I’ll bet all pet lovers at least consider some form of vegetarianism
My wife had been a lacto-ovo vegetarian since about 1986. I was also a lacto-ovo vegetarian until I developed an occasional craving for KFC original recipe chicken one day in 2001. You might think it odd that I remember the years so well, but it's because I was the one who started the whole business by trumpeting to family and friends that I was now a vegetarian in 1986.
After three weeks of occasional sounding off and fanfare about the whole vegetarian decision, I noticed my wife, too, had quit eating meat. We only fixed it for our two then-teen kids. My wife, Shirley, is a much more "stable," mature person than I and once she decides to do something -- she simply DOES it. Her life is best characterized day-after-day by that well-worn Nike slogan:"Just do it."
I remember my 2001 downfall so clearly because I had taken my wife to an airport about 200 miles from our home so she could fly to Oregon to visit her elderly mother. I stayed overnight in the city, rather than do the 200 miles in the wee hours. For whatever reason, as I sat there in the motel watching TV, I had this craving for the KFC, put my feelings of guilt (!) aside, and went out and bought a huge white-meat special deal of some kind.
Since then, I generally join my wife in her lacto-ovo vegetarianism, but still occasionally eat friend chicken. Yeah, not that good an idea, I know.
How about you? Are you vegetarian? If so, what "brand" or sort of vegetarianism do you follow -- and would you care to tell us why?
I titled this post the way I have because, ultimately, I find pet lovers more aware of animal and animal rights issues. Indeed, most pet owners/lovers I know either are vegetarian, or have thought about and/or tried vegetarianism. It just seems normal to me, since I love pets, to realize it isn't that necessary to classify one form of animal as "food" or "meat," and another as "pet" or "friend."
Share your thoughts with us, please.
Technorati Tags: pet lovers and vegetarianism, lacto-ovo vegetarianism, for pets and pet lovers