Poll: Is it morally wrong to eat cats and dogs?

[Chase Yojimbo]

It all depends on where you grew up, what your culture/religion is and that cultures/religions stance on eating cats/dogs. I grew up in North America, so of course I would see it as very wrong, but being understanding I know that there are cultures that plainly see them as another source of food like any other creature on this planet. Even Human is on the menu depending on your culture.

 

[OctoH]

I've eaten both. It is a cultural thing. If it is not your thing...just don't eat it. Pretty simple.

 

[Custard_Angel]

Neither are "wrong", but I don't know why you'd do it...

You're just going to be hungry in an hour.

 

[Jnat]

Depends.

/thread

 

[Android2137]

Why would it be morally wrong? Culturally forbidden, I can understand, but morally? As a cat owner, I could never bring myself to eat cat or dog, but unless I'm much mistaken, it's a sin to kill a cow in Hinduism. And I know that they still eat dog in Korea, though I don't think it's as common as it used to be. My cousins own dogs and they don't feel comfortable with the idea because of it.

 

[Quillpaw]

I don't think you're using the right terminology here. Morality is a fickle thing that varies between people. My morals are different than your morals or the morals of people who live in, say, Islam. While people who live in the parts of the world that eat cat and dog meat, there's nothing morally wrong with it, while by the morals of vegetarians, vegans or pet owners, it is abhorrent. What you're really asking is if it's ethically wrong to eat cats or dogs, and no, it is no more ethically wrong to eat cats or dogs than it is to eat cows or goat or sheep or pig or rattlesnake or any other kind of animal. Human beings are meat eaters, and lucky enough to have digestive systems hardy enough to handle meat from any non-venomous animal available to us. As long as its free of disease and not wearing a collar saying "please return to owner," I don't see any ethical issue in eating cats and dogs.

 

[NathLines]

Sadly, no. I'd still want to cave a guy's face in if he tells me he has eaten one, but it isn't morally wrong.

 

[TOTL_UNIALAYSHUN]

There's no difference whatsoever from eating a cow's leg or a dog's leg. It's just what our culture agrees with. We don't eat "Man's best friend" because, well, look at the name. Would you eat your best friend?

If there was no bias, people could eats dogs without hesitation. The same goes for cats. But they're naturally skinnier, so less meat.

 

[Saluki_princess]

As a whole, nope. If someone cooked some good dog or cat meat from an animal raised for slaughter like a cow or a pig (as far as I knew), and they offered me some, I'd try it.

I don't care if someone doesn't eat certain animals or does. As long as the animals consumed are raised in humane conditions or taken out of the wild in numbers not harmful to the population, it's all good... if prepared correctly.

 

[Crazie_Guy]

It's no more or less wrong than eating any of the other animals we eat. Whether that thought makes you less critical of eating cats and dogs, or more critical of eating the others, seems like a more interesting question.

 

[ReaperzXIII]

South Park had the ultimate satire of this with the Whale Whores episode, "Chicken and Cow used Whale and Dolphin as scapegoat! FUCK YOU CHICKEN FUCK YOU COW!!!"

"The Japanese are only killing chickens and cows, now they're normal like us"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fOaCTddlng&feature=related

Not morally wrong but just frowned down upon in the West, heck I would actually eat a horse if served it.

 

[Frozen Donkey Wheel2]

Nope. If it's OK to eat fish, cows, and chickens, why should it be wrong to eat dogs and cats?

They're all animals, their right to live isn't based solely on how adorable they are.

 

[Quillpaw]

Nope. If it's OK to eat fish, cows, and chickens, why should it be wrong to eat dogs and cats?

They're all animals, their right to live isn't based solely on how adorable they are.

I could make a "sea kittens" joke, but I won't out of good taste.

Thing about fish is, you don't see most people keeping sea bass or halibut in a little tank on the counter.
Unless they live in a seafood restaurant, I guess.

 

[SteewpidZombie]

Tell ya the truth I'm Canadian born and raised, yet I still see Cats and Dogs as animals. While it IS technically frowned upon by western civilization, I'd actually eat a Cat or Dog if I was offered a dish while in a foreign country. Personally I could never kill or eat them here in the West, but that is because I was raised with that idea from a young age (The idea that they are only pets).

However it'd be the same as if I went to India and told them I ate cows, they'd be pissed off a bit (Cows are considered sacred in India). So all in all I think it isn't wrong to eat ANY animal, heck I'd personally never eat a human but that doesn't mean I'm going to go and tell Cannibal tribes that they are wrong (Cannibalism is practiced by some tribes around the world as a ritual. It is usually done for religious beliefs as it is thought that you'll gain the wisdom or vitality of your ancestors from eating some of your recently deceased elders or family. Though it has also been known to be a extreme form of punishment for crimes such as murder or rape...*Star flies overhead* The More you know!).

 

[thebreadbinman]

it's only wrong if they're someone's pet and they have an emotional attachment to them, otherwise it's fair game!

 

[Chrinik]

Pff, same thing like the "cute little bunnies" that get raised and inevitably slaughtered (by the same people) here in germany for food. Morals are subjective, and different from person to person. Same with the concept of "evil", hence my understanding that nothing is inheretly evil, and that true evil doesn´t actually exist.
People will eat what they can sometimes, some people gross out by the thought of eating a Tarantula (which can also be pets), but others eat them because they like them, or because they cling to their very last ounce of life.
We are Omnivores, by default we can eat pretty much anything. Plants, animals, doesn´t matter.
Sure, the thing with the carnivores has been mentioned, but If you think dogs are tasty, fine. But please don´t be puzzled by me being utterly disgusted.
And hey, if you wanna go vegetarian or much better, vegan, please, go ahead.
Just because it doesn´t have a face and a voice, doesn´t mean your food cannot die.
And by the way, you eat your food ALIVE...if it´s dead, you throw it away because it turns brown and you cannot eat it anymore.
Have a nice salad, oh sorry, I meant day.

 

[V8 Ninja]

Although I think both would taste disgusting, I don't exactly see what would be morally wrong about eating them.

 

[Jaime_Wolf]

No.

The only possible argument you can make is an appeal to your personal distaste at the idea.

 

[thiosk]

I ate a dog when I visited Korea. As advertised, it gave me great stamina and fortitude.

However, I do not agree with eating cats. I do agree with feeding humans to cats: