Eating pets after they've died

Yay, another morbid topic by Mantis. Well, mantis ladies have a tendency to bite my friends' heads off, so I think I've earned some right to it. Anyway, have you ever eaten your pet(s) after death? I know that obviously this is more likely with reptiles or fish than any other kind of pet. I'm still curious though. A lot of comments I see here suggest that animals lack the intelligence we do, and therefore, the emotions. Thus, I don't think they'd mind if you ate them. Anyone done it?

I have heard of people ate their aquarium fish after it died. In fact, that person had a party for the fish. It's weird, but I guess everyone has their method of memorial.

On the health (for you) aspect, I don't think it is a good idea. Pets died for a reason. Often they have illness if not diseases. It might not be healthy for you.

I was going to say something similar to Ram, most of the time, if an animal dies around here, it probably wasn't healthy, or exceptionally old. Not that I am sure I would ever want to anyway. That whole concept is just weird to me, though I guess I could see the "memorial" bit to it in some peoples eyes. I just don't think I could do it.

That said, I have read that in some parts of Asia, clown loaches are considered very good eating, so if I could get a few more inches on these two, and get 'em up to 10" or so...

I'd never consider it myself. Then again I'm a vegetarian and have been so since age 8. I don't enjoy eating meat. To be honest the only people I could understand eating animals/pets would be farmers. There are so many other ways to remember your pets than eating them.

To the original poster Mantis, if it's ok to eat pets after they pass away how do you feel about humans who wish to do the same with the remains of a family member? I remember once hearing on the radio about a family that had a rather unusual bbq.

Basically I argue that if it's not ok to eat human family members remains it shouldn't be ok to eat the remains of animal family members either.

In having fish that you intend to eat after it dies or to raise it for just food is one thing, same with cattle or other animals as is being discussed in the Eating Dog thread. If the animal died from diease then I would have some serious dobts in serving it up to be food.

For eating another human, well that's a whole new can of beans. Cannibalism is something we as a species shy away from as something wrong. There has been only a few occassions in which the eating of human flesh was seen as okay. That's a new topic there I think.

It has never even crossed my mind to eat a pet that has died. I'm usually so heartbroken that all I can swallow are my tears! I think I'd vomit if I thought my pet was getting eaten by anyone, let alone myself! I still remember the panic and horror I felt when my first pet cat died, thinking of her being consumed by worms as she lay rotting in the ground! Then I remembered my husband had her cremated. Nothing was going to eat her, and I felt so relieved by that realization!

You're pretty amusing though, Mantis, and had me grinning while reading your post.

I actually made another thread just like this (Sorry! I didn't see this one!). My two cents are, it's a way for people to honor their pet if they want to. I don't imagine that it's as healthy as eating an animal specifically raised for food but I see nothing morally wrong with it. Still, I wouldn't do it myself. It'd be too weird for me.

Yyuuurk. No I would never do that. It's different to eat an animal (a cow for example) and YOUR animal. You are attached to it no? And also how are you sure he is infected ? I really think it's strange. I don't know if people really do that or if it is an urban legend

Although I've been guilty of threatening my albino cichlid that he's going to find himself on a cracker if he doesn't watch himself I would never actually eat a pet and can't imagine anyone actually doing that. Well, unless, as someone pointed out, it was a cow or a chicken or another type of animal that is actually FOR food. But certainly nothing like a cat or a dog.

The closest I have ever got to eating a pet was when I slaughtered my chickens. Some people may not think of chickens as pets. However mine are hand-reared and they are very tame. One, a Red Leghorn, had the habit of sitting by my feet as I sat on the steps of the porch.

Ew, no, I'll pass.

It's actually not even a moral/ethical/personal issue. It's more a concern that if a fish dies in a tank, that probably means it was sick.... so it'd probably make me sick, too. The same would apply to other animals. They don't just randomly die for no reason usually.

I could not do that with a good conscience, ever. If my dog were to pass away I would have a burial for it. I would want to preserve all of the memories I could with my dog, and would just want my dog to sleep soundly from then on. There's no way that I would ever eat my dog. I wouldn't even consider the matter.

You are right. The thought of eating any of my dogs or cats had never crossed my mind. When they die, I put them into a strong cardboard box lined with rags. Then I bury them. Usually I bury them near a tree. Somehow when I look at the tree, I seem to see my past pets playing in the shadows under the tree.

(08-30-2012 11:31 PM)Victor Leigh Wrote:  Somehow when I look at the tree, I seem to see my past pets playing in the shadows under the tree.

This happened to us when we buried our dog beneath the tree he used to sit under for shade in the summer. Both my husband and I thought we saw him at various times. The thought of eating him would never have crossed my mind.

One year, we ordered a goose for Christmas. The farmer asked if we'd like to choose the one we wanted, but I couldn't even do that, so I certainly couldn't eat a pet who had shared my life and home, however briefly.

