FAQ

General Questions

Q: What does it mean to be vegan?
A: A vegan is someone who does not harm or kill animals. That means that we do not consume meat, milk, or eggs. We do not wear fur, leather, or wool. We do not use products that are tested on animals. We do not buy animals from breeders or pet shops (but many of us adopt from shelters!). We do not pay for admission to zoos, aquariums, or circuses that use animals. We strive to always be kind to animals and to live a lifestyle that minimizes the harmful impact we have on the beings who we share this world with.

Q: What if the animals are treated nicely?
A: In practice, that is rarely the case. Animals raised for meat, milk, eggs, and other animal products are seen as nothing more than pieces of equipment to make a profit, and they are subjected to horrific suffering. However, that is largely beside the point, because the core issue is that non-human animals are innocent, conscious beings who have the desire to live free, and the right to live free, just as much as we are. Just as we would not want to be bred for profit, kept on farms, have our children stolen from us, and be slaughtered (even if we were treated "nicely" along the way), the cows, pigs, chickens, fish, and other animals enslaved by our species desire freedom, fear death, cry for their stolen children, and deserve much better than this. Is there a nice way to kill someone who does not want to die?

Q: What is wrong with milk?
A: Cows raised for milk are subjected to the same suffering and abuse as animals raised for meat. The vast majority of milk found in grocery stores comes from factory farms, and labels such as "free range" usually mean very little. Cows raised for milk are given hormones to produce 3 to 10 times as much milk as is natural, causing painful infections. When their milk production declines with age, they are slaughtered, typically at around 3 to 6 years old (their natural lifespan is around 25). Cows only produce milk if they give birth, so cows raised for milk are regularly impregnated through artificial insemination. Female calves suffer the same fate as their mothers, while male calves born into the milk industry are ripped from their mothers as babies, confined to tiny stalls where they cannot turn around, and then slaughtered for veal at a few months of age.

Q: What is wrong with eggs?
A: Much like cows raised for milk, hens raised for eggs are subjected to immense suffering. They are crammed into cages so tightly that they can hardly move, or, in the case of "cage free" hens, packed so tightly into sheds that they struggle to access food and water. They are deprived of food and water for up to two weeks at a time to shock their bodies into laying more eggs, and when their egg production declines with age, they are slaughtered. Chickens have a natural lifespan of around 7 years, while those raised for eggs are slaughtered at only 1 to 2 years old. Male chicks born into the egg industry are killed the day they are born, often by being thrown into grinders while still alive.

Q: I want to be vegan, but it's hard!
A: Stay focused on the victims, not on yourself. That is what makes being vegan very easy.
Any time you are tempted to give up and buy or eat anything that animals suffered for, just ask yourself: "Which is more important? The life and freedom of innocent beings, or my tastebuds and convenience?"
Always remember that question, always ask yourself that question. Giving up would mean betraying the animals, and the animals don't need your excuses, they just need us to not murder them. We must do what is right. Always.

Q: How can I get help or support with being vegan?
A: For (free!) personalized, one-on-one help, support, and mentorship, sign up for Challenge 22. Whether you want answers to questions, recipe ideas, or moral support, it can be a big help for new vegans!

Q: I care about animals and I want to be vegan, but I feel very isolated. What should I do?
A: Having like-minded friends can be a big help in just about any area of life, and living a compassionate vegan lifestyle is no exception! While not much more than a decade ago, being vegan was pretty uncommon (the administrator of VeganEdge didn't meet a single vegan in real life until several years after becoming vegan in 2006!), things have changed, and there are more vegans now than ever before, and the vegan community continues to grow. If you live near a big city, there is very likely already a vegan group in your area, and there are many online vegan communities. Good places to start looking include Meetup and Facebook. If you are a college student, there is also a good chance that there is a vegan or animal rights group based at your college.
While many vegan groups are primarily social groups focused on things like potlucks and dine-outs, there are also animal liberation activist groups focused on actively helping animals. These can be even better and more supportive than general vegan groups, because not only will you be hanging out with like-minded people, but you will be changing the world and helping animals together! For more information on activism groups, check out VeganEdge's Activism webpage, and the activist group directory at VeganActivism.org.
Most importantly, remember that you are doing the right thing. Do not ever be dissuaded just because you feel alone. There are a lot of other vegans and activists out there, and in time you will meet some of us.

