discussvegan.
← The experience

Check our work.

A claim is only as good as its source. Everything asserted on this site is listed below with a link to the primary research, the UN dataset, or the government document it came from. Where a popular figure is shaky, we use the defensible version instead, not the dramatic one. If you find an error, it will be corrected.

01

The experience

The headline statistics in the scroll journey, in order of appearance.

  1. ~90% of pigs in England & Wales are stunned with high-concentration CO₂; advisors called for phase-out in 2003.

    UK Animal Welfare Committee, Opinion on CO₂ gas stunning of pigs (2025); FAWC (2003).

  2. CO₂ stunning is highly aversive and causes pain, fear and respiratory distress before unconsciousness.

    EFSA AHAW Panel, Welfare of pigs at slaughter, EFSA Journal (2020).

  3. Pig cognition is comparable to dogs and, on some tasks, young children.

    Marino, L. & Colvin, C. M., “Thinking Pigs,” Int. J. Comparative Psychology, 28 (2015).

  4. Chickens show rudimentary numerical ability and future-oriented cognition.

    Marino, L., “Thinking chickens,” Animal Cognition 20 (2017); Rugani et al., Science 347 (2015).

  5. Fish possess nociceptors and show pain responses; a cleaner wrasse passed a modified mirror mark test (interpretation contested).

    Sneddon et al., Proc. R. Soc. B 270 (2003); Kohda et al., PLOS Biology (2019, 2022).

  6. More than 80 billion land animals slaughtered annually; over 70 billion are chickens.

    FAO / FAOSTAT, compiled by Our World in Data (2021 data).

  7. Roughly 1–2 trillion fish are killed each year, overwhelmingly wild-caught.

    fishcount.org.uk (Mood & Brooke), estimates of fish numbers.

  8. Livestock uses ~77% of farmland for 18% of calories; a plant-based shift could cut food’s land use 76% and emissions 49%.

    Poore, J. & Nemecek, T., Science 360 (2018).

  9. Beef’s water footprint averages ~15,400 L/kg (green+blue+grey global average).

    Mekonnen, M. M. & Hoekstra, A. Y., Ecosystems 15 (2012).

  10. Cattle ranching drives roughly 80% of deforested Amazon land use.

    Yale Global Forest Atlas; FAO, Livestock’s Long Shadow (2006).

  11. More than 73% of antibiotics sold worldwide are used in animals.

    Van Boeckel, T. P. et al., Science 357 (2017).

  12. In 2019, 1.27 million deaths were directly attributable to antimicrobial resistance (AMR is a driver, not the sole cause).

    Murray, C. J. L. et al. (GRAM), The Lancet 399 (2022).

  13. WHO recommends ending routine antibiotic use in healthy food-producing animals.

    WHO, Guidelines on use of medically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals (2017).
02

The library

272 unique sources cited across the Q&A library.

