Are you a vegetarian? Can you keep pets that do not eat meat? Or how do you go about keeping pets that eat meat? Can you include meat in the diet of such pets? Well, these are questions that many people who are vegetarian ask. Since there are pets that eat some brassicas like broccoli and other kinds of nutritious vegetables, then you can buy such pets and keep them at home. One of the things that vegetarians do not want to do is engage in the handling any kind of meat, whether for themselves or for their pets. For this reason, most vegetarians will prefer to keep pets that can comfortably live on a vegetarian diet.
Before we dwell on some of the pets that vegans can keep, we want to discuss a few pertinent issues that have to do with vegans and pets.
Here are some questions about vegans and pets and their answers:
1. Can you keep a pet as a vegan?
The fact that vegans do not approve of eating animals and animal products means that some of them may not approve of keeping pets. Well, whether a vegan can keep a pet or not is purely a matter of personal decision. The fact that pets are companion animals may make it necessary for a vegan to keep a pet. We can say that some vegans do keep pets and others do not. It is a matter of personal conviction to make such a decision.
2. Is it vegetarian to keep animals?
This is another common query for people who would like to be vegans. For animals that are vegans such as rabbits, Guinea pigs, and others, it is easy for one to decide to keep these. However, those who need to keep cats will be in a tricky situation since such animals are largely omnivorous. The fact that the nutritional needs of animals have to be met means that one would be in a fix when it comes to keeping omnivorous animals.
3. Can your dogs and cats survive on vegan diets?
For the vegans who decide to keep cats and dogs, one of the questions you need to ask is if these animals can survive solely on vegan diets. It is possible to find a dog that can easily get its nutritional needs from a vegan diet. For the cats, however, it becomes quite tricky.
They cannot survive without meat because they need some proteins that they get from other animals. Just like bears survive on vegan diets, dogs can also do the same. The right thing for one to do is think deeply about the need to keep these animals if you cannot meet their full dietary requirements.
The Best Vegetarian Household Pets:
1. Rabbits
Rabbits are some of the most suitable pets that vegans can keep. These animals are happy vegans and you can be sure they will be comfortable with diets based on hay and vegetables. With rabbits, you will love their soft movements and mannerisms as a vegan.
2. Guinea Pigs
These are purely vegan animals that can suit you as a vegan family. Just like rabbits, guinea pigs survive on a diet that is 100% vegetarian. They can eat cauliflower, brassicas such as broccoli, and so on.
3. Hamsters
These are wonderful vegetarian animals that you can keep. Just like rabbits and mice, these animals can do without meat in their diets. Most of the owners of these pets give them food from the store and you may not always know what such food is made from.
4. Mice
Mice are good pets that can survive on a vegan diet. However, if they are kept on a free-range basis, these animals will eat anything. Therefore, if you are interested in keeping them as a vegan animal, then you must be observant. You should supply them with a vegan diet that has the mix of vitamins and minerals that they require.
5. Chicken
Chicken can also be fed on a vegan diet if one is observant. However, you must keep them close and in an enclosure where they do not become free range. You can buy vegan chicken feed and ensure that your chicken gets all the dietary requirements they need.
They will however not produce as many eggs if they are fed a purely vegan diet. If you keep these animals as pets, then you may not have to worry about the eggs. You may see them scratching for worms when they are not satisfied with the vegan diet.
