An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide: Animals & Birds As Pets In Jain Homes

In some Jain homes, I have seen dogs, cats, rabbits, and parrots as pets. The use of live animals and birds as pets is increasing in Jain families. Dogs and cats are not caged, but rabbits and parrots are. Also, it is not uncommon to find Jain homeowners who gladly and regularly serve non-vegetarian foods to their dogs and cats. I am not against keeping pets as long as they are not caged. In the case of a dog or a cat, in keeping them as pets, there is no himsa involved. In fact these animals are treated with the most care and love, but the serving of meat products as food to them is something I am not able to support. Similarly, the caging of birds involves himsa.

• I am not at all an expert on dogs or any kind of pets, but I do want to share one story with you. About thirty-five years ago, one of our close relatives in the US brought his big German shepherd dog to our house for us to look after for nearly six months while he was going overseas for an assignment. We said that we were happy to keep him, only on one condition —that we would neither buy and nor serve, directly or indirectly, any kind of non-veg food to the dog. Right from day one, we fed the dog vegetarian food and the dog thrived without any problem.
  
  
• Similarly, Professor Gary Francione recently told me that he keeps several dogs as pets, but all his dogs are vegan. Bravo.