  1. AHDB, UK slaughterings and production Cited in: Lambs have a good life in fields, don't they?
  2. American Anti-Vivisection Society, Animal Testing (Draize and LD50) Cited in: How many animals, and what's done to them?
  3. American Cancer Society, Soy and cancer risk: our expert's advice Cited in: Is soy linked to breast cancer?
  4. Andrews, K., Birch, J., Sebo, J. et al. (2024). The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness. Cited in: Consent doesn't apply to animals though. , Where do you draw the line, insects, bacteria?
  5. Animal Aid, Race Horse Death Watch (deaths on British racecourses) Cited in: What's wrong with horse riding, racing or the circus?
  6. Animal Charity Evaluators / EA Forum, estimates of animals spared per person per year Cited in: I tried and slipped up, what's the point now?
  7. Animal Justice Project / industry data on spent laying hens; Farm Forward, How long do chickens live? Cited in: What's wrong with eggs? The hens aren't killed.
  8. Animal Welfare Committee (2025). Opinion on the welfare impacts on pigs of high concentration CO2 gas stunning and of potential alternative stunning methods. UK Government (GOV.UK). Cited in: What about humane, ethical farming and free-range? , What's wrong with humane slaughter? , Animals don't understand death, so killing them is painless. , Why is it wrong to eat pigs but fine to love dogs?
  9. Appeal to nature (the naturalistic / is–ought fallacy), Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 'Moral Naturalism' & overview Cited in: Animals eat other animals, why shouldn't we?
  10. Australian Government (DAFF), Phase out of live sheep exports by sea (Act 2024, ends 1 May 2028) Cited in: Wool is just a haircut, and sheep need shearing.
  11. Bar-On, Phillips & Milo, The biomass distribution on Earth, PNAS (2018) Cited in: What's animal farming got to do with biodiversity loss?
  12. Barnard et al., A low-fat vegan diet and conventional diabetes diet, 74-week RCT, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2009) Cited in: Can a plant-based diet prevent or reverse type-2 diabetes?
  13. Barnard et al., A Low-Fat Vegan Diet Improves Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes, 22-week RCT, Diabetes Care (2006) Cited in: Can a plant-based diet prevent or reverse type-2 diabetes?
  14. BBC Good Food, Easy vegan recipes Cited in: I don't have time to cook vegan
  15. Birch et al., Review of the evidence of sentience in cephalopod molluscs and decapod crustaceans, LSE / UK Government (2021) Cited in: Do insects even feel pain? Isn't eating them the answer?
  16. Birch, J. et al. (2021). Review of the Evidence of Sentience in Cephalopod Molluscs and Decapod Crustaceans (LSE, for Defra), on graded confidence in sentience. Cited in: Do you swat mosquitoes? Then you're a hypocrite. , Where do you draw the line, insects, bacteria?
  17. Bloomberg / Good Food Institute, Plant-based food market growth and retail availability Cited in: Isn't being vegan really inconvenient and socially isolating?
  18. Boutas et al. / pooled analysis, Soy food intake and breast cancer recurrence and survival, Am J Clin Nutr Cited in: Isn't soy bad for you (hormones, men's health)?
  19. Brazil nut butter vs supplement to improve selenium supply: randomised controlled trial, Eur J Nutr (2025) Cited in: What about zinc and selenium on a vegan diet?
  20. Bristol University / Hindu, Buddhist, Jain & Christian vegetarian traditions, overview via Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics / Linzey Cited in: My religion requires meat or animal sacrifice.
  21. British Dietetic Association, Iodine food fact sheet Cited in: What about iodine on a vegan diet?
  22. British Dietetic Association, Plant-based diet Cited in: My family or partner isn't vegan, it's impossible at home , How do vegan kids cope at parties and school? , Going vegan is just too hard and overwhelming
  23. British Dietetic Association, Pregnancy and diet food fact sheet Cited in: Is a vegan diet safe in pregnancy and breastfeeding?
  24. British Dietetic Association, Well-planned vegan diets can support healthy living in people of all ages Cited in: Is a vegan diet safe for children, pregnancy, and all life stages?
  25. British Heart Foundation, Fibre Cited in: Is a plant-based diet better for your gut microbiome?
  26. British Texel Sheep Society / Defra, Survey of age of English lambs at slaughter Cited in: Lambs have a good life in fields, don't they?