I've neer heard of this practice and I certainly couldn't consider if for any of my pets - those alreay dead and those still snuffling around me as I type.

But as a cultural concept it's really interesting to read that for some people it is a way to show respect for the departed pet. Before cannibalism was banned in Papua New Guinea (in the 1950's I think), certain tribes used to eat the brains of their recently deceased relatives as a mark of ancestral respect.

I don't think I could ever do such a thing. Let's face it for many of us that would be a of cannibalism to eat a pet after it dies. Yes, most of us eat meat unless we are vegetarians, which I'm not. But I don't personally know the animals that I am eating. Somehow that removes the detachment when you know the sources of the meat. So no just the thought of doing this makes me want to cringe.

I could never think of eating a beloved pet when they died. Gives me the creeps to think about it. The idea of eating Fluffy unless it was a matter of survival is beyond me. Even then, it would be very hard for me to do especially since I'm a vegan.

I have the same concern as Ram. If a dog, cat, or whatever pet dies, there has to be a reason. If there was some sort of disease, it probably would be unhealthy meat to eat. I don't think it would be a good thing to do.

No way could I eat my pet after it died. A pet is like a family member and I certainly wouldn't eat my brother after he died. It doesn't matter that the pets don't have the same intelligence as humans. They were once our friends. As a child we had chickens which had to be fed before we killed them for eating. My grandmother always told us never to name the chickens or become attached, because one day they would become dinner.

I would never do this myself. I find it rather morbid. But my mother did eat one of her Koi fish after it died. I was so repulsed by this when she told me. I actually got mad at her. Not only because it seemed repulsive to me for someone to do this with their pet, but because she doesn't know exactly how or why it died. She said that for her she was brought up to never throw away food no matter what. She told me that in Italy, when she was young, they would eat the family dog if it died, so she didn't consider this any different. When you grow up poor and have no choice but to eat whatever is available, I guess that is a hard habit to break. Even though she is doing well financially now. It is still a big eww for me to even think about.

I don't think a pet owner would eat his or her pet once they have died. It doesn't seem right especially if you have treated your pet as family member.

Personally, I think it's disgusting to even ask in the first place. In my not so humble opinion, I find it highly disrespectful to one's pet. I have had mine either cremated or buried as we would do for a relative who lost their life. But to eat a dog, cat, etc. & to have it pass through our system, just seems very apathetic & morbid.

(10-27-2012 09:25 PM)EmyBurt Wrote:  I don't think a pet owner would eat his or her pet once they have died. It doesn't seem right especially if you have treated your pet as family member.

(12-18-2012 12:07 AM)SweetBeast Wrote:  Personally, I think it's disgusting to even ask in the first place. In my not so humble opinion, I find it highly disrespectful to one's pet. I have had mine either cremated or buried as we would do for a relative who lost their life. But to eat a dog, cat, etc. & to have it pass through our system, just seems very apathetic & morbid.

It is really a matter of personal opinion. Some people don't even treat their pets as family members. Plenty of people treat their pets as either toys, or decorations, or slaves.

There is also the matter of culture. Some people might treat his or her pig as a really cute pet, while some other people would call it "BBQ ribs!". There are others (Muslims and Jews) who consider pig as a disgusting animal.
Personally when I see cow, I think about steak. There are certainly people out there consider their cow as pet. As for Hindu Indians, "What? There was beef in my burger? You better run!!"

There are cultures consider eating the dead as gross. At the same time there are cultures considering eating the dead as paying respect.
Some consider the dead just as the animal it was. Some consider the dead as nothing more than an empty shell.

We should be more open mind to these issues. It is why earlier I object to this matter only from the health point of view.

Well said Ram but I included it was my own opinion, & I still think it's disgusting, yet you make a valid point, esp. how some treat their pets, as decor or a garden ornament.

And to think of it, our human family passes & their body too is an empty shell as their soul has already exited, but I will always feel it's a shame someone would eat their pets. If however, they ate their recently deceased aunt or uncle, then I can better understand them eating Fido, but that's the only way I would see how they could justify it.

Again, just me opining.

This is the strangest thread I have ever seen in a forum. I almost skipped over this one but I had to read the replys. I've always loved a train wreck. Who would ever think of even doing something so disgusting? I can't think of any situation where that idea would be a good one. How on earth would this act memorialize a pet if you, after eating, turn him/her into waste?

I agree with the reply posts stating the subject of disease. If your dog died of distemper, or your fish died of Hexamita, or your snake died of Ebola, etc., you would actually think of putting any of these on a plate in front of your family to consume?

I just can't imagine Scruffy Stew...

Augh - no! As many have already said they must have died for a reason, and digging into a hunk of old or diseased meat isn't exactly appetizing. ;-)
I've honestly never thought of such a thing. Though I suppose if I were *starving* (think Donner party), then maybe......
But no.