Home

Action
Groups


Feed for
Health


Vet
Reform


Articles

Video

Contact Us

News

Books

Links


search



Dr Lonsdale (CSDBR) Q & A Part 4

Q & A Part 1
Questions 1 to 4
Q & A Part 2
Questions 5 to 10
Q & A Part 3
Questions 11 to 17
Q & A Part 4
Questions 18 to 22

Question 18
List member comment
Subject: Re: Hi Tom! Question regarding "jargon"

Hi again Tom,
Thanks for the link to the raw meaty bones diet page. I've also read Work Wonders and found this site re-inforces well what you've written in the book.

Thanks too, for putting my mind at ease that suitable "tablescraps" and this "natural stuff" is working out fine along with the main menu of raw meaty bones, offal and meats.

I found your point of view on the 'prey model' jargon very interesting. Especially insightful was when you wrote:

"But in any case, from a scientific point of view, why would anyone spend much time and effort mixing and matching according to a formula or model (supposing that was an accurate formula or model) if there is no scientific rationale?"

...and also wrote:

"Liver apart, can someone tell me what is the nutrient profile difference between the items on a list of 'prey model' offal and say tripe which might form the basis of a diet. Similarly what is the nutrient profile difference between 'prey model' offal compared with the muscle, marrow, collagen framework, vasculature, osteoblasts/clasts and assorted cells in say a chicken backs and frames based diet? What are these 'prey model' offal parts supposed to add that is not in a predominantly raw meaty bones and table scrap diet with the haphazard addition of liver?"


...I'll keep in mind the important concept you presented in this discussion as I continue to feed raw to my dogs. But yes, it does appear that prey model can become "too ideal" in the creation of its monster and take away from the simplicity of raw feeding.

I have enjoyed reading your posts.




Question 19
Subject: RE: [CSDogBookReview] Dog eating grass

Hi again Tom,

Since I've switched over to RMB, my 3 year old GSD starts frantically eating grass after her meals. After eating the grass she is usually fine and very rarely vomits her food back up. She didn't do this on kibble, or on a barf type diet as I was finding my way towards RMB. This isn't something I can really discuss with her vet as she doesn't agree with raw feeding.

Do you have any experience with this behaviour?

Cheers,


From: Tom Lonsdale
Subject: RE: [CSDogBookReview] Dog eating grass

Hi ....,

Thanks for the description of your dog's behaviour.

I find that interesting and not something I have come across before. You don't mention the details of the diet you feed and I wonder as to your dog's apparent overall state of health?

The other thing I don't have any firm answers to, are why dogs eat grass. I've read the speculations. I've seen that dogs eat broadly two types of grass. a.) Tough fibrous kind b.) Softer more edible kind.

The tough fibrous kind tends to induce vomiting more than does the soft variety.

Neville Buck, small carnivores manager at Howletts and Port Lympne zoos did a survey of his wolves, bush dogs and African Wild Dogs to provide information for Raw Meaty Bones. The wolves did not eat much if any grass, but the other two species often did.

Maybe we will see research evidence as to what are the mechanisms and factors that trigger grass eating and what benefits, if any, pertain. But my guess is that will have to wait until raw feeding becomes the norm not the exception.

Shall be interested to hear commentary from others.

Best wishes,

Tom

Subject: RE: [CSDogBookReview] Dog eating grass

Hi Tom,

Thanks so much for your reply. My dog is fed different things each day, say 1/2 chicken or a chunk of shoulder pork or beef. She won't eat lamb so that's out. She gets different types of organ meats and fish. I am trying to source a more varying supply. We're on a smallish suburban block so throwing out pigs heads and the like just won't work.

Her health is good aside from the fact she is hypothyroid and on 0.4mg Thyroxine 2x daily. I get bloodwork done every 6 months and she is in the normal range. She is not overweight and is very fit, aside from her walks she goes to the Aquadog Pool 3 x per week for a swim. She has ongoing obedience trialling training and is always out and about.

