Nathan J. Winograd's Blog, page 6

A First Amendment victory may expand veterinary tele-care and save millions of animals

A Federal Appeals Court ruled this week that a Texas law prohibiting veterinarians from giving online advice without a physical examination of the animal may violate a veterinarian’s First Amendment rights. 

The ruling could potentially lead to a massive growth in veterinary telehealth appointments:

Expanding access to care for animals across the country and globe;Expanding access to care for pets living with people of limited financial means by reducing costs for such care; Allowing shelters to reduce the number of animals who are surrendered because of medical concerns by helping people resolve those concerns in a cost-effective way; and,Improving the care of animals already in the shelter by expanding access for small to medium shelters who do not have onsite veterinarians.

In other words, millions of animals stand to benefit. 

The case stems from a Texas veterinarian who “gave online advice to pet owners… until the Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners said his advice was illegal — not because it harmed an animal or was inaccurate, but because Texas prohibits veterinarians from sharing their expertise with pet owners without first examining their pets in person.” By contrast, Texas allows medical doctors to do tele-health appointments for people, arguing that it has improved access to care and thus improved overall care.

Attorneys for the veterinarian celebrated the ruling, calling it, “a win for literally billions of people around the world who, through the internet, have a cheap and simple way to get advice from an American professional that may be entirely unavailable in their own countries.”

Dr. Hines, the veterinarian who brought the lawsuit, called it, “less a decision about me than it is a decision about the future of all the much younger veterinarians out there who need the freedom to connect with pet owners and their pets in new, better, less expensive ways. That freedom to share good ideas is what the First Amendment is all about.”

The First Amendment is a powerful tool — perhaps the most powerful tool — in the fight to protect and save the lives of animals. Recently, a Federal Court ruled that a Kansas law making it illegal to film animal abuse on factory farms violates the First Amendment. The First Amendment also protects animals in pounds. A volunteer, rescuer, or any other member of the public not only has the First Amendment right to speak out against abuses and violations of law committed by a government shelter, he or she also has a constitutionally protected right to demand that the government correct the wrongs that are identified.

In a victory for anyone who has spoken out on behalf of animals mistreated, abused, and killed in city pounds or elsewhere, moreover, three Federal Courts of Appeal ruled that public officials cannot censor comments or block individuals on their official social media pages for criticizing them and their policies.

And a California court rejected PETA’s argument that as an animal advocate, I was not entitled to the protection of the First Amendment when I gathered information to expose their killing, including the theft and killing of a family’s dog.

There were other victories. The No Kill Advocacy Center, my organization, forced the Mayor of Long Beach to cease violating the First Amendment rights of reformers by hiding Facebook comments critical of his handling of Long Beach Animal Care Services — an agency with low adoption and unacceptable levels of killing — from public view.

And a Pueblo City Councilmember tried, but failed thanks to the First Amendment, to intimidate citizens, reporters, and advocates of humane sheltering policies from challenging her on her defense of killing at the local pound.

Animals have no voice of their own and need others to speak for them. Regardless of whether it is a billion dollar company that profits on the abuse and killing of animals for food, a pound director who finds killing easier than doing the work necessary to stop it, an organization like PETA that rounds up to kill animals, elected officials engaging in conduct that undermines our humane values, or industry associations trying to prevent a veterinarian from expanding access to care and therefore improve the health of millions of animals around the globe, we cannot allow ourselves to be intimidated into silence. The stakes are too high. The First Amendment gives us the protection we need to continue protecting animals.

In its ruling, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals overruled its own 2013 precedent in a case brought by the same veterinarian. It did so because the U.S. Supreme Court has since ruled that “occupational speech” regulated by licensure is not exempt from the First Amendment.

The ruling in Hines vs. Quillivan (Hines II) is here.

————-

Have a comment? Join the discussion by clicking here.

Report: Elected official reverses course on puppy mills after campaign contributions by pet store

Dogs used for breeding in commercial breeding enterprises tend to have significant health problems, are more likely to suffer from aggression, and many of them are psychologically and emotionally shut down, compulsively staring at nothing.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that,

A Chicago alderman who long championed the city’s anti-puppy mill ordinance has reversed his position and wants to lift a key restriction on pet shops, a move that comes after he received donations from a Lincoln Park store owner whose business sells primarily purebred and designer dogs…

“Chicago was among the first major cities in the country to pass a law that permitted pet shops to sell dogs only if they were obtained from government pounds, humane societies or rescue shelters…”

The Chicago law, like others around the country, is designed not only to increase the number of dogs adopted, rather than killed, in pounds, but to reduce systematic neglect and abuse toward animals in mills, which cause severe emotional scars on the victims. The former breeding dogs living with those scars are a testament to that fact. Not only do one in four have significant health problems, they are more likely to suffer from aggression, and many of them are psychologically and emotionally shut down, compulsively staring at nothing.