  27. British Veterinary Association, Non-stun slaughter policy (citing FSA 2018 survey) Cited in: Are kosher and halal slaughter more humane?
  28. Cao et al., Vegetarian/vegan diet and omega-3 status, review of algal oil as a DHA source, Front Nutr (2024) Cited in: Don't you need fish for brain DHA, especially in pregnancy?
  29. Carbon Brief, Q&A: What the 'controversial' GWP* methane metric means for farming Cited in: Cow methane is just the natural carbon cycle, it's not adding anything, right?
  30. Cassidy et al., Redefining agricultural yields: from tonnes to people nourished per hectare (Environmental Research Letters, 2013) Cited in: Could the world even feed everyone on plants? Wouldn't we starve?
  31. CDC, Folic Acid Fortification and the Prevention of Neural Tube Defects Cited in: Doesn't needing supplements prove veganism is unnatural?
  32. CE Delft, Ex-ante LCA of commercial-scale cultivated meat in 2030 Cited in: Aren't these new foods actually worse for the planet?
  33. Chen et al., Soy isoflavones and breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis, In Vivo / IIAR (2022) Cited in: Is soy linked to breast cancer?
  34. Chi et al., Soy isoflavone intake and breast cancer risk in pre- and post-menopausal women: meta-analysis, PLOS ONE (2014) Cited in: Is soy linked to breast cancer?
  35. Clark et al., Global food system emissions could preclude achieving the 1.5°C and 2°C climate change targets, Science (2020) Cited in: Isn't the real problem fossil fuels and corporations, not my dinner?
  36. CleanTechnica, Mosa Meat: from €250,000 to €9 burger patties Cited in: It'll never be affordable or scale up though, will it?
  37. Coeliac UK, About coeliac disease and gluten Cited in: Aren't vegan diets full of gluten and bad for you?
  38. Coffey et al., Meat versus meat alternatives: nutritional and environmental analysis, J Hum Nutr Diet (2023) Cited in: Aren't vegan diets just ultra-processed junk (fake meats)?
  39. Collective Fashion Justice, Leather is a co-product, not a byproduct Cited in: Isn't wool/leather just a byproduct, no animal dies for it?
  40. Comparative bioavailability of DHA and EPA from microalgal and fish oil in adults, randomised crossover trial (2024) Cited in: Can you get omega-3 (EPA and DHA) without fish?
  41. Comparison of nutritional composition between plant-based drinks and cow's milk, Nutrients (2022) Cited in: Plant milks are full of additives and aren't even real milk.
  42. Compassion in World Farming, Dairy Cows Cited in: Milk doesn't kill the cow though, what's the harm?
  43. Compassion in World Farming, Position on Alternatives to Male Chick Culling (2023) Cited in: What's wrong with eggs? The hens aren't killed.
  44. Compassion in World Farming, Progress for male dairy calves (2020) Cited in: Isn't veal a rare cruelty I can just avoid?
  45. Compassion in World Farming, Veal Calves Cited in: Isn't veal a rare cruelty I can just avoid?
  46. Council Directive 2007/43/EC laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production (EUR-Lex) Cited in: Aren't chickens raised humanely for meat?
  47. Craddock et al., Algal supplementation of vegetarian eating patterns improves plasma and serum DHA, J Hum Nutr Diet (2017) Cited in: Don't you need fish for brain DHA, especially in pregnancy?
  48. Craft Brewing Business, What is isinglass and why is it not vegan-friendly? Cited in: Wait, wine and beer aren't vegan?
  49. Crimarco et al., SWAP-MEAT randomised crossover trial, Am. J. Clinical Nutrition (2020) Cited in: Isn't plant-based meat just ultra-processed junk?
  50. Crippa et al., Food systems are responsible for a third of global anthropogenic GHG emissions, Nature Food (2021) Cited in: Isn't the real problem fossil fuels and corporations, not my dinner?
  51. Cruelty Free International, Prohibitions on cosmetics testing in the EU and elsewhere Cited in: Isn't cosmetic animal testing already banned?
  52. Cusack et al., Blood type diets lack supporting evidence: a systematic review, Am J Clin Nutr (2013) Cited in: Doesn't my blood type or ancestry mean I need meat?
  53. Darmadi-Blackberry et al., Legumes: the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people, Asia Pac J Clin Nutr (2004) Cited in: Aren't plants full of lectins and antinutrients?
  54. Diaz & Rosenberg, Spreading Dead Zones and Consequences for Marine Ecosystems, Science (2008) Cited in: Aren't ocean dead zones a fertiliser problem, not a meat problem?
  55. Domić et al., Perspective: Vegan diets for older adults? Potential impact on muscle mass and strength, Advances in Nutrition (2022) Cited in: Are vegan diets a bad idea for older people?
