Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat of any animal, including abstention from by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetarianism may be adopted for various reasons.

Many people object to eating meat out of respect for life, health-related, political, environmental cultural, aesthetic, economic, or personal preference.

In many Societies, controversy and debate have arisen over the ethics of eating animals.

Some people, while not vegetarians, refuse to eat the flesh of certain animals due to cultural taboo, such as cats, dogs, horses or rabbits.

Some people follow vegetarian diets not because of moral concerns in general, but because of concerns about the specific treatment and practises involved in the raising and slaughter of animals.

Some people follow vegetarian diets because of very specific unmoral beliefs,

Ethical objections based on consideration for animals are generally divided into opposition to the act of killing in general, and opposition to certain agricultural practices surrounding the production of meat.