Q: What about free range?
A: "Free range" and "cage free" labels are typically very misleading. Chickens on "free range" farms often never get outside in their entire lifetimes, as a "free range" label requires only a very small outdoor space being offered to a shed full of as many as 20,000 chickens. Further, the door to such a small outdoor space may only be open for a few minutes per day. Below is an example of a free range farm in California. (credit: Viva! USA and Farm Sanctuary)

Imagine spending your entire life living in that shed!
The situation is similar for cows, pigs, and other animals. Regardless of the specifics of any given farm, the animals on "free range farms" are still ultimately bred and imprisoned to be used for human ends instead of being free to live their own lives, and the animals on "free range farms" usually end up at the same slaughterhouses as animals from other farms and they meet the same horrific death.

Q: Are fish subjected to the same suffering as land animals?
A: Many fish killed and eaten by humans are raised on fish farms, where they are crammed into tiny, dirty pools for their entire lives. Fish farms are no different than any other factory farms, and the prisoners are subjected to the same suffering. Other fish killed and eaten by humans are caught in the wild by the commercial fishing industry. They are dragged from the ocean, taken from their families and homes, and suffocate to death. Furthermore, each year, hundreds of thousands of dolphins, whales, sea turtles, and other unintended victims die after being caught in the drag nets and long lines used by commercial fishing operations.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a new vegan, what would it be?
A: Remember the animals. Remember why we are vegan.

Nutrition and Health

Q: What are the health implications of a vegan lifestyle?
A: A vegan lifestyle is a very healthy way to live. Vegans typically have longer lifespans and we are at very significantly reduced risk of many common health problems including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, kidney disease, high blood pressure, and many others. As with any diet, it is important to ensure that we are eating a balanced diet that provides all of the nutrients we need to be healthy.

Q: I want to learn more about nutrition and health as it relates to a vegan diet.
A: Check out Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. It is an excellent resource with lots of great information, and the organization includes many experts with PhD and MD degrees! When it comes to nutrition, they are far more knowledgable than the administrator of VeganEdge.

Environment

Q: What are the environmental implications of living a vegan lifestyle?
A: The animal agriculture industry is one of the biggest causes of deforestation, air and water pollution, land use, energy consumption, and water use in the world. To learn more about the environmental impact of animal agriculture, check out the environment page.

Animal Testing

Q: How do I know if a product is tested on animals?
A: Look up the brand name on Cruelty Free Kitty or PETA's Cruelty-Free Shopping Guide.

Q: Where can I learn more about animal testing?
A: PCRM's Ethical Science page is a great resource.

Activism

Q: I want to get involved in actively helping animals! Where should I start?
A: Check out VeganEdge's Activism webpage and the activist group directory at VeganActivism.org, and consider attending an Animal Rights Conference or Animal Liberation Conference!

Q: Where can I get activism materials?
A: Some animal liberation groups such as Vegan Society and Vegan Outreach provide leaflets to activists. If you want custom made stickers, business cards, signs, or shirts with a vegan message or website name, there are various companies that do custom printing, such as Vegan Printer, Get A Grip Studio, Vista Print, and Red Bubble. If you want to promote VeganEdge, you can use this graphic for stickers, this graphic for shirts, and this graphic for business cards.

Q: How can I get better at activism?
A: Watch Earthling Ed's videos and read Vegan Outreach's short leafleting guide.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to a new activist, what would it be?
A: Stay committed. Don't ever give up. The animals need you!