evidence: The COVID vaccine is presenting a moral conundrum to some vegans. [...] Dr Maya Shahsavari is a vegan and surgeon based in Dundee who has had both of her COVID-19 jabs. Despite the involvement of animal testing, something that she "struggled with greatly when making the decision to take the vaccine," she did decide to take it to protect herself, her patients and the wider community. "It is a difficult decision for most people but as all decisions go in life, you must weigh up the consequences of your choice," she says over email. "Sometimes it is necessary to take actions that may not directly be in alignment with your personal beliefs, but will protect vulnerable people and change or save lives." [...] Vegan organisations have encouraged people to take the vaccine, while maintaining their criticisms of animal testing. PETA – People for Ethical Treatment of Animals – says: "As long as tests on animals are a legal requirement, refusing to get a COVID-19 jab on ethical grounds would neither help the mice, hamsters, and monkeys who have already been used in tests nor spare any the same fate in the future."