A new study finds plant-based dog food is healthier for the planet, and just as nutritious for dogs as meat-based diets. Here’s what the research says.
      • Jim East@slrpnk.netMEnglish
        2·
        2 months ago

        But one must buy

        In practice, in today’s world, yes, but in theory one could and preferably would exchange such items of value without the use of fiat currency, no? (I remember reading that supplementing another amino acid was also beneficial for cats, but I can never remember if it was carnosine or carnitine…)

          • Jim East@slrpnk.netMEnglish
            1·
            2 months ago

            I don’t mean that it would need to be formulated and produced on the local community level; even if production were more centralised, it could be traded/distributed outside of the capitalist monetary system if the people involved were so inclined. Again, in theory, not necessarily in a world so tightly controlled by industrial capitalism as that of today. I’d say that “one would need to acquire” rather than “one must buy” in the sense that nutrition requirements are what they are, independently of the monetary system. The last thing that we need is for people to justify non-human exploitation on the basis that the vegan alternative requires supporting a shadowy paedophilic corporate elite.

            (I looked it up, and it was L-carnosine that was beneficial but not strictly essential. Also mycoprotein would make more sense than legumes for methionine intake and urine acidity.)

  • stabby_cicada@slrpnk.net
    7·
    2 months ago

    Very few western vegans want to imagine that, in a vegan world, domestic pets would go the way of domestic livestock. But a world that takes animal rights seriously is not a world that uses animals for human pleasure, whether that pleasure comes from food or companionship. Vegans aren’t “pet owners” because vegans don’t see animals as things to be owned.

    Which is all to say, healthy plant based pet food may or may not be possible, but either way it’s not going to be vegan.

    • syreus@lemmy.world
      5·
      2 months ago

      I don’t own my dog. She is my roommate and best friend. If anyone doesn’t respect that then that’s the end of our conversation.

  • signaleleven@slrpnk.net
    2·
    2 months ago

    I have the feeling that nutritional choices are one of the strongest levers we can pull as individuals to reduce our footprint. I’m vegetarian (with occasional fish) and my dog mostly eats vegetarian wet food (with a balanced nutritional value, lentils as protein). The dry food is still made with meat (we mix in a veggie one when we find a good offer). He is the most uncomplicated eater so I guess we could shift even more towards full vegan, but my understanding is that pet food producers (outside of extremely luxury brands) are working mostly with the byproducts of the meat industry for humans, and it will also naturally shift as that industry shrinks.

        • stabby_cicada@slrpnk.net
          5·
          2 months ago

          Thank you!

          BP coined the term “carbon footprint”. BP didn’t invent the idea of measuring or reducing individual consumption. Fossil fuel propaganda has very effectively promoted the idea that you can either reduce your individual consumption or fight for societal and governmental change, playing one off against the other. But it’s not either / or. It’s both.