I had asked the question on the rawfeeding group some time ago but no one could really give me an answer. I've tried bringing the food down to room temperature as opposed to straight out of the fridge but nothing changes. If I was overfeeding her she'd be gaining weight which she's not. Oh well, perhaps it's just a funny quirk with this dog.

Cheers,


Tom Lonsdale
Subject: RE: [CSDogBookReview] Dog eating grass

Hi ....,

Thanks for the info. Sounds like you are giving a sound diet. Congrats.

Maybe we can chat some more at the Caboolture seminar.

See you then,

Tom



Subject: Please Thank Tom for his time!

Hi All!

It was brief but informative! Please join me in thanking Tom for his time with us and sharing his knowledge about feeding our pets.

I'm not sure if those in the survey who were undecide about making a change are any clearer in their thoughts.

Please also thank Tom for allowing a PDF version of his book to be available. Do also help support him in his cause by purchasing a copy of Wonder Works or Raw Meaty Bones.

Thank you Tom




Question 20
A statement from a list member

In CSDogBookReview@yahoogroups.com, Tom Lonsdale wrote:
>
> You are many things, but definitely not representative of the wider community. And that to me seems to be our task -- to bring the benefits of a more natural diet to the wider community. How we do that? and Who does that? are big questions needing answers.>

Hi Tom,

Thank you so much for being here and sharing your knowledge with us, and allowing us to speak with you!

As a prey-model raw food supplier (one of those entrepreneurs you wrote about in "Work Wonders"!), I am wondering also how to go about widening this niche market, and bringing the wonder of raw feeding to a larger audience.

Education, of course, is the answer - and while the internet can be a great learning resource, there are a large number of people who don't "do" computers. Print materials seem to hold more credibility, and would be available to a wider audience. Kudos to you on "Work Wonders", this is just the kind of thing we need! Easy to read, very basic and very commonsense information. As much as I would like to, I cannot hand out free copies of your book to people I see in the store with a bag of Ol' Roy in their carts... or to people in the vet's waiting room... or even to the people who adopted my raw-fed foster puppies (and switched them back to kibble!).

We need brochures and flyers, we need advertisements/Public Service Announcements in mainstream media, we need news items, we need television coverage and a DVD version of your book(s) (or at least an audiobook version). Plenty of people I know don't "do" books, either.

Since we obviously can't educate most veterinarians and get them on "our side" (though we shouldn't stop trying! There are some open-minded vets out there!), we should seek other outlets for pet-related information: humane societies, no-kill shelters and rescue org's; Animal Planet; mainstream pet magazines; dog clubs - from the local herding-dog group on up; pet stores should stock freezers with raw food. It's probably too much to ask animal-welfare groups to advocate for the welfare of pets in this way... but it doesn't hurt too much to ask. Raw feeding can and should be done ethically - prey are animals too.

And hey - why not appeal more to cat owners? Sure dogs are easier, but we love our cats too. :)

Aside from the greater exposure of information and debunking the misinformation, we need to protect our suppliers, and encourage the support of local family farmers over the factory farms and slaughtering plants. If we're going to feed "natural" food, we should try to make sure what we're feeding is truly healthful -pharmaceutical-free grass fed beef, pastured poultry, etc., and it doesn't have to be health-food-store expensive. Buying direct from local farmers, the meat is comparable in cost, higher in quality, and the profits stay at home.

Right now, the pet food suppliers are fairly lightly regulated, if at all - but I can see an end to that coming. Those of us who supply raw meat for pets need to protect our interests, operate our businesses legitimately, and advocate for ourselves by opposing legislation such as NAIS. And *support each other*! We are allies, competing against Big Dog Food, not against each other.

Raw feeding is an excellent place for a grassroots campaign, thank you for lending your expertise and talents, Mr. Lonsdale! We need more like you, and we need more print materials like yours, and we need you to keep up the good work.




From: Tom Lonsdale
Subject: Re: [CSDogBookReview]

Hi ....and all,

Thank you for your message of support and wide commentary.

For too long there's been a bottle neck in supply. People have been looking for raw meaty bones and whole carcasses and assorted offal for a long time and having to make do with limited offerings. So I thoroughly encourage you in your endeavours.