  56. Domínguez-Oliva et al., The Impact of Vegan Diets on Indicators of Health in Dogs and Cats: A Systematic Review, Veterinary Sciences (2023) Cited in: Can dogs and cats actually be vegan?
  57. Erudus, Additives and E-numbers unsuitable for vegetarians and vegans Cited in: Wait, wine and beer aren't vegan?
  58. Esselstyn et al., A way to reverse CAD?, Journal of Family Practice (2014) Cited in: Can a plant-based diet really reverse heart disease?
  59. Euronews, Viral posts mislead on Italy's lab-grown meat ban Cited in: When can I actually buy this stuff?
  60. European Commission Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare (1998), Welfare Aspects of the Production of Foie Gras in Ducks and Geese Cited in: Is duck or foie gras really that bad?
  61. European Commission, Ban on animal testing (cosmetics) Cited in: Isn't cosmetic animal testing already banned?
  62. European Commission, Council Directive 2008/119/EC (veal crate ban, in force across EU since 2007) Cited in: Isn't veal a rare cruelty I can just avoid?
  63. European Food Safety Authority, Cobalt and vitamin B12 supplementation of animal feed Cited in: Doesn't needing supplements prove veganism is unnatural?
  64. Eveleigh et al., Vegans, vegetarians and omnivores: how does dietary choice influence iodine intake? A systematic review, Nutrients (2020) Cited in: What about iodine on a vegan diet?
  65. FAO, AQUASTAT, water withdrawal by sector Cited in: Is animal agriculture really a big deal for water use?
  66. FAO, The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture Cited in: If everyone went vegan, farm breeds would go extinct.
  67. FAO, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) 2022 Cited in: What about fish, isn't seafood sustainable?
  68. FAO, The State of World's Animal Genetic Resources / livestock production systems (intensive systems share) Cited in: Isn't it just the circle of life? , But the adverts show happy cows in green fields.
  69. FAO/UNEP/UNDP, A multi-billion-dollar opportunity: Repurposing agricultural support (2021) Cited in: Isn't veganism expensive and elitist?
  70. Farm Animal Welfare Council (2003), Report on the Welfare of Farmed Animals at Slaughter or Killing, Part 1: Red Meat Animals (UK Government / GOV.UK) Cited in: Are kosher and halal slaughter more humane?
  71. Faunalytics, How Many Animals Does A Plant-Based Diet Spare? (citing Animal Charity Evaluators, 2021) Cited in: How can one person make a difference?
  72. Faunalytics, How To Talk About Veganism Effectively Cited in: How do I talk to friends and family without being preachy?
  73. Faunalytics, Reducetarian study, appeals and dietary change Cited in: How do I talk to friends and family without being preachy?
  74. FAWC (Farm Animal Welfare Council), non-stun slaughter causes significant pain/distress; ~88% of UK halal is pre-stunned. RSPCA summary. Cited in: My religion requires meat or animal sacrifice.
  75. FDA, Milk and plant-based alternatives: know the nutrient difference Cited in: Plant milks are full of additives and aren't even real milk.
  76. Fischer, B. & Lamey, A. (2018). Field Deaths in Plant Agriculture. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 31(4), 409-428. Cited in: Don't more animals die in crop harvesting?
  77. fishcount.org.uk (A. Mood & P. Brooke), estimates of numbers of fish caught from the wild each year Cited in: How are fish killed, and how many?
  78. fishcount.org.uk, Humane slaughter, fish welfare in commercial fishing Cited in: How are fish killed, and how many?
  79. Fitzgerald et al., Slaughterhouses and Increased Crime Rates, Organization & Environment (2009) Cited in: What about the slaughterhouse workers, don't they need the jobs?
  80. Food Foundation, Health and environmental benefits of whole plant foods over meat and processed alternatives Cited in: Aren't vegan diets just ultra-processed junk (fake meats)?
  81. FoodNavigator, New Culture to launch vegan mozzarella using animal-free casein Cited in: Vegan cheese is awful and never melts properly.
  82. FoodNavigator, Where countries stand on cultivated meat regulation in 2026 Cited in: When can I actually buy this stuff?
  83. FSA / Welsh Government & Defra (2019), Results of the 2018 FSA Survey into Slaughter Methods in England and Wales Cited in: Are kosher and halal slaughter more humane?
  84. Full Fact, No evidence that lab-grown meat causes 'turbo-cancer' Cited in: Is cultivated meat grown from cancer cells, will it give me cancer?
