My friend, who is a vegan, made a terrible mistake. She bought a goldfish at the pet store for a Christmas gift for her brother. I told her it was immoral for vegans to go to a pet store and even more immoral for a vegan to buy a pet. She said itis only a .25 goldfish. I think she is so wrong. To make matters worse she is a leading member of our animal rights group. How should I make her see that she is wrong?
2007-11-27 05:00:38 · 36 answers · asked by Anonymous in Food & Drink ➔ Vegetarian & Vegan
I suggest you grab your bat and beat some common sense into her...
No?
Okay... just kidding...
:oX
2007-11-27 07:16:11 · answer #1 · answered by mookiemonkee 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Being a vegan is about diet and not about owning a pet. It is never immoral for anyone to own a pet unless they abuse it. Would you not give a good home to a dog or cat? A goldfish is no different. It also has nothing to do with animal rights, which is about the abuse of animals, not specifically the ownership of animals. It will be difficult to make her see "that she is wrong" because she isn't.
2007-11-27 05:09:15 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
it is not immoral for a vegan to have a pet! i have a dog. is it immoral to adopt pets from shelters? or is it better for them to freeze to death on the street or starve or get hit by a car or die soem other horrible way when they could be in a shelter and adopted into a loving family?
and pet fish. My fish lived in a teeny little tank in the fishstore, and i bought him for a couple dollars and now he lives in a five liter tank. i can't exactly get on a plane and fly him back to where he came from now can i? he would die because he doesn't know how to survive in the wild!
and my rabbit. it was rescued too. my mom found it outside in the snow, but it was a domestic rabbit that somebody freed. it was half starved until my mom told me to bring itin our house and take care of it.
the short answer is: it is not immoral for vegans to have pets because people have made this world a very insafe place for animals and if vegans are against cruelty to animals they should try to shelter them in their homes as members of the family.
you should apologize to your friend. tell her you were wrong. if it was immoral for a vegan to go into a petstore, wouldn't it be immoral to go into the grocery store too? they sell meat, and eggs and dairy products.
2007-11-30 04:38:53 · answer #3 · answered by karaem33355 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's nothing wrong with having a pet and being vegan. Good for her if she's in an animal rights group...she'll know how to properly care for the fish and any other animal she chooses to have.
2007-11-27 05:11:56 · answer #4 · answered by mar 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I know what you mean about buying a pet, that keeping animals confined is wrong. However, I also believe that that goldfish is going to get bought by SOMEBODY anyway, so may as well make sure it has a good home by living with you. I know, it's a problem for me too. :)
2007-11-27 10:12:03 · answer #5 · answered by ~ 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I dont think she is being wrong. And you say she is the leader of your animal rights group yet she can believe whatever she wants and if she believes that buying a goldfish is not you should respect tht and not try and force her into believe it is wrong just because she has influence on others who you want to believe the same things as you. You talk about animal rights but what about human rights to make decisions and choices and have free will without obligation...?
2007-11-27 05:04:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
I think most of you people are missing the point - I believe it is wrong to BREED and SELL animals for profit, as though they were merchandise and not living things, therefore I believe it is wrong to BUY an animal - from a pet store, or even a "reputable" breeder.
I do not believe it is wrong to have a pet, however. This world is FULL of unwanted animals and of course we can't just turn them all out onto the street to fend for themselves - therefore I wholly support the ADOPTION of animals into loving homes. If everyone stopped going to the pet store to buy a dog, cat, rabbit, rodent, bird, fish, or what have you, all the millions of poor shelter animals wouldn't have to suffer and die every day.
I myself have two cats. One was adopted from the SPCA, and the other was a stray kitten that I rescued.
2007-11-27 05:56:46 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
It's a goldfish with a natural life expectancy of about 5 minutes in the wild.
I'd say it's less moral to release the goldfish.
2007-11-27 08:42:28 · answer #8 · answered by Darkwolf 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Just because you believe something does not mean everyone around you has to believe it too. I have a vegan friend who owns a cat and their is nothing wrong with that. You can't TELL people what to do. You just give your opinion if asked and be there for them as a friend.
2007-11-27 05:06:17 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Nothing.
What she does is none of your business.
Trying to force your friends to live by YOUR rules is a great way to end up friendless.
There's an idea that we should all spend all of our time telling everyone else to live. This idea is wrong.
Not only can you not force people to think and act as you want, it's rude to try.
If you want to educate people, use public means, where you aren't bothering people who don't want to hear what you have to say.
Would you really like everyone you know constantly harping at you for everything you do? Criticizing and nagging you and trying to force you to live by THEIR rules?
Or would you REALLY HATE that?
2007-11-27 08:10:52 · answer #10 · answered by tehabwa 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honestly what is the big deal its not like she is abusing it. She bought a fish big deal. How is it immoral for a vegan to have a pet? she isnt eating it!!!
2007-11-27 05:03:16 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 12⤊ 0⤋