How exactly do people distinguish which species are morally allowed to be eaten and which ones aren’t?
The original series did feature brief glimpses of actual normal animals that weren’t Pokemon, but those haven’t been seen in later installments.
Pokemon live and work alongside humans, and while the series pushes this notion that the world exists in harmony, it often overlooks a dark secret frequently seen in Pokemon: Indigo League.
People very clearly eat Pokemon, despite the fact that there are Pokemon intelligent enough to work in the healthcare industry, law enforcement, and other various jobs around the world.