Pet owners who force their cats to be vegan could risk breaking the law

Pet(pet) owners who force their cats to be vegan(ˈvēgən) could risk(risk) breaking the law(lô)

By Oscar(ˈäskər) Quine(kwīn)

Cat owners have been advised(ədˈvīzd) they could risk breaking the law if they force their pets into veganism(ˈviɡənɪzəm).

One in six pet food suppliers(səˈplī(ə)r) has branched out into supplying vegan or vegetarian(ˌvejəˈterēən) food for animals as owners embraced(əmˈbrās) the new trend(trend) over ethical(ˈeTHikəl) concerns(kənˈsərn) with meat(mēt) diets(ˈdī-it).

But yesterday the RSPCA said cats could become seriously(ˈsi(ə)rēəslē) ill(il) if given exclusively(ikˈsklo͞osəvlē) plant(plant)-based diets and owners could run the risk of getting a criminal(ˈkrimənl) record.

A spokesman(ˈspōksmən
) said while dogs were omnivores(ˈämnəˌvôr) and could theoretically(THēəˈredək(ə)lē) survive(sərˈvīv) on a vegetarian diet, cats were carnivores(ˈkärnəˌvôr) and needed meat.

They pointed out: “Under the Animal Welfare(ˈwelˌfe(ə)r) Act, the law requires an owner to take reasonable(ˈrēz(ə)nəbəl) steps to ensure that all the pet’s needs are met.

“This includes a healthy(ˈhelTHē) diet, as well as providing suitable(ˈso͞otəbəl) living conditions, ability to behave normally, appropriate(əˈprōprēət) company and protection from pain(pān), suffering(ˈsəf(ə)riNG
), injury(ˈinjərē) and disease(dəˈzēz).”

In the worst cases where cats are so malnourished(malˈnəriSHt), guidelines(ˈgīdˌlīn) say owners could face a hefty(ˈheftē) fine or even a jail(jāl ) sentence(ˈsentns) if convicted(kənˈvikt) under the Animal Welfare Act.

The warning comes after the National Pet Show in Birmingham(ˈbərmiNGˌham) earlier this month showcased the latest in vegan pet food and non-meat alternatives(ôlˈtərnədiv), as owners look to spread(spred) their ethical(ˈeTHikəl) diets onto their pets too.

…
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/11/23/pet-owners-feed-cats-vegan-diet-could-face-prosecution/