LSU vegeterian options humane, commendableAs a staff member and a vegan, I was encouraged to see the article on the increase in vegetarian options at the dining halls. This change is definitely a step in the right direction.  Animals raised for food suffer from painful “modifications” such as de-beaking and castration with no anesthetic or veterinary care.  They live in dirty, crowded pens for their entire lives, which are dramatically shorter than they would be naturally. They are then roughly handled and shipped to slaughter, where they often remain conscious while being dismembered. By choosing a vegetarian diet, each person can save up to 100 animals’ lives every year, and it is refreshing to see LSU recognize the needs of its vegetarian students.I would like to suggest that the dining hall also cater to a vegan diet, which avoids milk and egg products as well as meat. Some of the most horrific abuses in the farming world affect milking cows and egg-laying hens. Conditions are cramped, and animals often live in or near fetid pools of their own waste. Many animals die from untreated injuries. It is more cost effective for the farmer to let some animals die than to provide proper care for all of them.  Numerous undercover investigations by groups like Mercy for Animals and PETA have shown farm workers abusing and beating animals.  I encourage everyone to investigate the value of a vegan diet.  In addition to helping animals, you can improve your health and help the environment. You can go to Web sites like TryVeg.com or GoVeg.com to learn more.Erin Registerfinancial analystOffice of the Vice Chancellor