Comments on: Want a vegan pet? Get a bunny, not a cat

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:15:11 +0000

UAN has no connection to Born Free, and you should stop putting them together.

Comment by David Middlesworth — October 3, 2008

Already noted. Thanks.

By: David Middlesworth

David Middlesworth — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:05:54 +0000

Ms. Spadafori,
I would like to clarify that the note posted 4/25/07 by me should not have been signed, using the United Animal Nations (UAN)in the signature block, since I was expressing my personal views, which obviously differ 180 degrees from yours. Also, UAN has no connection to Born Free, and you should stop putting them together. They both represent different areas of animal advocacy.
David Middlesworth

By: Anne T

Anne T — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:07:04 +0000

Hamlet, act III, scene 4, lines 206 and 207: “For ‘tis sport to have the engineer/ Hoist with his own petar….”

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 01:28:28 +0000

Hate to lessen your confidence, but … here you go, dated 4/25/07, sent to petconnection@gmail.com:

Gina,

Greetings! I would like to request that you give consideration to an article on the advantages of feeding a dog a balanced vegan dog food. This has relevance for two major reasons: First the huge dog food scare that seems to expand to new lines everyday. Secondly, a holistic vet proclaimed on the Oprah show today April 25th that dogs should eat primarily meat, with a bare minimum of grains. As a vegan, I almost fell off the chair listening to this nonsense. In any event, it might make for an interesting article to rebut this position that dogs need meat to thrive, since we have ample evidence to the contrary. I would be happy to discuss this in further detail at your convenience.
Best regards,
David Middlesworth,Ph.D
Chairman of the Board
United Animal Nations

***
Here’s a link to the UAN’s listing of “Our People,” with Mr. Middlesworth on it:

http://www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=12

It also would appear Mr. Middlesworth sells vegan dog food, although that wasn’t mentioned in his e-mail:

http://www.businesswire.com/po.....ewsLang=en

Now …

I have corrected the source of the e-mail as not being API.

I have posted the e-mail UAN was confident was not sent.

This particular aspect of the discussion is now closed. Thanks.

By: Alexis Raymond

Alexis Raymond — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:55:33 +0000

I work for United Animal Nations (UAN) and I am confident that we have not encouraged people to switch dogs and cats to a vegan diet during the recent pet-food recall or at any other time in recent memory. If you still have this e-mail I would love to receive a copy at info@uan.org.

UAN focuses on bringing animals out of crisis and into care through a variety of programs, including emergency sheltering, disaster relief, financial assistance grants for urgent veterinary care, and humane education. Promoting vegetarianism or veganism, whether among people or animals, is not part of our mission.

Alexis Raymond
United Animal Nations

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:32:14 +0000

Zibby … again, a little disingenuous. We’re not talking a transitory board member. We’re talking the same FOUNDER.

However, it’s true there’s no shared space now, so fine.

By: Zibby

Zibby — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:54:27 +0000

The Animal Protection Institute (before its merger with Born Free USA in 2007) has been in operation for over 40 years. As no one in the organization has currently been there for all 40 of those years, I can not say who served on whose boards or who may have shared office space, when, and where.

What I can say is that API is not affiliated with United Animal Nations nor do they share office space in Sacramento.

The “What’s Really in Pet Food?” report, originally created by the Animal Protection Institute at the request of the public almost 10 years ago, has been an important tool for the public and obviously remains so. I hope people continue to make use of it and that it provides them with the information they need to feel they are doing the best for their treasured companions.

By: Anne T

Anne T — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:04:19 +0000

I do not believe we have any moral or ethical right to impose our dietary choices on another animal as in forcing an obligate carnivore such as a domestic cat to be vegetarian. That is so wrong on so many levels, starting with the biology of the animal imposed upon! What hubris! If you can’t “stomach” the idea that a carnivore eats flesh, bone, fat and blood, then for the dog’s & cat’s sake, don’t own one! Talk about cruelty!!!!!

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:20:58 +0000

Zibby, I stand corrected. The letter was from United Animal Nations, another Sacramento group that was founded by the same person as the Animal Protection Institute. And I believe that founder served on both boards at one point, and that both groups shared office space for several years, over the supermarket at Florin and I-5?

But technically, you are correct. The e-mail was not from your group.

By: Dr Patty Khuly

Dr Patty Khuly — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:16:38 +0000

Oooh, Gina, tellin’ it like it is…ouch!

I find that some vegans (whom I respect tremendously for their efforts, especially when integrated into an entire lifestyle devoted to animal product freedom) get awfully cagey when it comes to feeding their pets. It’s got to be a tough position. I want a cat but…

The roadkill approach is interesting, but in my neighborhood all you’d need to do is set the Have-A-Heart trap and you’d soon have enough opossum meat to feed an army of cats. The vegans I mentioned this to weren’t having any of my recommendation, much as I tried to explain that I was being serious…really I was…