Asteya = Non stealing

One of the yoga laws is non-stealing.  It doesnt just mean dont steal somebody's wallet.  As in all things yoga, it has a much more subtle meaning:

Being a non- vegetarian is stealing. That fish or chicken or cow or mink had a life to which it was entitled to live without interference. If you kill the animal to eat it, you are stealing it's life. If you force a chicken to live in a factory cage so it can produce eggs for you, then you are stealing it's quality of life. If you use an animal for testing cosmetics, medicine  or laundry detergent, you are stealing it's life and inflicting great prolonged suffering. If you wear fur coats, you are literally stealing not just the skin off that mink's back and inflicting pain and misery, but stealing his right to having a life as well.  These animals are sentient beings and their lives are not yours to take and it is selfish arrogance to think otherwise.

It is said that a civilization can be judged by how they treat their animals.