And they work. “Nebraska Department of Agriculture records show that half of the state’s commercial dog and cat breeders have left the business,” with an admission that “Midwest breeders were hurt by a California law that banned pet stores from selling commercially bred puppies, kittens and rabbits.”

In Chicago, “The city ban affected about 13 stores… Most closed, relocated or changed their mission” by partnering with rescue groups to adopt out dogs.

But a consortium of out-of-state commercial breeders that incorporated as not-for-profit organizations in order to circumvent the law allowed a small number of those Chicago pet stores to keep selling milled dogs. Eventually, Iowa’s Attorney General closed down the operation, calling it “a national ‘puppy laundering’ ring that sells puppy-mill dogs under the ruse of adopting rescue animals.” According to the lawsuit he filed, puppy mills and unscrupulous pet stores conspired to violate the ban on selling commercially bred animals in pet stores in places like Chicago and California. The puppy mill brokers form “non-profit” organizations and pretend to be rescue groups. The source of the puppies doesn’t change, the amount charged for the puppies doesn’t change, the profit to be made doesn’t change, and most important of all, the neglect and abuse of the mothers in those mills doesn’t change.

After initially proposing to close the loophole that allowed this to continue, the Tribune reports that the Alderman received his first campaign contribution from a pet store owner whose business sells commercially-bred dogs. Thereafter, the Alderman spoke out against closing the loophole and proposed jettisoning the whole ban by allowing pet stores to sell commercially-bred dogs from mills that are federally licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Federal licensure, however, does not mean humane. The Office of the Inspector General found that the USDA fails in its mission to protect dogs in puppy mills by choosing to “cooperate” and “educate” puppy millers, rather than protect dogs by punishing abusers. As a result, “the agency chose to take little or no enforcement actions against violators” including repeat violators. In one case, USDA inspectors found “dead dogs and starving dogs that resorted to cannibalism, dogs that were entirely covered in ticks, kennels overrun with feces and urine, and food infested with cockroaches. At the facility in which the starving dogs were found, the [USDA] inspector did not remove the surviving dogs, and as a result twenty-two more dogs died.” (75 Alb. L. Rev. 379.)

After being contacted by Tribune reporters, the Alderman says he returned the campaign contributions.

The report and investigation by the Chicago Tribune, “Chicago alderman who got contributions from pet store owner flips on anti-puppy mill law,” is here.

————-

Have a comment? Join the discussion by clicking here.

This Week in Animal Rights (Nov. 23, 2020)

Tonka was in the Orange County shelter for 216 days before he was adopted.

A land bridge in Utah is allowing animals to cross a freeway safely. A state senator is speaking out against animal abuse at the New York City pound. No Kill Advocacy Center laws are saving tens of thousands of lives every year. The All American Vegan Candy Cookbook was named a Finalist at the 2020 American Book Fest Awards. Oak Ridge, TN, reported a 96% placement rate for dogs and 95% for cats. And Tonka was in the Orange County, FL, shelter for 216 days before he was adopted. 

In case you missed it:

We’re finally learning to stop behaving as though we are the only species that matters and to start sharing public spaces with animals. A land bridge in Utah is working, which is no surprise since they have already been proven to reduce roadway wildlife mortality by as much as 90%.A state senator is speaking out against animal abuse at the NYC pound, but it falls short. If things are going to change, it is up to us: you, me, other animal lovers. We’re the ones we’ve been waiting for. And we will not give up until the animals are safe.No Kill Advocacy Center laws are already saving tens of thousands of animals every year — well over a million since their inception — in those cities, counties, and states that have passed them.On a personal note, Jennifer and I lost out to President George W. Bush’s personal chef. His book beat out the All American Vegan Candy Cookbook at the 2020 American Book Fest Awards. We were, however, named a Finalist. So we’re number 2! But since none of our recipes use products that cause harm, we’re first in the hearts of animals.The number of communities placing over 95% of the animals is increasing, including Oak Ridge, TN, which reported a 96% placement rate for dogs and 95% for cats.

