eat, and yes I will still eat it.

Answer 7

You can still be an animal lover and eat meat. I love to eat meat and i love animals. eating meat is just a part of the food chain. The people who eat the meat do not get arrested,like someone abusing an animal.

Answer 8

I guess your brother might be right.. if you are talking animal lover.. You probably wouldn't eat any animals.. If you are a Dog lover however .. you are allowed to eat all the meat you want.. just can't eat dogs..

But chickens, cows etc are put her for us to eat... and are not considered companion animals.. It depends.. You have to figure it out yourself and what your line is..

I am a dog lover.. I love dogs, I eat cows, chickens and pigs..
I like animals.. but consider non companion animals food.

You can hate when they are hurt.. I would hate to see pigs, cows and chickens hurt.. Killed humanely for the BBQ is fine, but I wouldn't want to see one suffering and dying slowly..

Answer 9

Animals eat other animals, like black footed ferrets eat prarie dogs or cheetahs eat gazelles. We're just another animal. Plus, it's healthy. You get iron and stuff you need from meat.

Answer 10

Well, yes and no. As the New Vegetarians think like your Brother. They won't even wear shoes with leather, or clothes of leather or eat the foods of an animal, except fish and some will eat chicken. However, remembering that cows, pigs, lamb, deer, buffalo,elk, ducks, chickens, geese, etc have been food for the human race for near eternity. And are raised as our food source. Cows provide milk and cheeses, as do goats. I would never think of eating, or harming my dogs, or birds. Some cultures, do eat cats, and dogs. They are only another animal to them. Some cultures eat ordinary bugs for food. My point of view to your ? is Yes. I love animals have pets, and hate to see animals tortured, as that is wrong. Remember, Dog fighting is illegal, for that reason, it is torture to the dogs before they are ready to fight by forcing things into their bodies to make them mad. Only SICKO's do this, no one normal with any heart or compassion. My point of view to the sicko's....they need the same thing done to them....that is fair.