  85. Fur Free Alliance, Fur Bans Cited in: What about fur, silk and down?
  86. Fur Free Alliance, Fur Farming Cited in: What about fur, silk and down?
  87. Garnett et al., Grazed and Confused?, Food Climate Research Network, University of Oxford (2017) Cited in: What about grass-fed/regenerative beef being carbon-negative? , Aren't cow burps (methane) overstated? CO2 is the real problem. , Cow methane is just the natural carbon cycle, it's not adding anything, right?
  88. Geldmann & González-Varo, Conserving honey bees does not help wildlife (Science, 2018) Cited in: What's wrong with honey? Bees aren't harmed.
  89. Genesis 1:26–30 and 9:1–3 (King James / NRSV), Bible Gateway Cited in: Didn't God give us animals to use?
  90. Geppert et al., Microalgal docosahexaenoic acid decreases plasma triacylglycerol in vegetarians, Br J Nutr (2006) Cited in: Don't you need fish for brain DHA, especially in pregnancy?
  91. GFI Europe, Cultivated meat could slash climate impact by up to 92% (CE Delft LCA, 2021) Cited in: Aren't these new foods actually worse for the planet?
  92. GFI Europe, The history of precision fermentation Cited in: Aren't fermented proteins unnatural GMO Frankenfoods?
  93. GFI, Addressing challenges of cultivated meat Cited in: It'll never be affordable or scale up though, will it?
  94. GFI, Deep dive: Cultivated meat cell lines Cited in: Is cultivated meat grown from cancer cells, will it give me cancer? , It isn't real meat, and we don't know if it's safe.
  95. Gibbons et al., Can insects feel pain? A review of the neural and behavioural evidence, Advances in Insect Physiology (2022) Cited in: Do insects even feel pain? Isn't eating them the answer? , Are oysters and mussels vegan?
  96. GMA, USDA approves 1st cell-cultivated meat for two US manufacturers (2023) Cited in: It isn't real meat, and we don't know if it's safe.
  97. Good Food Institute Europe, Clear labelling (plant-based labelling law tracker) Cited in: Why does the word “vegan” put people off? , Why does the word “vegan” put people off?
  98. GOV.UK / Defra, Monthly UK statistics on cattle, sheep and pig slaughter Cited in: Lambs have a good life in fields, don't they?
  99. GOV.UK, NDNS results from years 9 to 11 (combined statistical summary) Cited in: Is a plant-based diet better for your gut microbiome?
  100. GreenQueen, New Culture earns first self-affirmed GRAS status for animal-free casein Cited in: Vegan cheese is awful and never melts properly.
  101. GreenQueen, Standing Ovation animal-free casein, 2025 launch Cited in: Vegan cheese is awful and never melts properly.
  102. Groufh-Jacobsen et al., Vegans, vegetarians and pescatarians are at risk of iodine deficiency in Norway, Nutrients (2020) Cited in: What about iodine on a vegan diet?
  103. Haider et al., The effect of vegetarian diets on iron status in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis, Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr (2018) Cited in: Do vegans get enough iron, or end up anaemic?
  104. Han, J.J. (2023). FDA Modernization Act 2.0 allows for alternatives to animal testing. Artificial Organs / PMC. Cited in: Don't we NEED animal testing for medicine?
  105. Hannah Ritchie, Our World in Data, Food choice vs eating local Cited in: Isn't buying local more important than going vegan? , Isn't local meat better for the planet than imported plants? , Does going vegan actually help the environment, or is it overstated?
  106. HappyCow, Browse vegan and vegetarian listings around the world Cited in: It's impossible to eat vegan when travelling
  107. Harvard Nutrition Source, Understanding the IARC findings Cited in: Isn't plant-based meat just ultra-processed junk?
  108. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source: Diet Review: Ketogenic Diet Cited in: Can you do keto or low-carb as a vegan?
  109. Hayek et al., The carbon opportunity cost of animal-sourced food production, Nature Sustainability (2021) Cited in: Would going vegan even make a dent globally?
  110. Hayek, M. N. (2022). The infectious disease trap of animal agriculture. Science Advances, 8(44), eadd6681. Cited in: Aren't there bigger problems to worry about?
  111. Healthline (clinical review), Collagen, what it is, how it's digested and used Cited in: Don't you need collagen and animal fat from animals?
  112. Healthline (clinical review), The Raw Vegan Diet: benefits and risks Cited in: Do you have to be a raw vegan for it to be healthy?