These shelters and the data nationally prove that animals are NOT dying in pounds because there are too many or too few homes or people don’t want the animals. They are dying because people in those pounds are killing them. Replace those people, implement the No Kill Equation, and we can be a No Kill nation today.

And, finally, Tonka was in the Orange County shelter for 216 days before he was adopted. What do we owe the animals who arrive in our shelters looking for a second chance? We owe them safe harbor: no matter how many there are and no matter how long it takes to find them a home.

————-

Have a comment? Join the discussion by clicking here.

We’re number two!

We lost out to President George W. Bush’s personal chef. His book, published by the White House Historical Association, beat out the All American Vegan Candy Cookbook for best new independent cookbook at the 2020 American Book Fest Awards. We were, however, named a Finalist. And since none of our recipes use products that cause harm, we’re first in the hearts of animals.

With recipes that veganize America’s most iconic commercial candies, including Snickers, Three Musketeers, Milk Duds, KitKat, Twix, Dots, Tootsie Rolls, Blow Pops, and more, the All American Vegan Candy Cookbook has more than 100 recipes for copycat candies that look and taste the same as your childhood favorites, as well as recipes for other classic sweets such as fudge, caramels, salt water taffy, truffles, and so much more.

Like All American Vegan — our first cookbook that veganized classic diner fare — the All American Vegan Candy Cookbook dispels the misconception that a plant-based diet means deprivation. So whether it’s one of nation’s best selling commercial candies you’re craving, an old-fashioned favorite like pralines or Opera Creams, or holiday treats like Marshmallow Peeps, Cream Eggs, and Valentine Conversation Hearts, get a taste of what you won’t be missing…

Learn more, including a sneak peek inside the book by clicking here.

To purchase, click here.

If your still focused on the main course and you’re hankering for vegan fried “chicken” with fluffy mashed potatoes, gravy, and biscuits, try All American Vegan, our original diner cookbook, by clicking here. It will give President Bush’s chef a run for his money.

P.S. We’ll forgive the slight, but only because the Bush family adopted a shelter puppy and rescues cats.

————-

Have a comment? Join the discussion by clicking here.

This Week in Animal Rights (Nov. 16, 2020)

Twelve lobsters are alive and well and back in the ocean after being found in the back of a car.

There is only one pet store left in the state of Minnesota that sells commercially-bred dogs. Twelve lobsters are alive and well and back in the ocean after being found in the back of a car. A new study falsely claims dog walking increases your risk of getting COVID-19 by 78%. Aurora, CO, is considering repealing its “pit bull” ban after Denver recently did so. The number of communities placing over 90% of animals is increasing. Animal lovers in Ocean View, DE, are urging officials to repeal an inhumane local law that makes it illegal to feed and care for community cats. And Rosenberg, TX, just passed what may be the most progressive community cat law in the nation.

In case you missed it:

There is only one pet store left in the state of Minnesota that sells commercially-bred dogs. The remainder have closed or switched to rescued/shelter animals due to public pressure and local ordinances banning the sale of such dogs (and cats).Twelve lobsters are alive and well and back in the ocean after being found in the back of a car. When their poacher was arrested and they were freed, they were spared what would have been unimaginable torment.A new study falsely claims dog walking increases your risk of getting COVID-19 by 78%. The data does NOT show that. So walk your dog. And while you are at it, hug and kiss him, too.In the wake of Denver residents voting overwhelmingly to repeal the ban on dogs identified as “pit bulls,” neighboring Aurora, CO, will review its own ban and determine whether it should do the same.

The number of communities placing over 90% of the animals is increasing, including:

Benzie County, MI, reported a 100% placement rate for dogs and 100% for cats. It is part of the most exclusive club in the movement — those placing 99%+.Hamilton County, IN, reported a placement rate of 98% for dogs and 94% for cats.

These shelters and the data nationally prove that animals are NOT dying in pounds because there are too many or too few homes or people don’t want the animals. They are dying because people in those pounds are killing them. Replace those people, implement the No Kill Equation, and we can be a No Kill nation today.

Animal lovers in Ocean View, DE, are urging officials to repeal an inhumane local law that makes it illegal to feed and care for community cats. They are urging the Town Council to embrace a community cat program (TNR) instead.

