Our dog’s a veggie
AT 17, Tara is long in the tooth for a labrador. But there’s plenty of life in the old dog yet – and her owners say it is down to a lifelong VEGAN diet.
Ever since Ann Boyce, 66, and her husband Gary, 67, rescued her when she was six months old, they have not fed her a single meat morsel. The doggy diet may be controversial but Ann claims it’s healthier – and cheap.
She said: “Tara has never been ill and we’ve never really had to take her to the vet. I have had insurance and it has been a waste of money.
“Vegan pet food isn’t any more expensive either. We can buy a 15kg bag online for the same price as normal pet food in the shops.”
The couple have been vegansans for 20 years and were vegetarian before that. So putting Tara, a lab-huntauntaway cross, on their diet seemeded natural.
Ann said her dog has “alwaysays loved her food” and has neverver turned her nose up at any veggiegie snacks.
“Whenever she hears thehe rustle of the dog bag, shee OUR vet Brian Faulkner, from Petplan, has 16 years of experience and is a freelance working all over the country. Send your questions to Brian at: Petplan, Great West House, Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 9DX or via Petplan’s Facebook page facebook.com/ PetplanUK. comes bounding. The dog bowl barely hits the kitchen floor and she’s looking up at me lovingly.”
And it must be working, as Tara is more than 100 in human years and has lived longer than the 12 to 13 years expected for her breed.
She is fed a combination of organic wet and dry vegan food made from vegetables and wheat-free grain.
Ann, from Croydon, South London, also spoils her with veggie dog chews and vegan-friendly dog toys such as rubber bones and balls. And she uses only ethical dog leads and collars. She also points to studies that suggest eating too much meat can be as bad for pets as humans. Research by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals linked meat to allergies and cancer, plus kidney, heart and bone problems ini humans and pets. Ann said: “D “Dog food has lots of additives in and that’s why dogs like it. It makes them hyperactive – like sugary drinks d do with children.” She claimedclaim meat is not essential for dogs, adding: “Elephants“Elephan are the biggest animal on the planet and they’rethey’ vegetarian. So are gorillas.” OUR cat was castrated a month ago and still seems unhappy. He won’t come to us to be stroked and is reluctant to go outside. Is this normal?
Bones