[QuietVegan]

Has anyone noticed that animals approach you more as a vegan?

(sorry if this has been done to death previously!)

I've noticed that animals are happier to approach me, give me more love etc. since becoming vegan.

For example, I was out in the back garden earlier, sitting on a bench (in the dark) and a hedgehog happily snuffled around my bare feet before trundling along on its way. Lots of similar incidents where domesticated and wild animals have been drawn to me rather than avoiding me.

I wondered if it was because we don't smell of meat/fish/eggs/dairy and therefore don't smell like predators?

Perhaps I'm overthinking this and I just have very friendly animals where I live

 

[EarthGodess]

Oh my god! I think that too! When my sister decided to eat more meat, eggs, dairy ectopic, she got stung twice on the ankle by wasps. And she is always suffering from bug bites. As soon as I went vegetarian at 7 years old, the bugs lay off me and I am the only one in my family to not have been stung by wasps. Since veganism every animal, even dogs whose owners say that they are usually a bit nervous. Insects have also been attracted to me. Many wasps have landed on me then flown off without stinging, which goes against their instincts. Vegans rule! 😄

 

[David3]

I sometimes imagine this trend, too. However, I wouldn't walk into a group of lions

My wife and I are both long-time vegans. Biting insects don't bother me too much, but they love to suck her blood! I guess it doesn't pay to be too sweet .
.

 

[Jamie in Chile]

I am a bit skeptical of this. It could be true and I have heard it before but I wonder if there is some wishful thinking going on here.

 

[Capstan]

I've noticed this too, a much friendlier relationship with animals generally. I can approach the local rabbits much closer, and birds too. As a vegan, I think I'm much more relaxed in my movements, not tightly wound up, like a coiled snake, ready to spring. I think animals can see this, and hear it too. I believe they can perceive I'm not a threat to them, so are less prone to run away.

 

[Symondezyn]

I've always been a bit of an animal magnet so I can't say I notice a difference ^_^ Part of the reason I decided to become vegan though, is because my spirit was so conflicted - how could I love animals so much, work with rescues and practice ahimsa, and on the other hand eat meat and dairy; it was a conflict causing me a heavy burden .... now that the conflict is resolved, I personally feel much better in my spirit and more able to freely give of my love to them ^_^

 

[ModVegan]

I'm highly skeptical. But I'm not a big animal lover. So maybe they can tell I won't eat them, but that doesn't exactly mean we'll be best buddies, either.

 

[Naturebound]

I don't believe every animal wants to be my friend or is not afraid of me. Fear is a very natural and healthy instinct for wild animals. I feel the same fear of them when I feel threatened. For instance, I have had a few wolf, bear, and moose encounters in the wild, some as a vegan, some as an omni. I kept a healthy distance and respect for those animals, and they did the same for me. I did not try to make eye contact because they might have perceived that as a threat. Neither did I scream or run away, but stood firm and assertive. Body language is very important when communicating with someone who does not speak your language. Body language is universal.

I've also had birds such as chickadees fly right onto my hand and eat seed I put there, but as an omni I also had wild animals come up to me. I don't think it was just because of me individually though, I think they were just used to people and could sense I wasn't interested in chasing or hurting them. And I had something they wanted.

 

[leedsveg]

I don't believe every animal wants to be my friend or is not afraid of me. Fear is a very natural and healthy instinct for wild animals. I feel the same fear of them when I feel threatened. For instance, I have had a few wolf, bear, and moose encounters in the wild, some as a vegan, some as an omni. I kept a healthy distance and respect for those animals, and they did the same for me. I did not try to make eye contact because they might have perceived that as a threat. Neither did I scream or run away, but stood firm and assertive. Body language is very important when communicating with someone who does not speak your language. Body language is universal.

I've also had birds such as chickadees fly right onto my hand and eat seed I put there, but as an omni I also had wild animals come up to me. I don't think it was just because of me individually though, I think they were just used to people and could sense I wasn't interested in chasing or hurting them. And I had something they wanted.

Another brilliant post full of wisdom and rationality. Many thanks for your inputs Naturebound. I always enjoy reading them. :up:

 

[Naturebound]

Another brilliant post full of wisdom and rationality. Many thanks for your inputs Naturebound. I always enjoy reading them. :up:

Thanks for the nice compliment! Apparently not everyone here shares your opinion of me lol, but I guess you can't please everyone.

 

[chestnutjam]

None of what I'm about to write I believe in.

When you become vegan, you spirit rises. You know what to do and why you're doing it. It's sort of a mission. And you feel better about yourself, because you act now the way you are, you are no animal torturer even though you feel kindness towards them. They feel your aura, as you perceive animals with different wavelength of thoughts.

I noticed mosquitoes not biting me at first and this very idea that you wrote I thought, too. Since I walk the woods often, it's no surprise that I see animals around me. It's that Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon, probably, too.

 

[Poppy]

I suspect that herbivores smell differently than omnivores or carnivores, so perhaps we just smell less threatening.

Mosquitoes seem to bite everyone.