I became a vegetarian about 7 years ago. I had just discovered AAS and had so many wonderful email conversations with vegetarians who volunteered with AAS in different capacities.

A few months later I put my arms around my beautiful rottweiler Sara (In Memoriam with AAS) and said "Sara, you feel just like a piggy, and mommy would never eat you." I've not eaten meat since and have never looked back.

Just over three years ago I met my wonderful boyfriend. We went out for dinner and I ordered a vegetarian meal. He asked why. I told him about the diseased animals that were tortured in life and slaughtered for our consumption. The next day I sent him websites. He ordered a vegetarian meal that night and never touched another piece of meat again. His blood pressure went down; his libido went up.

My free range eggs come from chickens that run around freely on an organic farm. This farm also raises chickens for their meat. Their lives are joy-filled and they live as animals are meant to - in their natural environment.

My coffee cream is organic from a local farm where the animals roam fields and are grass fed. I was raised on a dairy farm and find it difficult to give up my cream.

I am not vegan and likely will never be. I homecook for my 4 rescued dogs and 2 rescued cats, I eat 85% organic in order to make the smallest impact on our resources, I moved to a walkable community in Ontario to distance myself from the Alberta oilsands. We can only do the best we can do.