Your Thoughts On Pet Ownership

Discussion in 'Buddhism' started by unfocusedanakin, Aug 25, 2017.

  1. unfocusedanakin

    unfocusedanakin The Archaic Revival Lifetime Supporter

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    Is this enslavement of the animal? Or is it OK because you love the animal and it has a good life? It never is hungry, it never fears being attacked by bigger animal. In some ways the life of a pet is a better then the wild but to do this you take away the animals right to be wild. A bird is supposed to fly, a fish is supposed to swim even that might bring it harm.

    Personally I think animals like dogs are fine because they can not live in the wild. We man have decided to change a wolf into a helpless being. Yes, a dog born on the street will tap into that wolf side but there is something in their genetics that make that easy to block. For example look at abused dogs who still do not bite people and trust them. They don't know any other way.

    Wild animals I do not support. Like I really like reptiles and fish and in those trades the cool and exotic ones are often wild caught. This leads to all sorts of stress and sickness in the animal. They know they are in a glass box. Often it's difficult or impossible to make them breed too so you have no choice but to catch in the wild again if more people want the pet.

    I struggle with the morals because even if the reptile I had was captive breed at some point his ancestor was not. But I've also seen diffrent behavior in captive breed animals. They adapt to cage lie better but is that a good thing or a sad adaptation?

    It's the most important thing to me to keep an animal happy. I chose to be its world it is dependent on me. But as I get older I feel worse about pet keeping sometimes.
     
  2. MeAgain

    MeAgain Dazed & Confused Lifetime Supporter Super Moderator

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    Cats are fine, you can't really own them.
    Except they should be allowed outside.

    I'm done with dogs.

    Birds and fish don't belong in cages, especially the fish.
     
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  3. tumbling.dice

    tumbling.dice Visitor

    Depends on the species I guess. I have house cats and they seem totally fine with their lots in life. They have free reign of the place, food whenever they want it, health care (which they don't appreciate), no predators and lots of toys. I have occassionally wondered if they'd be happier being in the wild though.
     
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  4. Piney

    Piney Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Domestic animals identify with their human partners instead of their wild brethern.

    They are experts at reading, and predicting and influencing human behaviour in fascinating ways.

    Just watch a pidgeon watching you,.... reading your body languge,.... predicting your next move. Wild animals just want to scram.
     
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  5. ~Zen~

    ~Zen~ Ancient Mariner Administrator

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    My cat owns me, ... it has me trained quite carefully, and she feeds me love and attention in return. I'd let her roam freely out and about, as she was fixed when rescued from certain death in a shelter. But alas we have mountain lions, coyotes in the area, and the neighbors often let their pitbulls run about.
     
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  6. Moonglow181

    Moonglow181 Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Cats and dogs are fine.

    Seems pet pigs are pretty happy, too.
     
  7. MthrNatrQn17

    MthrNatrQn17 Members

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    There are definitely some animals that shouldn't be living a domesticated life.the wild,should stay in the wild.mostly cats and dogs are already a domesticated type.every animal is born with a bit of its wild ancestry in them. If a cat is out in the world,itll find a way to hunt as survival.one of my cats(children),a Russian blue,is 17 years old and she still hunts,no matter how well i feed her!it's in her blood.but I have a domestic short hair who barely kills a beetle bug.i treat them like kings and queens that they are.ive never had a reptile or anything that lived in a cage/tank/bowl.but if it was already living the domestic way,then you just love it like it deserves,just like any cat or dog.but I wouldn't agree with grabbing a tiger,bear or fox from its habitat.its all they know.love our animals
     
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  8. themnax

    themnax Senior Member

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    the concept of ownership is itself the problem.
    the only way for it not to equate to slavery,
    is if the companion is free to come and go on its own accord.

    it is the ethical illogic of everything having to be owned,
    that is the moral error,
    of trying to make everything have to be about symbolic value,

    there is no immorality in a willingness to share your living arrangements,
    it is only it is only the cultural concept, that any non-human with whom you do,
    must automatically be considered a possession under the law.

    of course you do have a moral, responsibiltiy, if that companion should attack or injure a neighbor,
    so care must be taken in reguard to where you live and the likelihood of that happening.

    but morally, any small, relatively harmless creature, you allow to be free to come and go,
    such as community cats and the like, foxes, squirrels, mice et al,

    i mean, after all, how else do define slavery, then the lack of freedom to come and go, under your own volition?
     
  9. NoxiousGas

    NoxiousGas Old Fart

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    LOL,
    first we didn't choose wolves, they chose humans.
    second, contrary to your assumptions, many, many fish are bred in captivity as well as numerous corals and other aquatic animals.
    In fact if you are concerned about, then only buy critters certified as ORA animals that have been bred in captivity.
     
  10. Mister Liam

    Mister Liam An Old Mister

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    I don't think of it as me owning the animal. Rather, I think of it as the animal owning me.

    Trust me, my cat owns me, and she knows it.
     
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  11. Vanilla Gorilla

    Vanilla Gorilla Go Ape

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    When you realise they dont understand what you are


    Cat just rubs against your leg to mark its scent, the same way it rubs against a table


    You are just a table that moves, when it hears the cat food box rattle, its trained after a number of times to know food will end up in the usual spot soon after

    They arent capable of understanding anymore


    And they purr to regulate bodily functions, its not a sign of content, just we like to assume that
     
  12. Aerianne

    Aerianne Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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  13. Eric!

