support

A "humanely" killed animal is still killed - and that's wrong - Anna E. Charlton and Gary L. Francione, Aeon (September 8, 2017)

Contentional Western ideas about animal ethics - that killing an animal is OK if it's done "humanely" - are wrong.
The sentience of animals is not a characteristic evolved to serve an end in itself, but a means to the end of continued existence.
Even if animals live in an "eternal present," that does not mean they are not self-aware or that they do not have an interest in continuing to live.
Because animals are sentient beings with a desire to continue to live, death harms them, and it is therefore wrong to kill them.

We must not own animals - Gary L. Francione, Aeon (March 1, 2022)

Most or all of our use of aniamls is unnecessary.
The concepts of "humane treatment" and "necessary suffering" are morally meaningless as long as animals are property. Regulations built on these concepts provide little protection to animals.
Animals have sentience and a morally significant interest in continuing to live; how long they wish to live is irrelevant.
Peter Singer can go fuck himself.

Why we should give moral consideration to individuals rather than species - Animal Ethics (last accessed March 13, 2024)

"A species is an abstract entity that cannot have experiences and therefore cannot be wronged in the way that sentient individuals can."
Ecological interventions that prioritize species entail harm toward sentient individuals.
Human interests in biodiversity (aesthetic, scientific, cultural, etc.) should not take precedence over individual nonhuman animal interests.
Prioritizing ecosystems implies that species that perform certain ecological functions have moral precedence over those that do not; this also harms sentient individuals.

refutations

general

Guide to justifications for harming and exploiting animals - Vegan Sidekick (last accessed March 13, 2024)

This page is a bit more comprehensive than Your Vegan Fallacy Is (see below).

Your Vegan Fallacy Is - Ceallaigh S. Mac-Cath-Moran and Sean P. P. MacCath-Moran (last accessed March 13, 2024)

This site features translations in German, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish.

consciousness

Fish Are Not Insentient Dullards - Ben Goldfarb, Nautilus (April 26, 2023)

Fish can recognize themselves in photos, further evidence they may be self-aware - Betsy Mason, Science News (February 6, 2023)

In Favor of Animal Consciousness - Donald R. Griffin, Animal Minds: Beyond Cognition to Consciousness (2001)

Many animals adapt their behavior to the challenges of their situation. This ability to be versatile is evidence of cognition.
Just as consciousness varies widely between humans, consciousness between species probably varies widely too.
Animals, like humans, are probably aware of only a small fraction of what happens in their brains, but the consciousness that exists is nonetheless important.
This conscious thinking and emotional feeling are core functions of the central nervous system and the best ways for animals to cope with challenges.
The line between perpetual consciousness (consciously thinking about something) and reflective consciousness (introspection) is too blurry to clearly ascribe or deny either to animals.
Aniamls have subjective feelings and emotions that should be included in cognitive ethology. It should not be limited to nonconscious information processing or non-emotional thoughts.

Scientists Taught Pet Parrots to Video Call Each Other - and the Birds Loved It - Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine (April 24, 2023)

health

There are many online resources on planning healthy vegan diets, such as:

British Dietetic Association confirms well-planned vegan diets can support healthy living in people of all ages - British Dietetic Association (August 7, 2017)

"The BDA has renewed its memorandum of understanding with The Vegan Society to state that a balanced vegan diet can be enjoyed by children and adults, including during pregnancy and breastfeeding, if the nutritional intake is well-balanced.

Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets - Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (December 2016)

"It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. These diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes."

Processed meats rank alongside smoking as cancer causes - WHO - Sarah Boseley, The Guardian (October 26, 2015)

impact

Why Veganism is Praxis - Praxis Dragon, YouTube (August 19, 2022)

CW: graphic scenes of killing animals

Besides animals having sentience, they also have the ability to suffer. (4:46)
The temporary pleasure of consuming animal products does not justify exploiting those animals. (5:30>
Animal liberation entails ceasing all animal industries, ending the exploitation of nature, and adopting a vegan diet. (6:38)
Even humans who do not care about animal suffering should be concerned about the negative effects animal agriculture has on our ecosystem and our health (in the form of zoonotic disease) (10:07)
A worldwide switch to a plant-based diet would drastically reduce the amount of land needed for global agriculture to feed humans. (11:29)
Animal agriculture industries are extremely dangerous and traumatizing for the human workers and communities they exploit. (17:31)
Veganism is praxis because it challenges the oppression of and prejudice toward animals (speciesism) - the same bigotry that enables other kinds of oppression. (21:18)

sustainability

Myth: Almond milk is using all the water. - Truth or Drought (last accessed March 13, 2024)

Media figures who spread this myth are connected to promoting the dairy industry.
Almonds are generally consumed sparingly compared to dairy, eggs, and meat. Even almond milk consists of around 2% almonds, similar to mammalian milk.
Dairy milk has much higher greenhouse gas emissions and land use requirements (not to mention cruelty involved).
The yield of California's almonds is much greater than that of the state's animal dairy.
8% of California's agricultural water is used for almonds, producing 99% of US almonds and 80% of almonds worldwide.
15% of California's agricultural water is used for alfalfa hay for livestock, especially for animals producing dairy.
In total, 47% of California's agricultural water is used for meat and dairy combined (not including animals' drinking water or sanitation). California produces only 21% of US dairy and 1.4% of dairy worldwide.