As mentioned in earlier posts I believe that the 'prey model' term is unhelpful jargon -- although not yet in the same league as the barf word.

Indeed there are lots of things that could be utilised to get the word out -- pet mags, mainstream media, news items, flyers and etc -- if the junk pet-food industry/vet/faux animal welfare alliance were not so effective at blocking access to those outlets.

What to do? and how to do it? are big issues and I encourage you all to join discussions at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawMeatyBones/ with a view to coordinating some increased action in every neighbourhood, state and nation.

We have no option but to start from here. Ideally though, I think we should aim to learn from mistakes and not repeat them.

Have you read Raw Meaty Bones? It was published in 2001 but actually the material was mostly available in 1993 and at that time fairly widely talked about in Australian vet circles. The book describes the five facets of the pet-food fraud and provides an initial guide for fixing each facet. It provides top down and bottom up info and strategies that if utilised I believe could work wonders.

Unfortunately from 1993 a corrupted notion of raw feeding, barf, came to dominate discussions. Barfmania deliberately eschews dealing with, as I see it, 95% of the problems but focuses solely on the 5% of issues to do with the pet's bowl. It was part of a push to convert those who fed junk cooked food over to the feeding of junk raw food and without giving the wider issues scant or any attention.

Barfmania continues to dominate and now I see another cult like aspect developing with the incantations of the 'prey model' push.

If we are to thoroughly deal with the massive pet food fraud, then I believe we need to take account of our past, whether recent past or distant past, and the organisation of society we live in. The books listed at http://www.rawmeatybones.com/suggestedreading.html formed the foundation for Raw Meaty Bones. If you have time I thoroughly recommend them to you. They helped me to see how huge the issues are and how fiddling on the periphery does not represent the best way forward.

I don't mean to be negative. Just the opposite. With a bit of effort we can now see clearly 100% of the issues. We have technologies available now that our ancestors could scarcely have dreamed of. Using those technologies against those who now use them against us should be our practical aim. But underlying the practical, I believe, should be a will to resolve all of the issues, not just the 5%.

Keep up the good work.

Best wishes,
Tom Lonsdale



From: Tom Lonsdale
Subject: Re: [CSDogBookReview] Please Thank Tom for his time!

Hi .... and All,

Many thanks for inviting me onto the CSDogBookReview list. I appreciated your excellent questions and kind attention to my answers.

For those who still waver about making the change to raw feeding, please don't feel down hearted.

Most people first need to convince themselves to make the change. Although there will come a time when the young grow up with the knowledge of their parents. For them feeding raw food to their pets will be second nature -- just like it was for our ancestors.

Winning the struggle with your own fears can take time and is best accomplished with the help of mentors. The folks on the rawfeeding list have lots of experience coaching newcomers http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfeeding/ and there are already plenty of experienced hands on the newly formed RawMeatyBones list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawMeatyBones/

Fear is an acronym we are told: False Expectations Appearing Real. Keep things simple and before you know it you will Work Wonders and your fears will abate.

For those who have made the change to raw feeding, understand the benefits, and want to join forces with others committed to addressing the corrupt junk pet-food/veterinary/faux animal welfare alliance then I encourage you to join the new list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawMeatyBones/ If you live in Australia then http://www.aussiermb.org.au/ is a good place to visit. For UK members please consider giving the folks at UKRMB a hand http://www.ukrmb.co.uk/

There are a few comments and questions waiting in my inbox. Thanks. I'll get to those this afternoon.

Best wishes,

Tom



Question 21
Comments from a list member
Subject: More on "jargon" & getting the word out

--- In CSDogBookReview@yahoogroups.com, Tom Lonsdale wrote:
>
> For too long there's been a bottle neck in supply. People have been looking for raw meaty bones and whole carcasses and assorted offal for a long time and having to make do with limited offerings. So I thoroughly encourage you in your endeavours.>

Thank you! One major reason why these offerings are so limited, at least in the US, is because of USDA regulations. A USDA inspected slaughterhouse is prohibited from releasing tripe and other "inedibles" except to the waste truck, and typically even the smaller slaughterhouses have contracts with their waste company - out of the 6 or 7 local to me, only two would even discuss the matter, and they are probably in jeopardy from the feds for allowing me to take their offal. One reason for this control, of course, is to keep ruminant parts out of ruminant feed. (Oh, it's fine to feed chickens to cows and vice versa and so on, however.)


