Our American horses are not being shipped to the hungry in Africa; they are being served in the most pricey restaurants in France, Belgium and Japan. To the Editor: Re “ We Eat Horses, Don’t We? ,” by Christa Weil (Op-Ed, March 5): Ms. Weil’s paean to horsemeat should be taken with a grain of salt. The fact that horsemeat has at times been part of humanity’s diet is not in dispute. But yesterday’s hardship food is today’s gourmet treat. MORE

Last week, the City of Ghent in Belgium started eating vegetarian one day a week. Public officials and politicians will start, with school children following in September. It's their way of acknowledging the impact of livestock on the environment. Not only is there reason to believe that livestock contribute to greenhouse gases, but meat is resource-intensive to produce. A lot of land and money goes into producing meat in a world with diminishing space. MORE

At a conference in Brussels, Belgium on 6 November, European Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, and Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik restated the EU's commitment to the reduction of animal testing. I just don't understand it. Is there a different culture regarding animals in Europe? They have drug companies that are just as powerful as those here. Is public outcry greater? Are animal rights organizations more effective? Are politicians more willing to act? MORE

Tags: europe pigs castration farm animal welfare belgium agribusiness MORE

Bark Busters has grown into the largest and most trusted dog training company in the world with trained therapists helping dogs in Australia, the United States, New Zealand, France, Belgium, the UK, Japan, Israel, Taiwan and Canada. Readers in Canada, this is for you! MORE

According to this BBC story, city officials in Ghent, Belgium, are encouraging all residents to go vegetarian one day a week. Thursday has been officially designated "Veggie Day." As a result, the main menu in restaurants on Thursdays will be vegetarian. Starting in September, schools will serve vegetarian meals to schoolchildren on Thursdays as well. The city is promoting vegetarianism as a way to reduce its environmental footprint and to help tackle obesity. MORE