Do vegans wear wool?

Would any of the animals be able to live wild, in herds?

I doubt it. They're bred today for specific purposes and need looking after. Also, people probably wouldn't be happy about things like feral cows and bulls in their midst!

Another thought, we wouldn't need vets any more, would we?

Like phoenix, I'd heard the saying before. I'm in a book club and KH's book was on the optional reading list and we were given excerpts to read to decide if we wanted to group read it. Oddly enough, no one wanted to! Wonder why? ?

Feral packs of dogs ?

It’s a lifestyle choice and the vegans, vegetarians and pescatarians I know are not out to preach and convert. They simply state their case if asked. Granted there may be a few who are more evangelical but I’ve not met any.

What? No pearls to clutch?!
I can’t live without honey, or bacon sarnies.

I'm still fretting about the clothes. Cotton won't keep you warm. Canvas shoes?
Or do they use artificial fibres and plastic shoes.
Why won't anyone answer?

I'm interested in the answers, too, Eglantine. A friend of a friend has a daughter who lives with her partner on the west coast of Scotland. They are vegan but also spurn anything man-made so no plastics or anything. I can't imagine how hard that must be!

Many thanks for all the responses, they have really helped.

I now know exactly where I stand with regards to veganism.

What do they wear on their feet SueDonim?

I am not sure why a vegan would not wear clothing produced from wool which has been ethically produced. The sheep would be kept just for their fleeces which would need to be shorn to keep the animals comfortable in the warmer months.

Bizarre indeed Luckygirl - or over-thinking.
I bought some lovely yarn spun from the fleece(s) of well-cared for sheep which will never be slaughtered for meat. It was so expensive I am nervous about knitting it.

Keeping dogs or cats as pets could be considered to be exploiting them too - so would a vegan not keep a pet animal?

Likewise, you take honey which is intended for the bee children and replace it with sugar.
polyester57 I do eat honey - but again, produced by a local beekeeper - but I also think that we take too much from the bees and that replacing it with sugar could be reason why we have a bee population problem and why bees are succumbing to disease.

Some vegans consider it unreasonable to take animals into our homes, train their natural behaviour out of them, and chop their bits off in order to pander to our need for a "pet".

No Jalima quite often no pets either.

It is very easy to find non leather shoes and handbags that are beautiful and produced ethically. They are not cheap - but worth it in my opinion. I’m not saying I take such a hard line as many vegans (I’m veggie not vegan, and I do have animals in my life) but I gave up using leather a long time ago and now I can’t bear the feel or smell of it. It smells to me of death.

bee children?

Sorry MissAdventure, crossed posts.

But what would happen to the cats, dogs, guinea pigs etc if we didn't take them into our homes and chop bits off them? They'd become feral, diseased and over run. And cats, dogs and guinea pigs are sociable, domesticated creatures who have looked to humans for shelter and food for millennia. My cat's looking worried, lest I turf him out for a wee late at night never mind telling him to fend for himself!

They are vegan but also spurn anything man-made so no plastics or anything.
It was what SueDonim said that made me wonder what they wore on their feet.

So a very strict vegan would consider it was better for dogs to run in packs, killing and eating what they could find, rather than be cared for by people who could, if they wanted, feed the dog a vegetarian diet.

Can dogs be vegetarian? Aren't there teeth designed for a carnivorous diet?

The idea is that if you do not keep sheep for wool, the land the sheep would normally graze on can be used for growing crops to feed more people.
So the sheep population of the world would need to be got rid of in order to feed the growing world population?
Likewise cows, pigs would no longer inhabit this earth.

Well, I do know someone who always fed her dog a vegetarian diet as the whole family is.
And dogs can live a healthy life as vegetarians, but this particular dog did not.

night owl, what are the non leather shoes made of? What fabrics do you wear when it's freezing cold? Why will no one give me a straight answer

I know you can buy vegan shoes but I want to know what shoes someone would wear if they are vegan and won't wear man-made items.
Home-made wooden clogs?

If anyone saw Judi Dench's programme on trees they would think twice about that too.

I don't think anyone can answer some of the questions asked on here because each vegan decides for themselves how far they will take the idea of not using animal products. Being a vegan can be a difficult choice and some take several years before they have a settled vegan lifestyle. Most vegans are also environmentalists to some degree because the two go hand in hand.

The Vegan Society now defines veganism as "A philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."

As far as clothes and accessories are concerned vegans wear/use fabrics like hemp, linen, cotton, canvas, polyester, synthetic leather (pleather), rubber and vinyl. Leather alternatives can come from materials such as cork, piña (from pineapples) and mushroom leather. Yes, this does mean sweaty feet! And they're often expensive because of where and how they are made. Layers of fabric can be just as warm as one heavy garment like a wool jumper though because the layers trap heat.

All medicine in the UK is required by law to be tested on animals before it can be used for humans. However, the Vegan Society does not recommended that vegans don't take medication prescribed for them, but they can ask the pharmacist if there's an option more suitable for them. For example, some capsules are made using gelatin, so a vegan would ask if there's an alternative available.

My brother was vegan for several years and used to travel to. Brighton to buy shoes. At the time Brighton had the only vegan shoe shop in the UK. He would also wear second hand clothing to reduce the environmental impact of buying new products. After several years he changed to become vegetarian, but he's one of the strictest I know.

The mutual friend & I have spent hours pondering the shoe question ourselves! We concluded that they must spend their entire lives in rubber wellies.

They had a baby quite recently (when they were grateful for all mod cons such as a hospital bed and pain relief!) so I'm intrigued about that, as well.

On the subject of pets, I've just been reading something written by a doctor friend on mental health, which states the huge benefits to people of having pets. Far better than drugs etc!

That's getting ridiculous now, suedonim. Vegans aren't allowed a hospital bed, aren't they?
They pay rates and taxes as well as anyone else; in fact usually better than some as they tend to have social consciences as well.

I never wore wool, even before I was vegetarian as I am allergic to it. No wool carpets, either, and no feather pillows.
Lots of organic cotton, though, and bamboo now, as well as linen shirts.