> As mentioned in earlier posts I believe that the 'prey model' term is unhelpful jargon -- although not yet in the same league as the barf word.>

Yes, I have since read those posts - and I don't think I entirely agree with you, but you have a point there. To me, the term is merely a place-marker for communicating with others about a species-appropriate diet, one that acknowledges dogs and cats as predators (but not as scavengers!), and which relates to the idea of prey being comprised of certain proportions of meat to bone to offal. Since many/most raw feeders are limited mostly to grocery-store, USDA inspected items, those general proportions are important to the assemblage of "frankenprey". Using a whole prey animal as a model for what to feed, in the absence of the real thing, is not so bad.

But, I acknowledge the limitations of a diet assembled from the grocer - no hide/hair, hoof, blood, glands, etc.; often injected with chemicals; food animals fed a totally inappropriate and chemical-laced diet and kept in unnatural conditions; etc. Even so, it's a darn sight better than kibble, and a step in the right direction.

I take issue with the term "Raw Meaty Bones" as a diet-style, also. The emphasis is on Bones, where "raw" and "meaty" are merely adjectives, and leaves out the concept of organs entirely. Whole Carcass, or Whole Prey - that's getting closer, isn't it? You have to call it *something*. I'm gravitating toward Natural Raw Diet as my favorite, it even has a handy acronym so the detractors can call it the NERD diet, LOL ;) (the E could be for Evolutionary! but then you alienate the Creationists...)


> Indeed there are lots of things that could be utilised to get the word out -- pet mags, mainstream media, news items, flyers and etc --if the junk pet-food industry/vet/faux animal welfare alliance were not so effective at blocking access to those outlets.>

Blocking access? How so? I guess I'm thinking on a tiny scale... wondering how "they" would stop me from placing a small ad in Dog Fancy or something... I'm thinking "one dog at a time" instead of "how to overthrow the regime". I see your point now.


> What to do? and how to do it? are big issues and I encourage you all to join discussions at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawMeatyBones/ with a view to coordinating some increased action in every neighbourhood, state and nation.>

I have just joined, thank you for the link! I didn't know this group existed.


> Have you read Raw Meaty Bones? >

Yes, it was actually hard to get on inter-library loan, came all the way from California and I had about 7 days to read it before I had to send it back... it's almost as if there's a conspiracy to keep this book out of the hands of the public...

Anyway yes, and I found it fascinating and utterly enlightening, it changed my life and strengthened my resolve to feed my carnivores appropriately (and help others do the same). And, might I add, to brush my teeth after every meal... LOL. But, apparently, I need to own a copy and read it more thoroughly. Personally, I was put off by all the politics, and wanted to get down to the meat of why I should be feeding my dogs differently than everyone else. I wanted "Work Wonders" first, and then "RMB" so I could get angry at the establishment, and motivated to change it - after I had seen the difference real food made in my dogs.

> The books listed at >http://www.rawmeatybones.com/suggestedreading.html formed the foundation for Raw Meaty Bones. If you have time I thoroughly recommend them to you. They helped me to see how huge the issues are and how fiddling on the periphery does not represent the best way forward. >

Thank you for that. I'll check them out, and look forward to being further enlightened.





Question 22
A list member asked how to achieve a ‘Balanced’ diet.

From: Tom Lonsdale

Hi .... and All,

Seems I nearly missed seeing this question.

I can understand your difficulty -- largely because the idea of a 'balanced diet' is a bogus term of little practical application. So it's like trying to understanding nonsense -- even if you gain an understanding it's still nonsense.

The idea of a balanced diet, as I understand it, arose after World War II in Britain. British children, omnivores, had been kept short of vital nutrients for their well being and supplementation of the diet commenced with free orange juice and milk.

