Owning Pets Is Cruel Debate

[Lote-Tree]

Fifthelement raised a quite a challenging Idea. And that is Owning Pet is Cruel.


I want to say it is not because all animals develop symbiotic relationships with other animals. Therefore it is part of our nature.

So owning pets is not cruel.

[Sweets America]

Fifthelement raised a quite a challenging Idea. And that is Owning Pet is Cruel.


I want to say it is not because all animals develop symbiotic relationships with other animals. Therefore it is part of our nature.

So owning pets is not cruel.

You are a sweetie. This is all I have to say.

[SleepyWitch]

And that is Owning Pet is Cruel.

as so often, it's your grammar that's cruel

I agree with you in principle. but I guess there's a difference between animals that live in packs (e.g. dogs) and those that don't. dogs probably think of their "master" as another dog and think he is their mummy or the leader of the pack. but what about hamsters, rabbits....?

[Sweets America]

as so often, it's your grammar that's cruel

I agree with you in principle. but I guess there's a difference between animals that live in packs (e.g. dogs) and those that don't. dogs probably think of their "master" as another dog and think he is their mummy or the leader of the pack. but what about hamsters, rabbits....?

Is it ok if I think that my dog is my leader instead of the contrary?

[TheFifthElement]

Lote, I'll post my original comment for clarity and leave it there. It is a difficult concept, I think, for most people to get their heads round, particularly if they are unable to divorce their own emotional involvement, and the implications of that, from the debate.

The whole concept of keeping any animals as pets is disturbing to me, like a cruel form of long term torture. Imagine, if a man found a woman 'cute', would it be okay to divorce her from what would be her natural environment, her environment of choice, and keep her, effectively, a prisoner without any chance of self-determination, choice or will for the rest of her life, and foist kisses and other such affections on her as though this makes up for the act of subjugation.

I wonder, if it was acceptable or normal to act towards other humans in this way, would we continue to do so in relation to animals? Is it just another expression of our desire to have dominion over something else, albeit largely well intentioned? If dogs could speak would they say 'let me be a dog'?

I say, if you love them set them free. (or perhaps Sting might have said it, but if he did I agree!)

Sorry, just one addition. Change the statement in the thread to 'Keeping humans as pets is cruel'. How much debate would there be?

[Pensive]

What's to worry about cruelty, nothing wrong with being cruel! Muwahahaha!

[SleepyWitch]

off-topic:
Sweets, could you translate the following words for me:
voisin (verbes de sens voisin), devenir, sembler
does it have to do with words that express 'looking', resemble etc?

[pussnboots]

If Fifthelement thinks owning a dog is cruel, I think he needs to back up his statement as to why.
Whats cruel is owning a dog and not taking care of it or owning one for purposes of dog fighting.
I treat my dog as one of the family.
Sweets: you go right ahead and think that your dog is your leader. I'm with you 100%

I see that fifthelement responded as to why he thinks owning a dog is cruel. That is your opinion. On the other hand owning a human like he described is wrong but unfortunately it does occur in life.

[Pensive]

Just wondering if anybody thinks having a baby is cruel too in such a case? A child doesn't ask to be born after all?

[Lote-Tree]

as so often, it's your grammar that's cruel

I will try to pass my English Exams one day Sleepy wish me luck

but what about hamsters, rabbits....?

[/quote]

We observed in nature the unrelated animals have developed symbiotic relationship with other animals.

Lote, I'll post my original comment for clarity and leave it there. It is a difficult concept, I think, for most people to get their heads round, particularly if they are unable to divorce their own emotional involvement, and the implications of that, from the debate.

Sorry, just one addition. Change the statement in the thread to 'Keeping humans as pets is cruel'. How much debate would there be?

Supreme Being - don't take this personally. But It's Challenging Idea. Let's debate it

[Sweets America]

Lote, I'll post my original comment for clarity and leave it there. It is a difficult concept, I think, for most people to get their heads round, particularly if they are unable to divorce their own emotional involvement, and the implications of that, from the debate.



Sorry, just one addition. Change the statement in the thread to 'Keeping humans as pets is cruel'. How much debate would there be?

I agree that I, for instance, cannot divorce my emotions from the debate. If one says negative things about my dog and I, I react like some people react when one says negative things about their mother, for instance.

I don't think my dog is my slave, once again. I am with him and he is with me. If he thinks I am his pet, I am happy with it. He is such a wonderful friend to me. You should see us together, we are like two friends who learn from each other. He watches over me and I watch over him. I am pretty sure that if I proposed to him to stay with me or go away, he would stay. I would see it if he were sad or depressed. It would be translated in his behavior.

I like that I feel maternal instinct for him, and in the meantime I feel as if he were some kind of father to me. I think that being in contact with him enables me to detach myself from my human condition to go towards something that I find more beautiful.

[pussnboots]

well said sweets

[Sweets America]

Just wondering if anybody thinks having a baby is cruel too in such a case? A child doesn't ask to be born after all?

Interesting question. I must admit I have sometimes in the past been angry at my parents for bringing me into this world.
I think that the FifthElement would respond to what you say in saying that the baby, once it is born and grows older, is free. He can go away, while you keep your dog with you all his life. So there is a difference between the two.

Oh, pussnboots, thanks.

[TheFifthElement]

I see that fifthelement responded as to why he thinks owning a dog is cruel. That is your opinion.

It is. I only ever stated it as so.

On the other hand owning a human like he described is wrong but unfortunately it does occur in life.

If it's wrong for humans why isn't it wrong for other creatures. There's my dilemma - what's the difference?

Supreme Being - don't take this personally. But It's Challenging Idea. Let's debate it

It is Lote, and I do, but it troubles me when I find myself on the side of Rainbow Warriors, and wondering if their extreme intervention measures are the only way after all.

What's to worry about cruelty, nothing wrong with being cruel! Muwahahaha!

Just wondering if anybody thinks having a baby is cruel too in such a case? A child doesn't ask to be born after all?

Sorry, missed this bit. Pensive, I do think that having a child is one of the most supremely selfish acts we can commit, and I don't think it is a choice that can be made lightly. I suppose you have to weigh up what the experience of life is worth against the suffering of life and take it from there.

[pussnboots]

[QUOTE=TheFifthElement;511669]It is. I only ever stated it as so
If it's wrong for humans why isn't it wrong for other creatures. There's my dilemma - what's the difference?



I can understand where you are coming from. When I watch shows about the animal kingdom, I sit there and say to my husband "how cruel" the animal kingdom can be. Its just that as a society we tend to react more on human sufferring than animal sufferring. But once again, people may disagree with this. Maybe there really is no difference ?