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Is eating dog meat immoral? Is eating dog meat immoral?
No, eating dog meat is not immoral No, eating dog meat is not immoral
Yes, eating dog meat is immoral Yes, eating dog meat is immoral
Eating dog meat is no more immoral than eating other livestock Eating dog meat is no more immoral than eating other livestock
Yes, eating any animal is immoral Yes, eating any animal is immoral
Eating meat is normal for the human diet, even dog meat Eating meat is normal for the human diet, even dog meat
Dog meat is a traditional and cultural food with religious connotations Dog meat is a traditional and cultural food with religious connotations
The practice of eating dog meat often originates from famine The practice of eating dog meat often originates from famine
As pet culture increases, the consumption of dog meat becomes tabooed As pet culture increases, the consumption of dog meat becomes tabooed
People have an emotional attachment to their pets and consider them family People have an emotional attachment to their pets and consider them family
The harvesting of dog meat results in abuse The harvesting of dog meat results in abuse
Eating dogs is only considered immoral from a Western viewpoint Eating dogs is only considered immoral from a Western viewpoint
Livestock like pigs and cows are just as intelligent and loving as dogs Livestock like pigs and cows are just as intelligent and loving as dogs
Meat should not be considered a sustainable food source. Meat should not be considered a sustainable food source.
All animals deserve to live All animals deserve to live
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Is eating dog meat immoral?
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No, eating dog meat is not immoral

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Eating meat is normal for the human diet, even dog meat

Dog meat is and has been a sustainable food source for many people. While during times of famine dogs were and still are seen as food. The preference for dog meat has decreased since then, but for places where it's still popular to consume dogs, it’s no different than raising cows or pigs for food.
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The Argument

In the past, peoples lifestyles were void of modern conveniences. There were no grocery stores or refrigerators to keep food from spoiling. Ancient humans survived on a hunter-gatherer lifestyle until the birth of agriculture. The raising of plants and animals changed the game entirely. No longer did people need to rely solely on hunting or gathering for food but they could raise it themselves. The idea that humans can survive without meat would not be true in the past.[1] If crop yields were poor a farmer couldn’t just go out to the local store to stock up on non-perishables or go to their neighbour to ask for food to last an entire season. While there was a lack of crops, getting rid of some of the livestock would not only provide food but also get rid of another mouth to feed. Dogs were guardians for the other livestock but besides that they didn’t produce things like eggs or milk, falling more in line with pigs with how they are used for their meat. Dogs were a perfectly viable source of food for many people during times of struggle and famine. While the preference for dog meat has decreased due to the rise of pet owners, for places that still consume dogs like Vietnam it's still a very popular cuisine.

Counter arguments

Even in today's society meat is seen as a key ingredient to use in cooking and has been a part of our diet for as long as we’ve been on this planet. However, what our bodies require isn’t specifically meat, it’s the iron and protein they provide us. There are countless ingredients at peoples disposal to add flavour to food without needing meat to be a centrepiece at the dinner table. Preservation has only increased with the invention of the refrigerator. There are countless other techniques dedicated to giving food longer shelf life and giving simple ingredients a bigger punch of flavour and umami to make them delectable. Things like canning, salting, pickling, and smoking just to name a few. Farming has also increased allowing for bigger and better crop yields so people aren’t lacking in options for food. With such things at peoples disposal they do not have to solely rely on the food they raise and produce themselves, they can forgo eating meat and live on a plant-based diet.

Proponents

Premises

[P1] Dog meat like beef or pork is and has been another food source for humans.

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/foodfeatures/evolution-of-diet/

In the Wild

This page was last edited on Wednesday, 14 Oct 2020 at 12:01 UTC

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