Cruelty-Free Religious Celebrations

• Many traditional celebrations involve animal slaughter across various cultures and religions. It is time that such practices are replaced by kinder options because cruelty to the voiceless cannot be justified on any grounds. 

• Many such examples exist: Tofurkey instead of turkey for Thanksgiving. Vegan Eid celebrations which are being adopted by vegans without the sacrifice of animals.  Replacing slaughter of animals in Nepal for the Gadhimai festival by offering coconut and fruits to the Goddess. 

• The recent movement for cruelty-free temple celebrations with a temple in Kerala using a robotic elephant in place of a live one.

• Some Jain temples have given up use of dairy products in their rituals with the realization that dairy is cruel.