Being Kind To Every Kind: A Q&A With Surge

At Wild For Dogs our love for dogs is a daily reminder that we should be kind to every kind of animal; that no animal is more deserving of love than another. 

We believe that all dog-lovers out there would agree, and that’s why we are so excited to partner with Surge Activism, an animal rights organisation determined to create a world where compassion towards all non-human animals is the norm.

Keep reading for a fascinating Q&A with them to learn more about where they’re coming from and their plans for the future. 

How long has Surge been running, and how did it all start?

We founded Surge back in 2016 to create an animal rights organisation focused on positive community building. At the beginning we focused more on street outreach events as well as The Official Animal Rights March. Over the years our focus has turned more towards creating online media content, so now our main focus is on producing high quality productions, articles and shareable graphics. 

What is the Surge vision?

 Our vision is of a vegan future! One where compassion towards all non-human animals is the norm.

What is the achievement you are most proud of at Surge?

The achievement we are most proud of at Surge is the impact our investigations and media content has had. We are also so grateful for the amazing community who have supported us relentlessly over the years! We are immensely thankful for all the support we have received and all of the amazing people we have been able to work with. 

Alongside this, spending time with the animals we’ve rescued at the Surge Sanctuary is one of the most rewarding aspects of the journey so far, as well as receiving extremely kind and thoughtful emails or letters from people who have gone vegan from our work.

In its essence, what does being vegan really mean?

“Veganism is a way of living that seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing and any other purpose.”

~ Donald Watson, The Vegan Society UK (1994)

In other words, it’s about living in a way that challenges our current paradigm of animal exploitation and seeks to reduce the harm and suffering we cause to animals.

What would you say to our lovely community of dog-lovers to explain the importance of considering a vegan lifestyle?

When we choose the vegan option, we are stating that we oppose animal cruelty and wish to live in a compassionate, non-violent world. In essence, we are choosing to align our actions with the values that we all have. We all say that we are against animal suffering and yet, by buying animal products we are supporting industries that cause more suffering, harm and death to animals than any other on the planet.

As a community of dog lovers it’s important to recognise that the traits that make dogs morally relevant are also found within the animals we exploit. After all, they too can suffer and feel fear, and they too are sentient individuals who wish to be happy and safe. 

In simple terms, what are the immediate benefits of a reduction in animal agriculture?

A shift to veganism would immediately reduce the amount of animal suffering that exists and create a more compassionate and peaceful world. It would also reduce our impact on the environment. In fact, according to the author of the most comprehensive analysis ever conducted exploring the impact of farming on the environment: “A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use. It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car.” ~ Joseph Poore, University of Oxford

Where would you recommend a non-vegan to pick up and enjoy a delicious vegan meal?

Well, we may be a little biased considering that both were created by Surge founders, but we would definitely recommend Unity Diner in London and No Catch in Brighton. 

Can dogs be vegan, and do you recommend any vegan food brands?

According to author Alice Oven, “it’s a common misconception that dogs are carnivores who must eat meat to survive, or at least to thrive, largely because we’re encouraged to associate our pets with their wild ancestors, grey wolves. Meat-based pet food companies bombard us with marketing messages that we should feed our chihuahua’s ‘inner wolf’ or appeal to our cavapoo’s ‘basic instinct’ to devour animal flesh. In reality, our domesticated dogs have undergone thousands of years of genetic and biochemical adaptations that allow them to process the starches in plant-based food and synthesise all the nutrients they need from a meatless diet. Our pet dogs are omnivores, not carnivores, and they can be their healthiest selves without eating other animals.”

There are plenty of vegan pet food brands we can recommend but one we also mention in our article about vegan dogs is Wild Earth.  

“It takes nothing away from a human to be kind to an animal.” ~ Oscar-winning actor and animal rights activist, Joaquin Phoenix

Why are you excited for this partnership with Wild For Dogs?

We are very excited for this partnership with Wild For Dogs because we believe that while a healthy diet is a great first step in ensuring our dogs’ health, making sure that we take care of what we put on their skin is also a matter of serious importance. Wild For Dogs is a great company doing just that: creating non-toxic, vegan products with the highest quality ingredients to ensure the best treatment for your four-legged friends.