When feeding production animals for the optimum supply of meat/milk/eggs from the minimum number of input ingredients the feed formulator consults all sorts of tables to work out the supply of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins and trace elements. It's a factory style/scientised approach to feeding that has little or nothing to to with well being or longevity.

Now we need to understand that in the junk pet-food dominated culture, food (and what should be medicine too) is turned into a commodity produced in a centralised manufacturing plant and then shipped to distant consumers.

The product, under these entirely artificial conditions, needs a long shelf life, be reproducible from an ingredients point of view on a regular basis over long periods of time. Coinciding with the manufacturing imperatives are the concomitant needs to market/propagandise about the product.

Unfortunately the unhelpful concept of balance, speaking solely about nutrient composition but having nothing to do with texture and the raw biochemicals in natural food, took over the thinking of all those inducted into the nonsense cult -- including the FDA.

In 1993 I submitted a paper to The AustralianVeterinary Practitioner. At the time I lacked a name for the paper so the editor suggested: Feeding vs Nutrition: Have we lost the plot in small animal dietetics? Australian Veterinary Practitioner 23(1)

Later on when writing Raw Meaty Bones I happened across a wry/sinister quote about tyres and shoes that I reproduce in context here:

Raw Meaty Bones Chapt 10 Misdirected Science pp 218-219

Logical content

But we need to be wary. An argument can be logically valid and seem plausible even though the content, the initial premises, may be false. As the saying goes, ‘garbage in; garbage out’. One pet food company spokesperson is rumoured to have told a newspaper reporter: ‘Give me a tyre, an old leather shoe and a quart of oil and I can meet the specifications for the NRC diet.’20 I suspect that he was only half joking because the actual contents of the packet comprise soy bean and maize and a host of bizarre chemicals — ingredients which, the companies tell us, are either beneficial or necessary for the wellbeing of our pets.

False premises are so deeply embedded in the artificial pet food mythology that the National Research Council publications on the nutrient requirements of dogs and cats make the statement: ‘Dogs/cats require specific nutrients not specific feed stuffs.’21 This implies that animals do not require natural foodstuffs such as whole raw rabbit but that chemicals — for instance those found in tyres, old shoes, engine oil and other garbage — will suffice.


So best to short circuit the quest for something that even if you find it will be meaningless. If you read Work Wonders you will get the practical drift -- and I suggest minimise costs whilst maximising peace of mind and health of your pooches. After that I suggest you take a look at Raw Meaty Bones to see how mad the whole junk food industry/nutritional science world has become.

Best wishes,

Tom



Question 23
List member expressed concern about fat content in various diets.

From:Tom Lonsdale

Hi .... and All,

Just caught sight of this question and then seen some of the responses that address different aspects very well.

Things in moderation tend not to create problems. So the person who mentioned feeding scraps from the table is about right. The body has lots of compensatory mechanisms to deal with variations in food input.

Problems with fat start to arise chiefly when the formulators of artificial diets try using vegetable oils instead of animal fats. They also get into a tangle trying to balance 'essential' fatty acids and of course the heat treatment renders fats toxic.

Mostly they get away with their trickery because unfortunately pets take a long time to show signs of ill health due to diet because, again, their compensatory mechanisms take over to offset harmful consequences. (Eventually compensatory mechanisms break down and then you start to see the various organ problems.)

We need to take care that when we, in a reductionist way, focus on one ingredient/nutrient that we don't lose focus of the overall context. That said, I realise we need to divide things into what we believe to be named, component parts in order for us to discuss them.

Below I've reproduced Raw Meaty Bones pages 94-96.

Best wishes,

Tom Lonsdale


Raw Meaty Bones Chapter 5 What's in the can pp 94-96



Fats

It is a pity that Professor Kronfeld did not go on to test the eight products for fats and degradation products of fats. The likely outcome of such an investigation is that the products, from a bio-available fat point of view, would not meet the NRC-established criteria. If those same products were then compared with the fat profile of our whole raw rabbit we could expect to find multiple failings.