  113. Healthline, Vegan Keto Diet, A Detailed Beginner's Guide (clinician-reviewed) Cited in: Can you do keto or low-carb as a vegan?
  114. Hopwood et al., Paradoxical gender effects in meat consumption across cultures, Scientific Reports (2024) Cited in: Isn't veganism unmanly? Real men eat meat.
  115. Horta, O. & Albersmeier, F. (2020). Defining Speciesism. Philosophy Compass, 15(11), e12708. Cited in: Is it speciesist to value humans over animals?
  116. Humane Society of the United States (2012), The Welfare of Animals in the Foie Gras Industry Cited in: Is duck or foie gras really that bad?
  117. Humane World for Animals, Fur Farming Cruelty Cited in: What about fur, silk and down?
  118. IARC, Press release 240: IARC Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat (2015) Cited in: Is red and processed meat actually bad for you?
  119. Iguacel et al., Veganism, vegetarianism, bone mineral density and fracture risk: systematic review and meta-analysis, Nutrition Reviews (2019) Cited in: Are vegan bones weaker, lower density, more fractures?
  120. International Agency for Research on Cancer / WHO (2015). IARC Monographs Volume 114: Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat. Cited in: Don't we need meat to be healthy? , We've always eaten meat, isn't it natural and traditional?
  121. IPBES, Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (2019) Cited in: What's animal farming got to do with biodiversity loss?
  122. IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), Working Group I, Chapter 7 (2021) Cited in: Aren't cow burps (methane) overstated? CO2 is the real problem.
  123. Jain et al., Association between vegetarian and vegan diets and depression: a systematic review, Nutrition Bulletin (2022) Cited in: Do vegan diets cause depression?
  124. Jenkins et al., The Eco-Atkins low-carbohydrate vegan diet and cardiovascular risk, BMJ Open (2014) Cited in: Can you do keto or low-carb as a vegan?
  125. Jett, J. & Ventre, J. (2015). Captive killer whale survival. Marine Mammal Science, mortality vs wild; Whale & Dolphin Conservation on fin collapse. Cited in: Aren't zoos and aquariums good for conservation?
  126. Kaviani et al., Benefits of creatine for vegetarians vs omnivorous athletes: systematic review, IJERPH (2020) Cited in: Is it harder to build muscle on a vegan diet?
  127. Kendrick Farris (vegan Olympic weightlifter), Wikipedia Cited in: Isn't veganism unmanly? Real men eat meat.
  128. Kiefte-de Jong / Weikert et al., Selenium, zinc and copper status of vegetarians and vegans: the NuEva study, Nutrients (2023) Cited in: What about zinc and selenium on a vegan diet?
  129. Knight & Leitsberger, Vegetarian versus Meat-Based Diets for Companion Animals (Animals, 2016) Cited in: Cats and dogs eat meat, isn't it hypocritical to have pets?
  130. Knight et al., Vegan versus meat-based dog food: Guardian-reported health outcomes (PLOS ONE, 2022) Cited in: Cats and dogs eat meat, isn't it hypocritical to have pets? , Can dogs and cats actually be vegan?
  131. Knowles et al. (2008), Leg Disorders in Broiler Chickens: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Prevention, PLOS ONE Cited in: Aren't chickens raised humanely for meat?
  132. Koebnick et al., Consequences of a long-term raw food diet on body weight and menstruation, Ann Nutr Metab (1999) Cited in: Do you have to be a raw vegan for it to be healthy?
  133. Lebwohl et al., Long term gluten consumption and risk of coronary heart disease (no harm in non-coeliacs), BMJ (2017) Cited in: Aren't vegan diets full of gluten and bad for you?
  134. Lee et al., Diet quality and depressive symptoms across diet patterns: cross-sectional study, Nutrients (2023) Cited in: Do vegan diets cause depression?
  135. Link review, The effects of a raw vegetarian diet: review of available evidence, Clinical Nutrition ESPEN (2023) Cited in: Do you have to be a raw vegan for it to be healthy?
  136. Linzey, A., Animal Theology (Oxford); 'dominion as stewardship', Catholic Concern for Animals overview Cited in: Didn't God give us animals to use?
  137. Marino, L. (2017), Thinking chickens: a review of cognition, emotion, and behavior in the domestic chicken, Animal Cognition 20:127-147 Cited in: Aren't chickens stupid?
  138. Marino, L. & Colvin, C. M. (2015). Thinking Pigs: A Comparative Review of Cognition, Emotion, and Personality in Sus domesticus. International Journal of Comparative Psychology, 28. Cited in: Lions eat meat, why shouldn't we? , Isn't it just my personal choice? , Why is it wrong to eat pigs but fine to love dogs? , Is it speciesist to value humans over animals? , Don't farm animals only exist because we breed them? They'd never have lived otherwise.
