Service Animals

[unicyclist]

What are your thoughts on service animals? On one hand it's a potentially exploitive practice, on the other hand, service animals can help people with disabilities live independently. Is it always cruel? Is it necessary?

[brimstoneSalad]

I think it's reasonably necessary, substantially increases human quality of life (unlike animal agriculture, which is harmful to humanity), and is rarely cruel. Both service and working animals (like bomb and drug sniffing dogs) are usually loved and cared for well, and the legal standards of animal welfare for them are pretty decent.

[unicyclist]

Thanks, I think you're right. It doesn't make sense to me to cling to vegan dogma unless there is a good reason behind it. In the case of service animals, they dramatically improve the quality of life for many people and their existence/use does not require suffering, unlike animals used in the meat, dairy, and egg industries.