“The Dog Who Ate the Vegetable Garden & Helped Save the Planet” by Margaret (Meg) Hurley (vegan), Part 2 of 2

“Everything that happens in the book is true. It’s really a mash-up of true stories and then this fictional approach of using a dog talking as the narrator. We had a vegetable garden in our backyard. Her favorite things were peppers and brussels sprouts, and she was always eating these things.” “And I had never seen a dog so self-aware, have so much agency. Clearly, she realized she knew she was our equal, and she was very certain in her behavior. I was completely, completely engaged in watching this being, this little person.” “I’m hoping that by doing it this way, it’ll open people’s minds as to what they’re doing, the impact it’s having, how it’s connected with all – as I said, all oppressions are interconnected.”

Ms. Hurley reflects on how telling stories about animal-people can shift people’s perspectives on the planet and how we treat other species. “I think that when the human isn’t telling the reader how to be or how to think, and it’s an animal who’s completely endearing – and most people respond well to dogs – that’s an effective way to go.” Dori shows us by example that dog-folks can thrive on a plant-based vegan diet. “We’ve had eight dogs on vegan diets by now, and they’ve all thrived. And our vets have actually very willingly gone on steep learning curves to learn about plant-based diets for dogs.”