There are so many reasons why we should not be eating chickens or feeding them to our pets and I am going to mention just a few here that you may not know.
Ruff in 2015 with his very best friend Coco who he protected as best he could from any visiting foxes or dogs
82% of all the birds on the planet are chickens
“Last week I was with David Attenborough, we were doing a thing for climate change in Scotland. And he mentioned to me a statistic which is truly horrifying, I think. 82% of all the birds on the planet, all of them, sparrows and everything, every bird you can think of, 82% of them are chickens!!”
Brian Cox (the actor)
Chickens are fed fishmeal
Part of a chicken’s diet to ensure that they grow as quickly as possible, is fishmeal. As explained in a previous post about why we should not be eating fish due to a bioaccumulation of heavy metals and arsenic; by feeding chickens fish, this bioaccumulation of arsenic and heavy metals is intensified…and even worse is that the excretory organs such as livers and kidneys of the chickens are used in petfood and have the highest concentration of these heavy metals!
Our next pandemic could come from the way we treat chickens
As Avian Bird Flu continues to devastate parts of the UK bird population, our farmed chickens are being forced to stay indoors to prevent its spread. This is a welfare issue as well as a huge concern that intensively raised birds can breed a disease that can spread to man and possibly be another pandemic if numbers of cases continue to rise. The devastation in our wild birds when affected by Avian Flu is of huge concern and also spread through intense farming of chickens. Read about “New avian flu fears as hundreds of dead birds wash up on Scottish coast” July 23
Read here how “Two more people test positive for avian flu after contact with infected birds” July 23
Chicken meat is very high in sodium
Surprisingly, a slice of chicken breast is packed with sodium before it’s even cooked. This is because some manufacturers inject their chicken breast with saline so that it stays juicy. This is mainly of a concern in China and the US, but since Brexit, a lot of chicken is imported now from the US.
Chickens are enormously sentient
This would be the main reason why we should choose to not eat chickens or feed them to our pets. Any of us who have had chickens as pets at any time in our lives will know how enormously attached we become to these highly curious, entertaining and loving little birds….as a family this certainly happened to us when we adopted Coco the chicken who was to change our lives forever!!
“As a vet, I believe in a kinder, healthier way to feed our pets that does no damage to our environment, harms no animals and uses fresh, healthy plant-based ingredients for a balanced and delicious diet”
Arielle Vegan Vet
“If nobody changes then nothing changes but if somebody changes then everything changes!”
Arielle Vegan Vet
Esther the Wonder Pig
This is a picture of a sixteen year old girl that is under more pressure than any of us can likely even fathom, enjoying a quiet day with a pig she loves, with cupcakes and a smile on their faces
An Emotional Day
As a vet, I experienced an emotional rollercoaster of a day and for the first time in my 25 years as a vet; I crumbled into a crying mess
Shouldn’t we all eat what we feed our chickens?
When it comes to sustainability in our food choices to ensure a future for both ourselves and the animals around us, the proof is out there that a plant-based diet is the healthiest
Get rid of the dog!
The contestants had no idea that the family dog, fed two predominantly animal meat-based meals a day, was contributing to more carbon emissions that either the car or the human family meals!
A message of hope
It’s a reminder for us all that giant leaps often start with small steps
Game Changers Changing Dog Food
FINALLY WE HAVE SCIENCE TO PROVE THAT EATING WHAT WE FEED THESE ANIMALS IS FAR HEALTHIER FOR US THAN FEEDING OFF THEIR MUSCLE!!
Mars petfood said to be developing a meat-free pet food!
I am very excited to read that the multi-national food corporate Mars who own Pedigree and Whiskas pet foods, are finally concerned about the environmental impact of farming and are looking at meat substitutes for pet food!
The life of a dairy cow
This may be one of the hardest posts I will ever write but as a vet, a mother and now a vegan, I feel that everyone has a right to know about the life of a dairy cow
Ruff goes on holiday!
The joy you feel on holiday with your pets who are enjoying themselves is immense
The most delicious date loaf ever
I looked up a recipe online as I was concerned that maybe I wouldn’t be able to enjoy a delicious date loaf again now that I am vegan…..how wrong I was!
Our human food has shaped our dog’s gut microbiome
We tend to feed our pets on the foods that we like – yes we are all guilty of it!
Whatever it takes
My journey to find the ideal balanced plant-based food for our little dog has been fraught with stress as my husband (also a vet but also a complete perfectionist) is in denial with
