And finally, that is what Rosenberg, TX, did in a big way. A new law passed this week by the City Council requires community cats to either be adopted, transferred to a rescue group, or returned to their habitats instead of killed. It allows community cat caretakers to reclaim an impounded community cat without fee if sterilized or for purposes of placing the cat in a TNR program. It only allows trapping of community cats for sterilization, providing needed veterinary care, adoption, transfer to a rescue group, or reunification with his/her human family. It provides for needed veterinary care for sick or injured cats. And it exempts community cats and their caretakers from any leash law requirements, licensing laws, and pet limit laws. It is perhaps the most progressive community cat law in the nation.

————-

Have a comment? Join the discussion by clicking here.

Walking your dog does NOT increase the risk of COVID-19

A new study in the Journal of Environmental Research claims that “People who reported walking their pets had a higher estimated prevalence of COVID-19 compared to those who did not take their pet for a walk.” How much more? The study authors claim that dog walking increases your risk of getting COVID-19 by 78%. There’s only one problem: it is not true. But that hasn’t stopped it from being repeated by media outlets with alarming headlines:

Dog walkers 78% more likely to catch coronavirus . COVID warning: Why having a dog could be ‘strongly’ raising your risk of coronavirus . Are Dogs Spreading SARS-CoV-2? Study Finds Living With a Dog Increases Risk of Contracting COVID-19 . Study finds dog walkers more likely to catch COVID-19 . People who walk their dogs are 78% more likely to contract COVID-19, new study finds .Study: People who walk their dogs, report to workplace at greater risk of contracting coronavirus.

Despite the claims, even the study authors admitted that the risk is “extremely unlikely.” But that admonition doesn’t even go far enough; it is actually impossible. Why? The mechanism for transmission cited by the study: that dogs are acquiring and then transmitting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to humans has already been scientifically ruled out.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there is no evidence that dogs “spread SARS-CoV-2 to other pets or people.” To the contrary, dogs have repeatedly been shown to be dead-end hosts. Even if they were to come down with the virus — which is very, very rare and unlikely — they do not shed it and thus cannot transmit it to others.

So what evidence was the study based on? In a survey of 2,000 people conducted in Spain following that nation’s first coronavirus lockdown, 6.9% of respondents who walked their dog said they were positive for the virus, compared to 4.2% for those without a dog. Thus, they concluded that dog walking “increases the risk of contagion of COVID-19 by 78%.”

There are several problems with these statistics. First, surveys like this suffer from self-selection bias and response bias. The survey respondents were not a representative sample of the population so the study can’t tell us much about that population. Second, and more importantly, the authors admit that half the people who reported acquiring COVID-19 in their survey did so based on a self-diagnosis. They did not test positive. In fact, they were not tested at all. The data is just not there.

But even if we ignore this and accept, for the sake of argument, that the numbers are accurate, the conclusion does not follow. It is a basic rule of statistics that observational studies like this cannot prove causation:

[T]he results of observational studies are, by their nature, open to dispute. They run the risk of containing confounding biases. Example: A cohort study might find that people who meditated regularly were less prone to heart disease than those who didn’t. But the link may be explained by the fact that people who meditate also exercise more and follow healthier diets. In other words, although a cohort is defined by one common characteristic or exposure, they may also share other characteristics that affect the outcome.

At best, this study tells us we should wear a mask and keep our distance from others when going outside. But we already knew that. So walk your dog. And while you are at it, hug and kiss him, too.

The study, The spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Spain: Hygiene habits, sociodemographic profile, mobility patterns and comorbidities, is here.

————-

Have a comment? Join the discussion by clicking here.

Victory for community cats

Rosenberg, TX, passes the most progressive community cat law in the nation.

For the first time in its history, Rosenberg, TX, finished the year with a better than 90% placement rate: 97% for dogs and 90% for cats.

In the midst of the worst global health crisis since 1919 that saw many shelters across the country close their doors, turn animals away, and abandon the duties they owe residents, the Rosenberg shelter stayed open as an essential service with dramatic results — “Big dogs are leaving, behavior cases, cats with special needs… No one is being left behind…”

Last night, Rosenberg took it one dramatic step further. In a near-unanimous vote, the City Council voted to enshrine protections for community cats into law and it did so in a big way, with the nation’s most progressive community cat protection ordinance in the nation.

Driving these changes are Mara Hartsell, the Director of Rosenberg Animal Control and Shelter, and her team, elected and appointed officials there who pledged to become a No Kill community and then followed through with the necessary changes to become one, rescuers and No Kill advocates, and the No Kill Advocacy Center, my organization, which drafted the new law.

