Frequently asked questions (faq)

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We are NOT an Animal Shelter!

Voiceless India is a Section-8 Not-for-Profit organization that aims to advocate for Animal Rights and Environmental Sustainability, and spread awareness about Veganism. We conduct projects that can be categorized into two primary areas: Awareness-related Projects and Direct-Impact Projects.

You can check out our projects here: https://voicelessindia.org/previous-projects 

Let's segregate this into two parts: Direct-Action and Lifestyle-Oriented

(I) Direct-Action:

• Volunteer for projects, join or fundraise for organizations that advocate for Animal Rights or Environment Protection such as those of Voiceless India.

• Sign Petitions, Write Emails to authorities, and Report Animal Abuse or Environment Degradation to organizations such as Voiceless India.

• Volunteer at your local animal shelter, foster animals and support in their adoptions.

• Build local community groups to care for animals and the environment, in your localities and involve children in the same, because they hold the key to the future.

(II) Lifestyle-Oriented:

• Going Vegan is one of the most effective ways in which you can fight animal abuse and environmental degradation at an individual level. Find out how in Q3.

• Switch to sustainable and eco-friendly products, and live minimally to the extent possible eliminating impulse and unnecessary purchases.

• Try to purchase organic products which are chemical-fertilizer/pesticide/insecticide free. 

Veganism is essentially a lifestyle that aims to eliminate all animal products and abstain from exploitation or cruelty towards animals. 

A common misconception is that veganism only means following an animal-free diet. In reality, veganism is a way of life and broadly, it has 4 aspects- 

• Food, which as mentioned, involves following a diet that excludes anything involving exploitation of sentient beings. 

• Clothing, which means avoiding any material that has been procured by exploiting animals (leather, wool, silk, etc.) 

• Entertainment, in terms of avoiding the use of animals for the purpose of entertainment (circuses, zoos, etc.) 

• Cosmetics & Other Products, which involves ditching any and all products that use animals for testing or animal-derived ingredients to manufacture the products.

For more information, Click here:  

Veganism has a number of benefits. 

Firstly, a vegan lifestyle comes with a number of health benefits such as lowering cholesterol levels thereby reducing the risk of heart disease, lowering chances of certain types of cancer and managing diabetes.

Switching to vegan lifestyle is also highly beneficial for the environment. It cuts down our greenhouse gas emission significantly and also helps save tons of water. 

Lastly, it would put an end to the suffering and exploitation of our animals and help restore compassion in our environment. 

To read more on the benefits of veganism click below:

 If you are massively committed, it is possible to make the change all at once; however, there is a probability of facing heightened cravings and withdrawal symptoms. In case you have not altered your diet in a while, it is also perfectly fine to gradually make the transition. It is important to slowly, but regularly decrease the amount of animal-based food in the diet and substitute it with plant-based foods. It is also vital to research and learn more about how you can get the maximum benefits from a vegan diet, and if required you may also consult a dietician.  

Cows, goats and all animals whose milk humans consume are, in fact, produced only for their calves. However, within the dairy industry, this milk is taken away from the calves and instead, they are given milk replacers and fodder, which are unnatural. Apart from these, these poor animals are artificially inseminated and forced to produce way more milk than their bodies can take. They also live in very poor conditions- cramped up in small places, on hard floors and enclosures filled with filth. Thus, consuming animal milk and enabling such an industry is cruel. 

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There are several plant-based alternatives to cow’s milk, goat’s milk or any other animal milk. Almond milk, soy milk and rice milk are just few of the various kinds of plant-based milks. These milks are very healthy and easy to procure or make at home. Additionally, they are cruelty free and its procurement does not harm the environment.  

You can satisfy your protein needs through the numerous plant based proteins like soy based foods, grains, lentils, legumes, beans, chickpeas, peanuts and various seeds which are readily available.  

Chia seeds, hempseeds, flaxseeds, walnuts and brussel sprouts are all very good vegan sources of Omega-3. 

Fortified soy milk, almond milk and rice milk are some goof sources of vitamin D. Your skin also produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, from its ultraviolet B rays, so this is another way of getting vitamin D. 

In case you are diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency, it is recommended to consult a dietician or nutritionist.  

No, honey is an animal product and is therefore avoided by vegans. Bees are factory farmed and are forced to live in unnatural conditions. The queen is often artificially inseminated, has her wings clipped and is killed (replaced) after 1 or 2 years, despite their average lifespan being around 5 years. 

Vegans can get B12 through fortified soy milk but it is better to take regular B12 supplements. 

It is important to also realize that B12 is usually supplemented into ‘livestock’ animal diets too, so there is no ‘natural’ way for getting B12 in today’s society whether you are vegan or non-vegan. 

A vegan diet, put simply, is one aspect of a vegan lifestyle. Apart from that, you can go vegan by completely avoiding materials such as leather, wool, silk and any other material that is procured from animals. As a vegan, it is also important to avoid the use of animals in entertainment such as circuses, zoos, etc. Lastly, ensure that cosmetics or medicine companies that you purchase from are cruelty free and do not test on animals. This can be done by researching about the company online. 

For city-wise resource sheets of cruelty free and vegan products, click here:

All of these materials and many more are products are procured from the ill-treatment, torture and killing of various animals. In order to put an end to such cruelty, it is very important to boycott all these materials and show the industry that we want no part in such barbaric acts. Moreover, clothes made from animal fur and skin is very harmful for the environment. The number of chemicals used is toxic and it contaminates the groundwater near places such as tanneries (places where skins and hides of animals are processed to produce leather). Over 500 tanneries in 3 districts of India were charged with polluting close to 16,000 hectares of agricultural land and contributing to drought conditions that were not due to failure of monsoon or other natural causes termed as ‘Act of God’, but man-made.

 Click here to find out more:

If a large number of people were to go vegan, causing a drop in demand for meat and dairy, farmers would reduce or even stop breeding animals for animal agriculture, as dictated by the laws of demand and supply. In such a transition to veganism, it will be a gradual change. This means that animal farmers and everyone in the animal agriculture industry will be able to adjust to this change as it happens. Even the animals will be taken care of at homes and sanctuaries, gradually. However, if we were to continue consuming meat and dairy, we are only enabling the industries where malpractices against animals take place on a daily basis and fueling the vicious cycle of animal abuse and environment degredation. A change to a vegan lifestyle will, thus, help restore balance in our environment. 

Many studies have shown that veganism may just be what saves the world. Firstly, it helps conserve a large amount of water. Livestock take up a lot of water (30% of the world’s freshwater), not to mention the water pollution that is caused by animal agriculture. Rearing livestock also leads to deforestation and over-grazing, both of which pollute the soil and erode it. Raising livestock also consumes plenty of energy and emits a large amount of greenhouse gases (18% of the total emissions). By going vegan, you would be putting an end to all of this and giving way to the growth and agriculture of more plants, which is a lot more beneficial for the environment. 

For more information, click below:

 While making the transition to veganism, it may be tricky to find products or restaurants that are vegan, in your city. This is why we have created city-wise vegan resource sheets that give you complete details regarding vegan restaurants, products, clothing brands, cosmetics and much more. 

Click below to access them:

You can support Voiceless India by volunteering with us, interning with us or even contributing to us monetarily to help us remain financially independent.

If you would like to contribute to us financially, you can either buy our merchandise here: https://voicelessindia.org/shop-for-a-cause

OR 

You could directly contribute to us using the details mentioned here:

https://voicelessindia.org/make-a-donation

To intern or volunteer with us, you can find opportunities here: https://voicelessindia.org/get-involved