Rabbits and other prey species are almost never fat animals. Life in the wild is too hard for herbivores to lay down substantial reserves of fat. Nevertheless all animal tissue contains fat in varying percentages. In 100 grams of rabbit meat 71.1 percent is water, 20.8 percent protein and 6.6 percent fat.6 (The figures for whole rabbit were unavailable.) When the fat content of rabbit meat is expressed as a percentage of the dry matter (that’s with the water removed from the meat) the figure is 22.8 percent. The following table shows the comparable percentage of fat in four types of commercial food, as published by the British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Food Type

Dry Complete
Semi-moist
Moist (canned) meat based
Moist (canned) ration
(animal by-products and cereal)
Commercial Dog Food

11.0
9.0
35.0

8.0
Commercial Cat Food

7.5
7.5
28.0

30.0
Fat as a percentage of dry matter in rabbit meat 22.8

In the table two cat diets and three dog diets have a fat content significantly below that of rabbit meat. The other three classifications have fat appreciably in excess of the estimated fat content of rabbit meat. Perhaps in the short term such imbalances may not create health hazards. It’s in the long term that imbalances give rise to problems. Just as the occasional hamburger is tolerated by the average person but a regular high fat diet predisposes people to diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

Quantity of fat is not the only consideration; quality is of vital importance too. Chemists speak of fats being saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. This concept refers to the number of hydrogen ions attached to carbon in the fatty acid chain. Unsaturated fats are, in general, easier to digest and there are three polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) which must be supplied in the diet. Game animals, fish and birds contain high levels of PUFA which are appropriate for cats and dogs. (Some fish contain too much PUFA. A theoretical problem arises if these fish are fed to cats in large quantity.) Even though most commercial pet foods claim to meet the minimum PUFA requirements there is widespread and justifiable belief that this is not the case. Diets deficient in or with inappropriate proportions of PUFA — for example many dry foods — are known to predispose animals to varying degrees of dermatitis and hair loss.

The quality of the fat in manufactured pet foods primarily depends on the source of the fat and subsequently on the manufacturing and storage conditions. In the extreme it is known that burning or charring fat creates a range of carcinogenic chemicals. Animal fats incorporated in pet foods are usually extracted by rendering. Rendering is a process which depends on heating animal products for extended periods at high temperatures. The biological value of fats decreases and the toxic degradation products can generally be said to increase with greater time and temperature. These chemical changes continue during storage of the products, especially if the fat is exposed to air.

Exposure to air is most problematic for the grain-based kibbles, which are coated with fat in order to increase palatability. Even though anti-oxidants are incorporated in the final mix, oxidation and therefore rancidity are inevitable. Pet food companies may have evidence of the harm done to animals which eat those ‘spoiled’ products. The lack of experimental evidence should not be a bar to our declaring the practice unhealthy.




From: Tom Lonsdale
Date: Sat Apr 1, 2006 6:19 am
Subject: Thanks and good bye for now

Hi ...., Hi List members,

The time has come when I must say good bye.

Thank you for your interest and kind attention to the subjects under discussion. I know that you will continue thinking and talking about these things way into the future and I wish you well.

Thank you for the good vibes and the notes of appreciation you have sent on and off list.

With very best wishes,

Tom Lonsdale



Supplemental Answer
Subject: Re: More on "jargon" & getting the word out

Hi .....,

> Have you read Raw Meaty Bones?

>>Yes, it was actually hard to get on inter-library loan, came all the way from California and I had about 7 days to read it before I had to send it back... it's almost as if there's a conspiracy to keep this book out of the hands of the public...<<

****Great that you've read it - but you need a copy of your own! Why? In my opinion, this is a book that needs to be read several times, so that each component which makes up the whole, can be properly absorbed and digested (no pun intended!)

>>Personally, I was put off by all the politics, and wanted to get down to the meat of why I should be feeding my dogs differently than everyone else. I wanted "Work Wonders" first, and then "RMB" so I could get angry at the establishment, and motivated to change it - after I had seen the difference real food made in my dogs.<<

****Personally I found the politics of the whole situation a great motivator to change the diet of my pets AND to do all I could to redress the situation, as I was so angry at the multi-billion dollar petfood industry which, together with the veterinary profession had hoodwinked me so successfully!

