Vegan Campout

It seems like such a long time ago, but last month, we were lucky enough to be amongst the thousands of people joining together to celebrate everything vegan and sustainable.

This year it was just my one daughter and I and of course Ruff that went with our bags overflowing with packs of Greta dog food to give to any dogs that we met….and we did meet so many!

I was absolutely delighted this year to meet some of the wonderful owners I feel I know who recognised either me or Ruff and came to introduce themselves.
Those were my highs, as well as the amazing food and really laughing till I cried listening to Preacher a vegan comedian, and The Happy Pear – I could’ve listened and watched them all day! SO good to catch up properly with Jo from Hownd and how I admired her running her stand and promoting vegan dog food on such a stiflingly hot day.

The low came from our little Ruff being attacked by a large crossbreed dog who we had passed a few times and who gave a deep throaty growl the few times we walked near him. Ruff does not have a nasty bone in his body and adores everyone and other dogs, but as we passed this dog in a crowded area, he suddenly launched onto Ruff’s back and attacked.

Ruff and Arielle Griffiths at vegan Campout

The bubble of kindness at the event burst and part of me seethed with anger that an aggressive dog should be brought to such an event (although his owner said that he was just nervous), and part of me wanted to burst into tears as I bent down to check that Ruff was ok. He had saliva and teeth marks on his back with little protection on his recently cut coat, but thankfully the teeth had not broken his skin. He had given me a look of panic as the dog launched onto his back, as though he was being told off (not that we ever tell him off) and in that split moment, I never thought I could love our little dog more than I did, and my need to protect him went into overdrive.

It was a true reminder to me of just how important our dogs are in our lives and how our aim is for us to care for and protect them as best we can, and in return, we just ask for their ever-present company as we are their world as much as they are ours.

The joy of being at a vegan festival knowing that we could eat everything available, meant that he was just the same. We allowed him to pick up any scraps of food off the ground, and he spent the entire day returning to his roots when he was on the streets as a young puppy in Cyprus and had to fend for himself – he spent the day scavenging off the dry grass, and also licking whoever stopped long enough to talk to him!

I just love vegan festivals, as the mindset of everybody is how the rest of the world should be and I cannot wait for Vegfest in London in November…….I’m so happy to be talking at Vegfest this year – hooray!

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