In the news recently, TV cook, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall principally condoned the farming of puppies for meat. In the Radio Times he said,
In principle, but not in practice, I have no objection to a high-welfare organic puppy farm. You can’t object, unless you also object to the farming of pigs. It’s an artificial construct of our society, a cultural decision, to make pets out of dogs and meat out of pigs: both animals could be used the other way round.
This has got me thinking. What does determine which animals we eat, and why don’t we eat such meats as dog or cat? Now I know a lot of people will immediately turn their noses up at the thought of eating dog – a dog is a man’s best friend right? Well, yes, I can see how weird and oddly cannibalistic it might seem to those of you who have a dog as a pet and consider it to be part of the family. However, putting the whole pet lover thing aside, if puppies were bred at a farm like pigs, purely for food, then surely like Hugh points out, there would be no difference to that of farming pigs? I think he has raised an interesting point. You’d get a good bit of meat from a labrador too!
What other British animals are there an abundance of out there which we could eat? Hedgehogs, pidgins, cats, foxes, rats… the list is extensive. Maybe this is where I can make my million – the first organic dog farm in the UK? and why not – many countries in Asia do it!
Hot dog anyone?
Little voice in the corner 
Pigeon is fairly popular as a food – I’ve heart good ratings. Kangaroo is one of my most ambitious foods that I can recall, in a Chinese restaurant….unbelievable, it was delicious! Pretty sure that dog is on the menu in some parts of Asia too.
Also love your pic, it’s always been a fave of mine and makes me chuckle every time I see it. I think, particularly in western cultures, we have a close affinity with dogs and don’t associate them with food, so see eating dog as poor treatment. Obviously the pigeon population is mad, and humans feel more detached from pigeons, in contrast to dogs and cats and other domestic animals. So, we don’t feel so morally obliged to “save” pigeons and exclude them from the menu….
Thanks for reading and for your comments! Yeah, I think it’s definitely the attachment we feel for certain animals that stop us from eating them. If only we put that attachment aside, we would have so many more tasty food options available to us! 🙂 I must remember to try kangaroo if I ever get the opportunity!
When it comes to meat, I think you should try to avoid carnivores and herbivores. Just because of recycling of meat, which can lead to things like CJD.
Lol! Can’t stop laughing at the photo!