    Eric! Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    It just seems crazy to me that people want to have exotic pets, even after watching people get mauled by tigers and bears, or watch their babies get swallowed by snakes.
     
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  14. Lynnbrown

    Lynnbrown Firecracker

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    I've never felt bad about having a dog because I know that dogs need us to live healthy lives. Without humans, they could live, but I'm sure their lives wouldn't be as easy and especially not as long. When you've had a dog love you (and you will KNOW when they do!), it is one of the best feelings in the world (to me anyway). I'm glad the dog is glad...its a 2 way reciprocal thing going on there...it isn't all about me.

    Watching some rescue videos and how desperately grateful these dogs are lets me know they can think and feel.

    Cats own us...my cats for sure own me...now I keep their shots up to date and they get taken to the vet if needed (which, thankfully, is very rare)...but they know exactly how to work me, and I'm fine with it. lol

    They put out their chins for me to rub them. They let me know when their food dish needs to be refilled etc etc.

    If a person reads up even a little about cats and sees the rubbing is to "mark their scent"...if you read further they only want to mark the scent of someone (or thing) they consider their's! lol The purring IS for when a cat is both happy and when it is in pain as well as it helps regulate its body temperature (NOT ALL bodily functions)...the purr serves MANY functions. When I pet the previously wild calico, Lassie, and she is healthy (with a normal temperature) and she begins to LOUDLY purr when I get that chin right where she wants it, I know she isn't purring to maintain a bodily function. lol She is purring because she is happy, especially since she is also kneading whatever she is standing on at the moment.

    ________________________________________________


    Beyond cats and dogs....I think it is wrong to take animals out of their natural habitat (which is the wild outdoors) and call ourselves "domesticating" them. Most wild animals can never be petted and don't even show interest in us stupid ass humans when they are fed, which is a huge clue as to why we should never make them live with us. I think the wild ones that can be "petted" are only letting that happen for their own reasons (so they can eat the dumbass later).
     
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  15. unfocusedanakin

    unfocusedanakin The Archaic Revival Lifetime Supporter

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    Some of the people I know who keep fish act as if they are dogs. They think there is a level of companionship there. No guys they recognize you as the food source. They are pretty but I accept that. When the lid opens the food comes and your hand does that they notice. I kind of agree on the fish thing. Even if you have 100's of gallons it's not really enough esepcily for the fish I liked which are larger preadatory Amazon fish. I have not kept them in a while because I felt bad and they are so much work to keep clean. Big fish= big pooping that contaminates the water. They also fight with each all the time. In the wild they can run away from the others territory. In the aquarium nipped fins are the norm or even dead fish. There is only a few fish in an area of the river at once not near the amount people put in a tank.
     
  16. Meliai

    Meliai Banned

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    I have a bearded dragon and honestly he makes me feel guilty every time I look at him. I've never liked the idea of wild animals as pets but bought one for my child against my better judgement. In the summer we can take him out and put him in a sandbox when we're outside but the poor little guy is confined during the cooler months. He poops every time you take him out of his terrarium so its hard to handle him in the house.

    So yeah I'm not a fan of keeping wild animals in captivity. I used to know a couple who kept snakes, both poisonous and not. I really cant fathom why anyone would want to keep a poisonous snake in an enclosure.

    Dogs on the other hand need human companionship. I will never not have a dog, I love having my dog's protective spirit around all the time.
     
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  17. Lynnbrown

    Lynnbrown Firecracker

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    This past week there was a bust in Polk Co. Georgia where a man had a total of about 100 dogs tied up in woods, apart...with big leather collars and about 6 foot chains, with barrels turned sideways for shelter...

    It was and IS to me just an unreal situation. You can go and view this video (which no, I don't know even how to post a link)...but its a dog bust in Polk Co.. GA

    This most kind and compassionate sheriff or chief (or somebody!) gives this walk through of what they had found in those woods. He said he had petted every one of those dogs personally himself at least 3 times, and none of these dogs even had any water!. I truly believe, there will be any number of stolen dogs that will be found...especially from my neck of the woods. Clearly, these dogs had known human love and kindness at some point in spite of the situation they were in then.

    This was a repeat offender...the last time, he was somehow able to wiggle out of the animal cruelty charges, or it may have been animal abuse....whatever...I don't see him getting out of this.

    That those precious dogs could want to do anything but want to bite a human shows me they have more humanity than many of us. ...

    After seeing that video and reading the story, I really do believe that as an overall group, these dogs definitely show more trust and humanity than I'd give many of the 2 legged assholes I know.

    We could learn a lot from our animals.
     
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  18. Eric!

    Eric! Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    https://youtu.be/KB_CYobIlEg
     
  19. pensfan13

    pensfan13 Senior Member

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    Some day a few thousand years from now people will say Barack Obama was a good guy ....but he owned a dog....well that was what everyone did back in those days.
     
  20. Irminsul

    Irminsul Valkyrie

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    Some tropic fish have a very short lifespan in the wild but will live several years in a tank. So nerr
     

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