Sentientism

29: “Vet training reduces empathy for animals” – Vet Kevin Saldanha – New Sentientist Conversation

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Kevin is a community vet, based in Ontario, Canada. He grew up in East Africa & Goa, India & then moved to Canada. He has held leadership roles, originally in Catholic community organisations &, more recently, Humanist community organisations.

In these Sentientist Conversations we talk about the two most important questions: “what’s real?” & “what matters?” Sentientism is “evidence, commitment & compassion for all sentient beings.”

Full show notes are here: https://sentientism.info/vet-training-reduces-empathy-for-animals-vet-kevin-saldhana-new-sentientist-conversation

The video version of our conversation is here on YouTube.

We discuss:

  • Growing up in a Roman Catholic Christian, meat-eating family in Goa, India and in East Africa
  • The centrality of Catholicism to the community
  • Praying for exam success
  • Moving to Canada and becoming deeply embedded in the local religious community (inc. The Knights of Columbus)
  • Discussing animal ethics with a priest “do they have souls and an afterlife?”
  • Rejecting the homophobia of the Knights of Columbus & Catholicism
  • Considering the impossibility of “souls”
  • 9/11 as a trigger for re-considering Kevin’s religion, morality and purpose
  • Telling Kevin’s story in the book “Faith beyond belief”
  • Studying science and evolution as a vet, but keeping it separate from faith
  • The social challenges of leaving religion (leadership roles, social circles)
  • Most friends are still friends. They pray for Kevin’s soul and his return to Catholicism
  • Rejecting not just religious, but all supernatural beliefs
  • Lacking atheist role models IRL, getting past the militant atheist groups, but finding connections re: Humanism online & then in person
  • Leading a Humanist group for over a decade
  • People returning to religion because of a wish for simple ethical standards and a comforting community and roadmap of rituals for their family
  • Vet school is oriented towards non-human animal agriculture where harming & killing animals is normalised
  • And more...

    • You can find Kevin at @vegvet or on Facebook here. Kevin’s veterinary practice is at 567vets.com.

    Sentientism is “Evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings.” More at Sentientism.info.


    Why not help Kevin to normalise rationality and compassion by joining him on our “wall”
    using this simple form.

    Everyone interested, Sentientist or not, is welcome to join our groups. Our main one is here on FaceBook.

    Thanks to Graham for his post-prod work. Follow him: @cgbessellieu

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