Should your companion animals be vegetarians?

* You do not have to support the slaughterhouse to feed your pet.
* Dogs are natural omnivores. Very little work, tremendous satisfaction!
* Cats may be natural predators, but they can be healthy and happy vegetarians with a little work and dedication. It might be added that cats, even as natural predators, could never catch a cow, a pig, a tuna, or even approach a rooster!
* Your companion will probably be healthier too, as most "pet" food is made from the slaughterhouse byproducts and animals deemed unfit for human consumption (e.g., cancerous, etc.).

There are many wonderful resources to help your companion animal's transformation into a healthful vegetarian, and we recommend a good understanding of the subject before proceeding.

Some Considerations:

* Read Vegetarian Cats and Dogs by James Peden.
* Do not expect your companion animal to be converted overnight.
* Talk to someone who has a vegetarian companion animal.
* Find a veterinarian who is at least sympathetic to your beliefs and diet.
* It is far better to make your companion animals food at home than to purchase it. Many store bought foods, besides their obvious distasteful contents and lack of organic ingredients, are NOT  nutritionally complete. There are many vegetarian and vegan supplements that enable you to make a tasteful nutritional food.

Any questions you may have concerning vegetarian companion animals can be sent to Amy Jenista at ajenista@indra.com