The Vegan/Rescuer Conundrum
From All-Creatures.org Animal Rights/Vegan Activist Strategies Articles Archive

FROM Annoula Wylderich, The Humane Dialogues
November 2019


It is said that we will never change a heart if we cannot open it first; and we have to admit that if our goal is to help end animal suffering, then we need to put our differences and egos aside and try communicating respectfully with one another, working together to make our communities more humane.

Animal advocate communities often experience conflict when those who are vegan feel that non-vegan rescuers are betraying some species in order to help another. The general sentiment is that it is hypocritical to serve animal products at fundraisers while trying to raise money to help companion animals. According to their ethics, the message being conveyed is that it is okay to support factory farming while helping pets – and they view this as irony.

Rescue groups may not share or understand this philosophy because they are not familiar with what occurs on factory farms and are not vegan/vegetarian themselves; or, they cite the potential loss of donors if they transitioned to only serving plant-based meals at their events. They may be unable to source vegan food donations and have to consider the costs of purchasing it themselves. They risk alienating donors who are resistant, especially considering that their contributions are crucial to the ongoing existence of the rescue.

It is possible to find a happy resolution if everyone remains open minded, receptive, willing to understand the others’ perspective, and has a genuine interest in protecting all the animals in our world.

First, we must acknowledge that over 98% of all the world’s animals who suffer the worst will never see the inside of a shelter. That’s because they’re not companion animals, yet they experience the same capacity for fear and physical suffering as do our dogs and cats. If this compels rescuers to look at other species in a more sympathetic way, then vegans must equally consider that for a rescue group to transition away from serving animals, they need help and support from the vegan community rather than derision and criticism. Alienating others rarely works to advantage and often causes them to stand their ground even more firmly.

Most donors who support pet rescues already possess kind hearts whether or not they’re vegan. Informing them that in order to remain consistent with values to be kind towards animals means that fundraisers will not serve animal products might actually win their respect and help them learn something new about how we treat factory farm animals. If serving all-vegan is too much of a challenge at first, offering limited animal products and more vegan/vegetarian options is another way to begin the transition and would help attract new (vegan) supporters. Many shelters and other animal-care groups across the country have successfully accomplished this and now only feature plant-based fare at their events.

The vegan community can assist receptive rescues by helping them source food donations for their events, promoting, attending, and donating to these events. Often, when a few rescues begin taking the lead, the others will follow.

It is said that we will never change a heart if we cannot open it first; and we have to admit that if our goal is to help end animal suffering, then we need to put our differences and egos aside and try communicating respectfully with one another, working together to make our communities more humane.


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