I have decided to stop eating meat. While I haven’t gone officially “veggie” (yet), I have been avoiding the stuff for a few weeks now.

I can’t see myself missing it. I have never been a big carnivore – growing up with a Mum and now living with a wife who are both vegetarians certainly helped with this. To her credit, Claire has never had an issue with cooking meat for me; although more often than not, I eat what she eats, including veggie burgers and Quorn sausages. I even went for the veggie option at my wedding!

Strangely, the only thing I will miss, if I do go all-out vegetarian, is not meat at all – it is sweets and desserts. It is amazing how much confectionery and puddings contain pork or beef gelatin. It is no surprise that jelly-based sweets, like Haribo, are unsuitable. However, veggies also have to avoid most types of mousse – the pudding, not the large Canadian deer, which coincidentally, they also cannot eat.

I am yet to explain my recent change in attitude towards meat. The reason is Roman, my pet rabbit. I have NEVER eaten rabbit. I couldn’t. Growing up with the cute creatures, I grew so attached, that I would rather eat my left arm than a bunny burger.

Since getting Roman, my feelings towards rabbits have grown even stronger. I’ve seen him grow from a timid little ball of fluff, to a cheeky, excitable, loving member of our family, who demonstrates levels of intelligence that I didn’t think rabbits could reach.

I don’t believe that Roman is any more clever than other rabbits. I just think that, as a child, I was oblivious to just how smart my pet bunnies were.

Roman has made me realise that if rabbits can show a degree of intelligence, so can other animals, like pigs and cows. Roman would be petrified if he thought he was going to be killed. Who am I to deprive some poor piggy of their life, in order for me to enjoy a Walls sausage, anyway?

If you know me, or regularly read this blog, please don’t worry – I am not going to start preaching that “meat is murder”. One of my hates in life is when people try to force their beliefs – religious or otherwise – onto others. Although, if I do see you eating a Big Mac, I will be throwing a bucket of cow’s blood over you…