Eat a dog and save the planet
Dogs cause more damage to our planet than SUVs, according to a controversial new book, Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living.
The environmental footprint of your average hound may be as much as twice that of a typical sport utility vehicle, maintain New Zealand researchers Robert and Brenda Vale.
The enterprising Vales maintain that it takes 1.1 hectares of land per year to create enough chicken, beef, and lamb for a medium-sized dog to eat, in contrast to the gas-guzzling Toyota Land Cruiser SUV which requires less than half that – just 0.41 hectares, assuming a modest 10,000 kilometres a year of driving.
Needless to say, not everyone agrees with the math, let alone the concept.
“We're not actually saying it is time to eat the dog," a cheeky Robert Vale tells Reuters. “We're just saying that we need to think about and know the ecological impact of some of the things we do and that we take for granted.”
The Vales aren't necessarily anti-pet but the couple, who don’t have a cat or dog, would rather have us trade in ours for smaller, greener pets like fish or hamsters – a concept that Judy Gruen, author of The Women's Daily Irony Supplement, labels as a really bad idea.
The authors' other suggestion – that we should recycle our pets by eating them or turning them into pet food at the end of their lives – is going to take a bit of getting used to.
Nonetheless, for the ecologically-minded it's time to admit that dog may be a realistic food for realistic environmentalists, maintains Jonathan Foer in his new book, Eating Animals.
Of course, he's a vegetarian.
Where do you stand on the 'pets as environmental scourge' debate?
By Gordon Powers/ MSN Money
Posted by: Joe H | Nov 25, 2021 1:03:45 AM
What next, someone will be advocating eating each other? It's obvious these researcher never owned a pet or did their homework. For many childless couples; pets (cats or dogs) are surrogate children. They are a lot less expensive to own than kids and give you love unconditionally. I've lived in South East Asia where eating dog is considered acceptable but so are eating insects does that mean we should stop eating beef, chicken or pork and start ordering deep fried cockroaches from the local fast food joints. I think not! How can you publish false facts, you should be ashamed.
Posted by: Julia H | Nov 25, 2021 2:25:37 AM
I think it is arrogant to presume that humans have precident over other living creatures. Dogs have as much right to space on this planet as humans do. SUV's on the other hand have no right to space. Dogs are not merely playthings for humans; they are creatures in their own right.
Posted by: Mark Wysocki | Nov 25, 2021 7:24:10 AM
How about eat the author, this would then limit the manusha that is printed.......The fact that someone sat down and tried to compare dogs to SUV's tells me that someone needs to get back on their medication. I have 6 rescued dogs on my property and my wife and I wouldn't give them up or eat them for the world, now family members, that's another story........lol.
Posted by: montreal | Nov 25, 2021 8:04:10 AM
As eveyone of us knows that we are in a era that makes alot of pollution, we do and uses things that are not necessary in our daily life. By avoiding these things maybe we will have a greener planet, i am not saying that we should eat dogs, or SUV are not bad for our environnement ... but from what i think we are going towards a direction that is completly different from what our ancestors thought, i dont think that 60-70 years ago people had the same opinion on animals than now. The author compares a dog to a Suv but my friend joe here compares a dog to us, a human. and julia saying dags are creatures in their own right... lol ... than we should start thinking about all the other animal species have also a right. so we should all become vegeterian so that in 100 years someone will say : well vegetables have their own right.....bla bla bla.. my point again was not to start eating dogs.. my point of view is that we should be carefull about what we are doing, not to exagerate.
Posted by: ML | Nov 25, 2021 8:20:09 AM
How bout WE get OUR numbers under control so we can let other creatures live in peace??? Anyone thought of that yet??? Ridiculous article. What a shameful species we are.
Posted by: RK | Nov 25, 2021 8:46:45 AM
I think there is room for all of God creatures....
Right next to the mashed potatos!!!
Posted by: Ron | Nov 25, 2021 9:15:41 AM
Anyone remember the movie Soilent Green
Posted by: CHRISTINE DOUAIRE | Nov 25, 2021 9:19:00 AM
Totally disgusting. Not bad enough that in Asia dogs get skinned alive for thei fur, yes, for their fur. When you buy a coat from Northern reflections, the fur around the hood is DOG. Check the Peta website. Absolutely heartbreaking, and now, this. How has man become so heartless and cruel. Dogs are the most loyal, compassionate companions you can have, they understand everything and are faithful to the end, unlike people. What's done to animals should be done to humans, maybe then and only then will the cruelty stop. As for this article, I'm willing to bet my life on this, that this is the idea of an oriental, with no regard to another life.
Posted by: Calgary, Canada | Nov 25, 2021 2:20:41 PM
TO: CHRISTINE DOUAIRE -- response to your previous post.
As an asian/oriental that grew up in Canada - I totally against animal cruelty of any sort, as an owner of 2 dogs myself. I understand that YES, some countries in Asia will do these horrible things but I think you should speak your words wisely, quote "As for this article, I'm willing to bet my life on this, that this is the idea of an oriental, with no regard to another life."
