Why is it okay to eat some animals but not others?

It is not socially acceptable to eat other animals because it is not a common practice to eat them and it is not a common practice because they are endangered/beautiful/contain little of nutritional value/hard to exploit/etc.

Why do people only eat certain animals?

Historically, man figured out that some meats (e.g. pork) were full of parasites (not just bacteria and viruses) and that eating them caused all sorts of illness. For this reason, some religions banned certain animals and meats (often generalizing from specific cases, like their hooves).

Why do meat-eaters get so defensive?

For some people, meat-eating may be linked to their identity as someone who is strong, tough and provides for their family. Meat-eating is also part of many people’s social and cultural identities. Eating meat is deeply ingrained in many cultures, so avoiding it may be seen as a rejection of the culture.

Is it immoral to eat an endangered species?

Yes. I would argue that it’s immoral to eat any animal, but that’s an irrelevant question, so let’s get that out of the way. (Not all endangered species are animals, anyway.)

Do you see the animals you eat everyday?

We typically don’t see the animals we eat everyday. We don’t see them lying at our feet in the morning, we don’t play tug of war with them and we don’t get to be praised for rescuing one from the pound. The animals we eat are out of sight, out of mind.

Is it okay to eat dogs?

Well, what about eating dogs then? Eating dogs and cats is a fairly common thing in many Asian countries. The meat is said to be delicious and even considered a delicacy, supposedly bringing good health and luck to those who eat it.

Can animals feel emotion?

Animals are recognized more and more as sentient beings – meaning that they can feel both positive and negative emotions. In fact, just last year New Zealand legally recognized animals as sentient beings. Cows are extremely emotionally sensitive – they can feel emotions such as joy, fear, excitement, curiosity and anger.