It requires community cats to either be adopted, transferred to a rescue group, or returned to their habitats instead of killed. It allows community cat caretakers to reclaim an impounded community cat without fee if sterilized or for purposes of placing the cat in a TNR program. It only allows trapping of community cats for sterilization, providing needed veterinary care, adoption, transfer to a rescue group, or reunification with his/her human family. It provides for needed veterinary care for sick or injured cats. And it exempts community cats and their caretakers from any leash law requirements, licensing laws, and pet limit laws.

The ordinance serves as a model for other communities that want their shelters to be an effective resource for animal lovers, a partner in lifesaving for caretakers, and true protectors of community cats. Every community should do the same.

Such an initiative decreases:

The number of free-roaming cats in a humane manner;Intakes of community cats, illness in the shelter, and their subsequent killing; and,Animal control complaint calls.

It encourages kindness toward cats as caretakers provide positive role models for others to emulate. It increases opportunities to expand lifesaving of other animals, such as dogs, too. It improves both neighborhood tranquility, as well as public satisfaction with the job local government is doing. And sterilizing rather than killing community cats is simply less expensive, with exponential savings in terms of reducing births.

Congratulations to the leadership and staff at the Rosenberg Animal Shelter, officials who launched a pilot project and then made it permanent by passing the measure into law, and every rescuer, volunteer, adopter, and animal lover in Rosenberg and surrounding areas working to make a lifesaving difference in the community.

Onward and upward…

————-

Have a comment? Join the discussion by clicking here.

This Week in Animal Rights (Nov. 9, 2020)

Mulligan was adopted from the Gross Ile Animal Shelter.

Peanut Butter, a healthy orphaned kitten, was killed by the New York City pound with a rescuer only minutes away. New York City pound facilities are dark, dirty, inadequate, and unhygienic for animals. “Teenaged” dogs, like teenaged kids, rebel. Major — one of two dogs belonging to President-Elect Joe Biden’s family — will be the first shelter adopted dog who will occupy the White House. McDonald’s announced that it is launching a veggie burger worldwide. The number of communities placing over 98% of the animals is increasing. And this week marked the 11-year anniversary of the ASPCA’s killing of Oreo, an abused dog, who a No Kill sanctuary offered to save.

In case you missed it:

Peanut Butter, a healthy orphaned kitten, was killed by the New York City pound with a rescuer only minutes away. It doesn’t have to — it shouldn’t — be this way. And if a rescue rights law is passed, it won’t be.Likewise, New York City pound facilities are dark, dirty, inadequate, and unhygienic for animals. They also result in animals being killed.“Teenaged” dogs, like teenaged kids, rebel. Researchers “found when dogs reached puberty, they were less likely to follow commands given by their carer…” Here’s why this is very important.Major — one of two dogs belonging to President-Elect Joe Biden’s family — will be the first shelter adopted dog who will occupy the White House, but several Presidents have rescued dogs before and after their tenure.McDonald’s, the biggest game in town when it comes to fast food, announced that it is launching a veggie burger, the McPlant, worldwide next year.

The number of communities placing over 98% of the animals is increasing, including:

Madison Heights, MI, reported a 100% placement rate for dogs, 99% for cats, and 100% for rabbits. It’s part of the most exclusive club in the movement — those placing 99%+.Grosse Ile, MI, reported a 100% placement rate for dogs and 98% for cats.Wyandotte, MI, reported a 98% placement rate for dogs and 99% for cats.

These shelters and the data nationally prove that animals are not dying in pounds because there are too many or too few homes or people don’t want the animals. They are dying because people in those pounds are killing them. Replace those people, implement the No Kill Equation, and we can be a No Kill nation today.

And, finally, this week marked the 11-year anniversary of the ASPCA’s killing of Oreo, an abused dog, who a No Kill sanctuary offered to save. Oreo was a one-year-old dog who was thrown off the roof of a six-floor Brooklyn apartment building in 2009. She suffered two broken legs and a fractured rib. The ASPCA nursed her back to health and arrested the perpetrator. They also dubbed her the “miracle dog” and fundraised off her plight, reportedly raising millions. But the miracle was short lived. After the money was counted and safely deposited into ASPCA bank accounts, the ASPCA made the decision to kill her.

————-

Have a comment? Join the discussion by clicking here.

The Short Life & Tragic Death of Oreo Remembered

Oreo with two broken legs.

