CARING WITH LOVE

With growing vegetarianism, what would happen to all the animals?

As vegetarianism grows, the number of animals bred for food will gradually decline, since the market will no longer exist for them. The world gradually going vegetarian is imagining the most positive possible future for our species, for the Earth, and for all living beings. First of all, as we reduce the number of animals we are eating, agribusiness will stop forcibly inseminating female pigs, turkeys, cows, fishes, and other animals, so fewer animals will be imprisoned, and there will be less mutilation, killing, violence, terror, and suffering. It also means there will be lower demand for GMO corn, soy, alfalfa and other feed grains, and thus less deforestation, mono-cropping, and pollution. As this continues, there will be more food to feed starving people, and also monocropped land can be returned to being critically-needed habitat for wildlife, whose populations are being decimated by the habitat loss caused by grazing livestock and growing feed grains.

Is it okay to judge people based on their attitude towards animals?

As far as a person's morality is concerned, it can very well be judged by how they treat animals. Although a sociological understanding would suggest various reasons that motivate a person's attitude, it cannot be used as an excuse to torture or inflict pain on animals. Ignorance is not justifiable and if one encounters people who treat animals badly, it is okay to form judgments about them.

Sometimes my dog sounds as if he is choking. He has a fit of reverse sneezing when he pulls his nose in repeatedly and makes an odd sound.

Technically known as "paroxysmal respiration", reverse sneezing can be caused by an irritant in the air, by eating or drinking too fast, by a foreign body or hair balls, or even a nasal infection. The resulting irritation of the palate or throat causes a spasm, resulting in quick inhalations of air into the dog's nose. The trachea can narrow, causing difficulty in air movement. The condition is more common in older dogs. To reduce the chances of reverse sneezes, minimise chemicals, cleaners, rug deodorisers or other potential irritants. Groom your dog often, and vacuum the hair every day. During a reverse sneeze, try rubbing your dog's throat to ease the spasm. Very briefly, cover his nose to encourage swallowing, which can dislodge a foreign body. Look into his mouth to see if anything is obstructing his throat. If so, remove it.