ment " ▁category . ▁The ▁Gen esis ▁Award ▁is ▁awarded ▁ann ually ▁by ▁the ▁Hum ane ▁Society ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁honor ▁works ▁that ▁raise ▁the ▁public ' s ▁understanding ▁of ▁animal ▁issues . ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁reviews ▁ ▁" L isa ▁the ▁Veg et arian " ▁has ▁received ▁universal ▁acc laim ▁from ▁television ▁critics ▁and ▁the ▁staff ▁of ▁The ▁Sim ps ons . ▁Among ▁the ▁show ' s ▁staff , ▁M irk in , ▁Kirk land , ▁Gro ening , ▁and ▁writer ▁Ian ▁Ma xt one - G raham ▁list ▁it ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁their ▁favorite ▁episodes . ▁In ▁the ▁DVD ▁audio ▁comment ary ▁for ▁the ▁episode , ▁M irk in ▁called ▁the ▁opening ▁sequence ▁at ▁the ▁pet ting ▁zoo ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁favorite ▁set ▁pieces ▁in ▁the ▁show ' s ▁history . ▁He ▁thought ▁it ▁was ▁" ab sol utely ▁h il ari ous ", ▁and ▁pra ised ▁Kirk land ▁for ▁his ▁animation . ▁M irk in ▁also ▁enjoyed ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁A pu ▁in ▁the ▁episode , ▁because ▁A pu ▁shows ▁Lisa ▁that ▁" the ▁way ▁to ▁get ▁people ▁to ▁change ▁is ▁through ▁toler ance ▁and ▁understanding ". ▁Gro ening ▁cons iders ▁the ▁jo ke ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁family ▁forms ▁a ▁con ga ▁line ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁" high - points " ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁The ▁Sim ps ons . ▁ ▁Television ▁critics ▁pra ised ▁" L isa ▁the ▁Veg et arian " ▁for ▁its ▁humor . ▁John ▁Ser ba ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Rap ids ▁Press