  139. Marshall, L.J. et al. (2023). Poor Translatability of Biomedical Research Using Animals, A Narrative Review. Alternatives to Laboratory Animals 51(2). Cited in: Don't we NEED animal testing for medicine?
  140. Material Innovation Initiative, Leather: harmless byproduct or crucial profit component? Cited in: Isn't wool/leather just a byproduct, no animal dies for it?
  141. McDonald et al., American Gut: an Open Platform for Citizen Science Microbiome Research, mSystems (2018) Cited in: Is a plant-based diet better for your gut microbiome?
  142. MDPI Animals, Cobalt and Vitamin B12 in Dairy Cattle Nutrition (2025) Cited in: Don't you need to take B12 supplements? Isn't that proof veganism is unnatural?
  143. Meijaard et al., Certified 'sustainable' palm oil and endangered mammal habitat, Science of the Total Environment (2020) Cited in: Vegans eat palm oil, isn't that just as destructive?
  144. Mekonnen & Hoekstra, A Global Assessment of the Water Footprint of Farm Animal Products, Ecosystems (2012) Cited in: Is animal agriculture really a big deal for water use?
  145. Melina, Craig & Levin, Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets (2016) Cited in: Don't you need to take B12 supplements? Isn't that proof veganism is unnatural? , Doesn't my blood type or ancestry mean I need meat? , Is it harder to build muscle on a vegan diet? , We have canine teeth, aren't we designed to eat meat? , Don't you need collagen and animal fat from animals? , Do vegans have to combine proteins at every meal? , Isn't dairy needed for calcium and strong bones? , Humans are designed to eat meat, look at our evolution and B12. , What about humane, ethical farming and free-range? , Do vegans get enough iron, or end up anaemic? , Lions eat meat, why shouldn't we? , Don't we need meat to be healthy? , Can you get omega-3 (EPA and DHA) without fish? , Isn't it just my personal choice? , Is a vegan diet safe in pregnancy and breastfeeding? , Where do you get your protein? , We've always eaten meat, isn't it natural and traditional? , Can you really be a strong athlete without meat? , Is a vegan diet safe for children, pregnancy, and all life stages? , Are vegan diets a bad idea for older people? , Can you get enough vitamin D on a vegan diet? , Don't you feel weak and tired without meat? Is it sustainable long-term? , What about zinc and selenium on a vegan diet?
  146. Merck Veterinary Manual, Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals Cited in: Can dogs and cats actually be vegan?
  147. Modern Farmer, The $330,000 Lab-Grown Hamburger (2013) Cited in: It isn't real meat, and we don't know if it's safe.
  148. Monsó, S. & Osuna-Mascaró, A. J. (2021). Death is common, so is understanding it: the concept of death in other species. Synthese / comparative thanatology review (PMC). Cited in: Animals don't understand death, so killing them is painless.
  149. Nakagawa & Hart, Where's the Beef? How Masculinity Exacerbates Gender Disparities in Health Behaviors, Socius (2019) Cited in: Isn't veganism unmanly? Real men eat meat.
  150. National Geographic, 'Orcas don't do well in captivity. Here's why.' (lifespan, mortality, tooth-damage study) Cited in: Aren't zoos and aquariums good for conservation?
  151. National Geographic, Dead zones explained Cited in: Aren't ocean dead zones a fertiliser problem, not a meat problem?
  152. NHS, The vegan diet (Eat well) Cited in: I don't have time to cook vegan
  153. Nichele et al., Plant versus animal protein for muscle mass, strength and performance: systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs, Nutrition Reviews (2024) Cited in: Is it harder to build muscle on a vegan diet? , Are vegan diets a bad idea for older people?
  154. NOAA, Gulf of Mexico hypoxia ('dead zone') Cited in: Aren't ocean dead zones a fertiliser problem, not a meat problem?
  155. Ocklenburg & Borawski, Vegetarian diet and depression scores: a meta-analysis, J Affective Disorders (2021) Cited in: Do vegan diets cause depression?
  156. Onwezen et al., Psychological & practical aspects of meat reduction and substitution Cited in: Why eat fake meat at all, why not just eat vegetables?
  157. Orlich et al. / Adventist Health Study-2, Vegetarian dietary patterns and mortality, JAMA Intern Med (2013) Cited in: Isn't 'plant-based' just a fad with no real health benefit?
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