Published Letters and Op-Eds from
COK’s Writers Group

This Season, Opt for an Animal-Friendly Holiday

Dear Editor,

The holidays are upon us, and for most people this season conjures up images of friends family, and, of course, lots of food.

However, this time of the year reminds me of UCSD, where, as a biology major studying animal behavior in 1997, I celebrated the holidays, for the first time, with vegetarian feasts.

My decision to become a vegetarian stemmed from my experiences working with bonobos (pygmy chimpanzees) during a special project at UCSD.

I started seeing these intelligent and inquisitive animals in a whole new light and began extending this new vision to other animals—namely the animals I ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was also at this time that I discovered many of the hidden horrors of factory farms: Egg-laying hens are crowded in tiny wire cages so restrictive that they can barely move, let alone nest or spread their wings; mother pigs spend months at a time nearly immobilized inside narrow metal crates; and turkeys are bred to grow large so quickly that their skeletons often cannot keep up with their abnormal body weight. Standard practices also include castrating male calves and pigs without painkillers.

How could I, someone who was a self-proclaimed animal lover, continue to eat some animals while working to protect others? The answer was easy: I couldn’t.

After celebrating my 11th meat-free Thanksgiving this past November I’m now creating another delicious animal-friendly holiday feast for friends and family to enjoy. The options are endless: cashew nut roast with herb stuffing or a “meaty” mushroom loaf with mashed potatoes, gravy and traditional sides, that will satisfy everyone’s taste buds. Alternatively, I can run to the neighborhood grocery store and pick up a meat-free Tofurky roast with all the fixings.

I’m hardly alone—millions of Americans are sharing their holiday spirit with the animals by celebrating with vegetarian foods. Make this holiday season a compassionate one by visiting TryVeg.com for quick and easy recipes that everyone can enjoy.

—Noelle Callahan
Outreach Assistant,
Compassion Over Killing