Blogger Tara Mathews with a chicken. |
Tara Mathews is a
writer, friend of animals and lover of food. She is the editor of vegeTARAian -
a Sydney food and travel blog sharing the adventures of a veg-loving life. I
met Tara at a blogging workshop. She was truly ahead of the class and knows
blogging inside-out. Her blog rocks. So I had to find out more.
You run a successful blog,
vegeTARAian. What does the life of a pro-blogger involve?
Pro-blogger
sounds so important and formal! I have a job so I blog in my spare time. Having
a food and travel blog is a great excuse to cook new dishes, eat out and take
lots of trips to share with my readers.
For many people, food choices are
ethical. How is caring for animals reflected in your diet?
I have been
vegetarian for over ten years. Switching to a vegetarian diet was driven by my
love of animals and the belief that I didn’t
need to eat them, and that animals shouldn’t
have to die for me to live. Animal welfare was more important and the idea of
eating flesh made me uncomfortable. I hope that this lifestyle choice makes a
difference by not contributing to or supporting the reportedly cruel practices
of the factory farming industry.
Of course being
vegetarian is not for everyone so reducing meat intake, introducing weekly veg
dishes and campaigns like Meat Free Week are great initiatives to start people
thinking about what they are eating.
Tara's dog Mister Pickles suffers from anxiety, which is now well-managed. |
What non-human do you share your life
with?
I have three
furkids: Krumpet - a 10 year old DSH black and white cat, Chili - an 8 year old
DSH tortoiseshell cat and Mister Pickles - a 6 year old brindle staffy x
kelpie.
They are all
happy, healthy and have very different personalities. Thankfully they get along
really well too and I couldn't imagine my life without them.
How did you meet?
I adopted
Krumpet from the local pound when she was a few months old. Chili came to stay
with me when she was around 18 months old, after being given away by two sets
of owners.
Tara and Paige (courtesy Lyndal Photography). |
I found Mister
Pickles through an animal adoption agency - he had been rescued from a pound in
Kiama (South Coast of NSW) and was around 18 months old when he came to live
with me.
You’ve
posted previously about putting Mister Pickles on Prozac. What is it is like being the
owner of an anxious dog?
For the first
few years everything was good. Mister Pickles had always been a bit timid but
as a rescue dog, the vet said this may be due to how he was treated (or perhaps
mistreated) in the time before I met him.
Over a few
months he started to show signs of anxiety during the day while I was at work.
Some days he escaped and some days he hurt himself trying to. When it got as
bad as coming home to a pooch with bleeding paws and broken teeth, I knew he
needed medical attention.
I'm happy to
report that since the medication, Mister Pickles is much calmer. He's still his
normal, happy self - just a less hyper and agitated version which is a big
relief. I do know that medication is not a forever solution but it's certainly
helped him for the short term.
Tara and Mister Pickles (courtesy Cathy Topping Photography). |
You mentioned that you really
struggled with the idea of using medication to modify his behaviour. What were
your major concerns and what changed for you?
I was worried
that medicating Mister Pickles would turn him into a dopey and unresponsive
pooch. I thought his personality would be compromised and he wouldn't be
himself.
What changed
was seeing him so anxious that he was hurting himself. I had to stop thinking
about myself and focus on doing what I could to make life better for him.
Taking the vets
advice and putting Mister Pickles on prozac was absolutely the right thing to
do and I'm so glad I followed doctor's orders.
Aside from medication, how else do you
manage Mister Pickles' anxiety?
When I leave
the house I make sure Mister Pickles has his of toys, fresh water and chew
treats with him in the yard. I also have a small radio near his kennel that
plays classical music while I'm gone.
What are three traits you look for in
a veterinarian?
I prefer to
deal with an experienced, personable and caring vet. If you and your pet are
being treated with empathy and compassion, this makes for a pleasant experience
for everyone.
As visits to a
vet can be expensive, I also think it's important to find a vet who doesn't
make you feel like you're being given the most expensive option. If you feel
like you're being ripped off, you're unlikely to take the vets advice or
return.
What’s
the most important thing you’ve learned about caring for the
non-humans in your life?
My furkids
teach me that unconditional love and adoration are what family is all about.
They're all incredibly funny and interesting in different ways, great company
and brilliant napping companions.
What could we do to make the world
better for non-human animals?
There are many
ways that animals need our help and because they don't have a voice, it's up to
us to speak up for them.
On the blog
I've written about adopting instead of buying in pet stores, Australia's cagedeggs and the horse racing industry. I also regularly donate to animal causes
such as Animals Australia and RSPCA to support their campaigns and help spread
the word wherever I can.
Foodie question: Vets are notoriously
unhealthy eaters. Have you got any tips about easy-to-prepare, healthy snacks
that can be munched between consults?
Eating well
doesn't have to be difficult or take long! Things like this awesome cheesetoastie, potato, haloumi and greens salad, bruschetta two ways or a potato andsweet potato bake are quick and easy weeknight meals. [You can check out Tara's recipe index here].
Thank you Tara! If you want to find out more
about Tara, check one or all of her channels:
Twitter: @vegeTARAian