It's just not "asians or orientals" that are cruel to animals, you will most likely find people all over the world who hunt animals for leisure or sport (cutting off the animals' heads for trophies and storing meat in the freezers for the year)
So please be careful about your words / thoughts about 'asians/orientals'. We ARE ALL NOT LIKE THAT.
I totally respect your freedom to voice your opinion, but in this case, it's looking more like you're very narrow minded to think that IT IS "an idea of an oriental, with no regard to another life" - and also to "bet your life on it", you must not take the value of your life seriously.
Posted by: Lola | Nov 25, 2021 4:54:07 PM
To the Calgary Canada person. People who hunt kill the animal before eating or skinning it. Asians SKIN the animal ALIVE! Get it?
Posted by: SP | Nov 25, 2021 6:38:59 PM
how Many dogs/cats would be alive it it weren't for humans?
Let's say that dogs would be 4x as successful as wolves and cats 20x more successful than Lynx. ... are the levels anywhere near natural levels???
Posted by: Carrie | Nov 26, 2021 12:37:22 AM
Comparing life to a hunk of metal??? Are you kidding me? This article is a waste of space and my time!
Posted by: tolla | Nov 26, 2021 12:52:09 AM
So, all Asians skin live animals now? Is that what you're saying? Really? Every single one of them?
Totally not true! It may be happening somewhere at some time, but you've just generalized about half the population in this world, and do you think that every single one of those people agree with that particular practice?
And Orientals have no regard for life? Are you kidding? One of the most basic human values, common throughout our species is cherishing life, to have healthy children and loving families. Do not be so cruel in your statements.
Stop stereotyping people. Understand cultures, differences, and more importantly, realize the sameness within us.
The idea of this story is to compare the ecological footprint of breeding and raising animals for the sole purpose of our own comfort. The similarity is in the production and use of SUVs for the sole purpose of our own comfort.
Many people in this world, they eat beef. To many other people in this world, that practice is abhorrent. Many of our practices and choices of lifestyles are tied to our cultures and religions and also to the availability of the resources in order for our families to survive.
What many in the first world countries take for granted and demand in lifestyle are causing, on the whole, the first world countries to be the largest consumers of goods and natural resources and consequently the cause of the most pollution and damage to the natural state of the planet.
That is what we need to think about.
Posted by: briliant moror | Nov 26, 2021 4:01:33 AM
I eat a lot more than my dog. I would like to say that the best scenario would most definitely be to eat... SUV drivers. They consume more than dogs, and with them gone they're vehicles will be off the road. It's win-win. You are what you eat, since they obviously have more money than the average person based on what they can afford in fuel, they must eat well. And the combination of all that must make them taste absloutely delicious. I wonder how tender those fat bastards are lol. Perhaps with a side of fava beans fff-ff-ff--ff--ff--f :)
Posted by: Keith James Lapere | Nov 26, 2021 6:20:15 AM
In my own opinion i think you should research something else,like maybe a colourful box of crayons.
I think there is enough on this planet to consume.
I would not eat my dog if it was the last thing on earth.They are family!!! I would put a dog ahead of a human anyday.We consume more animals on this planet as a whole than what a dog does.It doesn't take research to figure that one out along with the human race that is destroying this planet in the first place.
The revolution of new technology eventually will destroy us if we don't end up killing each other first.
Think about it!!!!!
Posted by: Rick | Nov 26, 2021 7:42:03 AM
This is discusting; not to mention THERE IS NO GLOBAL WARMING many thanks to the hackers oversees for exposing this scam along with thousands of scientists all over the world. I for one, am not to be made to feel guilty because I am alive, nor my kids or anyone. Nice try...failed again.
Posted by: Lisa | Nov 26, 2021 8:19:27 AM
Hey, why not eat dogs/cats? (That's if there's any good meat on them. I don't know.)
We eat cows, pigs, sheep and deer? What's the difference?
The flip side to this is, cows are sacred in some countries. So, some people get upset over eating dogs, some would get upset over eating cows. Right?
If you're vegetarian, this whole issue is mute.
Oh man...I can already feel the "animal lovers" jumping down my throat.
However, this article has points to consider.
Posted by: Bill Greene | Nov 26, 2021 9:05:13 AM
Its a dog eat dog world. Kill or be killed, all animals are fair game, especially dogs.
Posted by: ck | Nov 26, 2021 9:27:55 AM
To Tolla - So, you've researched all this for yourself? That Asians skin the animals alive?
To Christine - the author's names are Robert and Brenda Vale - I've never heard an "oriental" with the last name vale.
Why don't you guys do your research before making up these assumptions? You both are lumping half the world's population as dog-eating, fur-skinning savages.
Posted by: Rach | Nov 26, 2021 10:52:56 AM
I don't think the point in all this is cultural, as we all know some cultures eat things us westeners would never dream of eating and vice versa. The point is, this "Researchers" are comparing a living, breathing, feeling creature against something that would have no idea of its demise.
Do we need animals? in one way or another we do. Even dogs and cats as Joe pointed out. Do we need SUVs that drive one person to work every day? I find that doubleful. It is not about the consumtion, its about want vs. need.