But, say your children were starving to death, and the only thing to eat were the dogs...............

I have eaten horse, and if anyone holidays in Europe, then chances are, you have too.

oh, and btw!



he is lush!

Oooh I'm well jealous!

Yeah I've eaten horse too.

I also keep chickens as pets, but also eat them

I do not have a problem with eating ANY animal, provided it has been reared properly and killed humanely.

We all have things we turn our noses up at, what is considered a delicacy by some is considered abhorrent by others.

Hindus do not eat cows
The Jewish and Muslim faith forbids pork
People get squeamish about eating rabbits

(You have read the book, seen the film, now eat the cast)

Some people get worked up about horses.

Food is food. There is no one source of food which is beyond the pale per se, just sacrosanct for individuals or groups.

Pigs may be clever, social creatures, but we don't actually live with them in the house and have pigs sleep on the bed with us (not many of us do as far as I know ) Silly Hugh

Also, as I think has been mentioned animals reared for food tend not to be carnivores. I think the meat from a carnivore is not very palatable - although I have never tried it, but if I were starving ......... I know they do eat dogs in some countries, so perhaps it is a culture thing - who knows - if the recession gets bad enough we can all eat our dogs.

I don't get worked up about eating horses, or any other herbivore - even rats, reptiles and insects seem OK as a food source, but something about a dog tells me no thank you.

HFW looks so much more handsome without that mop of hair!

I've eaten alligator which last time I checked was a carnivore and that was in the USA so not a complete carnivore taboo I think...


What we consider food and what we thinknof as pet is largely cultural... I would gave less issue with another culture eating dog if I had any faith that standards of animal welfare were being met. We euthanise thousands of dogs every year and incinerate their carcasses and yet look down our noses at countries that would have eaten them and go buy knock off ugg boots lined with the fur of Chinese dogs. Now I'm not suggesting battersea set up a furrier or restaurant sideline but we do need to look at ourselves in a far more honest light before we cast stones at other cultures.

Hfw may have been emotive in his language, but maybe he needs to be to highlight how we treat animals we generally agree are as intelligent as dogs, but have the disadvantage of being less pretty, not as easy to housetrain and let's fade it bloody tasty!

I know how we treat pigs. I have work units in my degree in a uk standard intensive barn pig unit. I have worked with these animals and have seen their care and conditions. I wouldn't leave my dog there. But I would eat one of our pigs. They are clean disease free and have a reasonable if short standard of life. I would not and do not eat Danish bacon or pork.

I don't technically have an issue with it. When I lived in Asia my prime concern was the way that dogs were kept and killed for meat, it sickened me to the stomach They have sharp teeth and are crammed into small dirty cages and turn on each other. They are not a herd animal and not meant to be kept that way. Then the belief that the more pain they were in when they died, the tastier they were. Very sad

Equally I have issues with many modern farming methods for most animals like chickens and pigs. And yes, pigs are as smart as dogs. What makes one animals life more valid than another? So technically if dogs could be reared and killed in a cruelty free environment then I wouldn't have a problem in theory.

Equally I could never actually eat a dog because I love them too much, but I'm aware that that's hypocritical

They certainly eat dogs in SE Asia and we caught a Burmese immigrant trying to steal one of ours to eat.

Putting sensibilities and sensitivities to one side, there is not much difference between a pig and a dog. Both are intelligent and make good pets. Both are scavengers who eat meat, making their meat tasty.