A Man's Best Friend
A man's best friend is one that is always there for him through tough obstacles and hardships in life. George Orwell once stated, "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." The relationship humans tend to have within the animal kingdom is not as civilized as it should be. When looking at it from a moral and religious perspective, humans should treat all animals equally. Statistics have shown that in developed countries such as the United States, animals such as dogs are treated far better than other animals. The question then arises, why do dogs get treated more diligently while other animals with the same mental capacity get slaughtered and consumed? By looking at "Let Them Eat Dog" by Jonathon Foer, the perception of why one should not think of dogs as superior animals and why the idea of consuming a dog should not be looked down upon in society will be thoroughly analyzed and examined.
People in the United States think it’s morally wrong to eat dogs since it is a household pet. The same people who don’t eat dogs, eat other animals such as pigs, chickens, and cows, which is questionable because they still devour animals that are necessary to the environment and society today. In "Let Them Eat Dog" by Jonathon Foer, the author gives logical reasons on why we should eat dog, and why it is not harmful to the society in any manner. It's legal in 44 states to eat dog, and dog meat poses no greater health risk than any other meat. The problem arises is that a dog is labeled as a "man's best friend". Therefore, it is merely wrong to even think of eating a dog in the United States. Because pets such as dogs and cats are considered to be valuable in an average American Household, statistics show that 3 to 4 million dogs and cats get put down every year. Furthermore, the brutal killing of cows and pigs in slaughter houses would decrease as well if it wasn't looked down upon to eat dogs.
Eating dogs would be economically and ecologically be beneficial for us. It would be economically beneficial for us because it would create business and there would be more meat in the industry. It would be ecologically beneficial since millions of dogs get put down yearly and we don’t do anything with their meat. If we consumed dog meat it would cause us to decrease slaughtering other animals for their meat. Due to reasons, including economic and ecological benefits, consuming reasonable dog meat would be safer and more beneficial to today’s society. Though people despise even thinking about consuming dog meat, it would be better for the society to do so because they are environmentally benefiting the world.
Dogs and pigs are similar in many ways. Both animals have the same level of intelligence, a handful of similar characteristics and a few traits in common. In 'Let Them Eat Dog" by Jonathon Foer, the author argues that pigs can basically do everything that dogs do, yet pigs are still treated unfairly compared to dogs. "They can't hop into the back of a Volvo, but they can fetch, run and play, be mischievous and reciprocate affection. So why don't they get to curl up by the fire? Why can't they at least be spared being tossed on the fire?" (428). Pigs are treated unfairly when compared to how similar they are to dogs. Both animals deserve to be treated fairly by all people, despite of their appearance. It is true that dogs are treated more fairly than pigs because they look better and are labeled as “man’s best friend”, but it is not necessarily true that they deserve that extra attention. Dogs and pigs both deserve to be treated equally because they share many similar traits and qualities.
People often argue they don't eat dog because they have "significant mental capacities". In "Let Them Eat Dog" by Jonathon Foer, the author states if that’s the reason then it would exclude severely impaired humans. Which concludes humans consuming less impaired humans. No human would even consider eating another human being due to their low IQ level. So the question that arises is why would one eliminate the idea of eating a dog due to its intelligence. Evidently, humans don’t stop from eating other animals that have the same intelligence as dogs, so they no reason to not consume a dog. "But unlike all farmed meat, which requires the creation and maintenance of animals, dogs are practically begging to be eaten" (429). With that being said, dogs are eaten all over the world in places such as the Philippines, Korea, China, and even Europe. Those countries keep dogs as pets just like the United States. The difference is it is not looked down upon to eat them in their society. They understand the value of meat and take full advantage of the situation. The problem with Americans is that they see dogs as “mans best friend” which is the fundamental reason they do not consume dog meat. They feel some kind of guilt building up in their body if they even think about doing such a deed because it seems so unjustified and wrong.
Overall, the American society should definitely look into the fact that consuming dog meat can be beneficial to their culture. Because many Americans who own pets such as dogs believe that those animals are a “man’s best friend”, they do not think about consuming them. However, in comparison to animals such as pigs and other farm cattle, dogs are equally as valuable. They should be consumed if the people feel like it is a necessary deed. The American society needs to understand that it cannot put special labels on animals they like and animals they don’t like. All animals need to be treated fairly and the actions need to be justified.

Works Cited
Foer, Jonathon. “Let Them Eat Dog”. 75 Readings Plus. Ed. Santi Buscami. New York: McGraw. Hill, 2013. 428-430. Print