Today marks the 11-year anniversary of the ASPCA’s killing of Oreo, an abused dog, who a No Kill sanctuary offered to save. Oreo was a one-year-old dog who was thrown off the roof of a six-floor Brooklyn apartment building in 2009. She suffered two broken legs and a fractured rib. Several of the neighbors in the building reported having heard the sound of her being beaten. The ASPCA nursed her back to health and arrested the perpetrator. They also dubbed her the “miracle dog” and fundraised off her plight, reportedly raising millions. But the miracle was short lived.

According to the ASPCA, when Oreo recovered from her injuries, she started to show signs of aggression. After the money was counted and safely deposited into ASPCA bank accounts, the ASPCA made the decision to kill her.

If it was true that Oreo was still traumatized and untrusting, who could blame her? She needed time. Although the ASPCA could have cared for Oreo as long as it took to get her to trust again, they refused. But others came forward to offer what the ASPCA would not: time and space to learn that not all humans are abusers. A No Kill sanctuary near the ASPCA which specializes in rehabilitating aggressive dogs (and, if that proves impossible, safely caring for them for the rest of their lives), contacted the ASPCA to ask if they could assume responsibility for Oreo. They made numerous telephone calls and sent numerous emails. They were ignored, hung-up on and lied to. Two volunteers of the group even went to the ASPCA but were escorted out after the ASPCA refused to meet with them.

The kennel that the sanctuary readied in anticipation of her arrival.

On a cold, Friday morning on November 13, Oreo was killed; not by her abuser, but by those whose mission it was to protect her. The kennel that the sanctuary readied in anticipation of her arrival lay empty and unused that day, filled with a soft bed, a pool of water and several toys for her to play with. Instead, Oreo’s body was discarded in a landfill.

Oreo on the day she was killed by order of APSCA President Ed Sayres.

After Oreo was killed, “Oreo’s Law” was introduced in New York which would have made it illegal for shelters, including the ASPCA, to kill animals who rescue groups were willing to save. It was estimated that if the law passed, roughly 25,000 animals a year would be saved.

The ASPCA made it its mission to ensure that they would not be and succeeded in killing the law every year it was introduced. They continue to fight shelter reform laws to empower rescuers to this very day. Because of them, an estimated 275,000 other animals have since been killed despite qualified rescue groups ready, willing, and able to save them.

Instead of enjoying the second chances and loving new homes rescue groups would have guaranteed them, they are dead, their bodies rotting in New York State landfills.

Oreo would have been 12 years old today; in the twilight of a very long and loved life.

————-

Have a comment? Join the discussion by clicking here.

The McPlant? Yes, please

McDonald’s, the biggest game in town when it comes to fast food, just announced that it was launching a veggie burger worldwide next year.

Per McDonald’s,

There are other plant-based burgers out there, but the McPlant delivers our iconic taste in a sink-your-teeth-in (and wipe-your-mouth) kind of sandwich. It’s made with a juicy, plant-based patty and served on a warm, sesame seed bun with all the classic toppings

I don’t know if it will be the best (I’m pretty crazy about the Impossible Whopper), but they are right in noting that there are other plant-based burgers out there — a lot of them. An industry report found that over half of all major food conglomerates are working on plant-based products because people are demanding them and companies have been pleased with the results. As are fast food restaurants: virtually all of them have plant-based options now or are test marketing them, including Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Del Taco, Taco Bell, Red Robin, Bareburger, White Castle, Chipotle, Habit Burger, Shake Shack, Qdoba, Quiznos, and KFC.

I am not surprised. As Jennifer, my wife, and I predicted in All American Vegan, our first cookbook, if you make it easy and convenient for people to choose plant-based options, more people will. And that prediction has borne out. “A 2018 [industry] report… found that more than 30% of Americans have meat-free days, more than 50% of adults drink non-dairy milk and about 83% are adding more plant-based foods to their diets.”

Indeed, a global food industry research firm is also predicting that in the next 20 years, 60% of the world’s meat will NOT come from slaughtered animals. Instead, it will come from plant-based meat analogues and meat grown in labs from cultured cells. And they say, that is a very conservative estimate. The percentage is likely to be significantly higher

That is not only good news for animals (one report says over 250,000 animals are being saved annually as a result of just two companies: Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods), but animal lovers. No matter what city you live in, soon, if not already, the question for those who want delicious, vegan fast food, will no longer be, “is there anywhere we can eat?” It will be, “where do we want to eat?”

Now if McDonald’s would just take the “natural beef flavor” (cow’s milk proteins) out of the fries, the experience would be complete…

————-

Have a comment? Join the discussion by clicking here.