I can't put it any better than noted raw feeding advocate Alison Tyler did in her review of the book back in 2003 and which I have copied below. Like her, I have read the book many times, and as a text book I dip into it frequently.

Best wishes
Jackie
www.ukrmb.co.uk


Essay by Alison Tyler January 10, 2003

As a five time reader of Dr. Tom Lonsdale's book Raw Meaty Bones Promote Health I find it useful to reflect on what each reading gained me particularly when assisted by Dr. Lonsdale's suggested reading list.

My first reading of Raw Meaty Bones was shortly after publication. It was a literal read and produced a re-affirmation of beliefs I had long held regarding the collusion and corruption of the veterinary profession, working hand-in-hand with multi-national corporations.

For several years I had followed Dr. Lonsdale's work and writing. The book brought all into focus.

But there is a bigger picture contained in the book. Although some aspects were elusive in the first reading. What seems on the surface to be a straightforward issue — multi national companies through propaganda and lies stealing from the world and harming animals with the willing assistance of the veterinary profession — is in fact the foundation, the building blocks, for issues and changes that stretch across professions, belief systems and disciplines.

It took a second and third reading for me to better understand the implications of what is contained between the covers of this book — and to understand the fear these ideas create, conscious and unconscious, in people from all walks of life, across nations and across professional boundaries.

My fourth reading was back-to-front taking the summation of Dr. Lonsdale's thoughts (Chapter 14) as the beginning and working backwards through the chapters to the beginning of the Evolution and the Revolution (Chapter One). In many ways I feel that this is how the book should be read and how I prefer to view it. We are at the beginning of great changes, great breakthroughs in science, philosophy, education, economic thinking and lifestyle that will impact generations to come. That is there for all to see as a `beginning' in Chapter 14. "Genius sees the answer before the question".

Between my fourth and fifth reading of Raw Meaty Bones I read Arthur Koestler's The Sleepwalkers A History of Man's Changing Vision of the Universe and James Lovelock's Gaia A New Look at Life on Earth both of which are suggested reading by Dr. Lonsdale.

Fascinating reading on their own, the reading of both books within the framework of Dr. Lonsdale's writing brought clarity. Clarity of the ideas that Dr. Lonsdale advances but also clarity of the great depth and breath those ideas encompass when viewed from a global perspective. The final clarity came with the complete understanding of how and why the world (beyond the veterinary profession) seems to resist so strongly any whiff of original thought contained in Dr. Lonsdale's writing. Most change is incremental and comes from challenges brought to one discipline or field of thought at a time. Dr. Lonsdale's work crosses disciplines and belief systems and will likely change much of what we now know at a fundamental level. Some find that the embodiment of hubris and brazenness, most find it terrifying. I find it enlightening, uplifting and positive.

My most recent and fifth reading of Raw Meaty Bones, following the reading of Koestler and Lovelock, was the most fulfilling and illuminating to date. Knowing the influences on Dr Lonsdale's thinking and approach to science provided me with a mental image of the author at work. I could imagine his unconscious thoughts informing the conscious. I could almost feel myself in the room with him typing on the keyboard.

This brought a new scope and reality to the book that I would not have thought possible had I not experienced it.

I followed this fifth reading with a second reading of Koestler.

Court actions, television features and articles will bring the foundation, the building blocks, of Dr. Lonsdale's writing to the public loudly and repeatedly. The rest is far subtler and is the reason the world will look different in 20 years. To take it all in, with all of its implications, takes reading and re-reading and an understanding of the author's thinking that can only be accomplished by in-depth study. In-depth study that is eminently rewarding and worthwhile.


Alison Tyler




Q & A Part 1
Questions 1 to 4
Q & A Part 2
Questions 5 to 10
Q & A Part 3
Questions 11 to 17
Q & A Part 4
Questions 18 to 22


Unless otherwise stated, all information, articles, reports, photos and images on this web site are the copyright of UKRMB. Permission to reproduce anything from this web site must be obtained from info@ukrmb.co.uk.







 
UKRMB
 www.ukrmb.co.uk