Pet peeve, literally a peeve about pets!

[AngelAshley]

Meh. Souls don’t really mean aanything anyway. Just a fairytale religious construct really… I sold my soul to a friend at school for a tasty tasty cookie

 

[maggiemay2u]

Have you opened your house to a stranger?

Your question reminds me of my brother who routinely brought home “will work for food” folks. He would have them sweep or weed or scoop dog poop. When they finished, he’d give them a rather nice sack lunch that easily represented two meals.

He never, and I mean never, had a repeat worker.

I’m the one who gives out cards with 800#'s for assistance, as well as extra items I get at the market. I keep cans of tuna, veggies and top ramens in my car; I never give money…well, almost never…I’m a sucker for kids. Once in awhile, I hear of someone who has actually used the number at the place I volunteer. Rarely a single male. … I’ve mentioned to the guys on the off ramp they’d probably be more successful if they weren’t puffing on cigarettes as they requested donations for food. This isn’t meant as a rebuke, merely an observation.

That having been said, I’ve seen animals demonstrate charity as often as any of my anthro-brethren. No guile, no agendas. Just unvarnished affection…maybe that’s why some folks go a little coo coo for cocoa puffs in their treatment.

 

[Salonika]

i saw a telethon in the area the other day for various pet charities, in the wealthiest parts of town they have adopt-a-pet centers in expensive retail store space, we have pet shelters scattered throughout the area where stray and unwanted animals are cared for, fed, watered, and kept warm.

but just last winter, they found a man who froze to death down town.

i cant help but to be angry that while that man froze to death, some animals had warm kennels, they had food and water, what did this son of G-d have?

someone please tell me why its ok to let a mentally, or physically ill man freeze to death while there are resources being used for stray animals?

PETA and like organisations are immoral, as long as one human being does without the necessities of human life, they are taking the bread from the mouths of people and giving it to animals

what can we do about it?

I agree with those posters who do not see it as an either/or situation. All human or animal inhabitants have an intrinsic right to live in good conditions and there are various ways that everyone can contribute to that end.

If pets are taking food out of the mouths of humans (not the same food of course) I wonder why the original poster hasn’t said that it is immoral for anyone to have pet animals. Or less drastric suggest a levy on all those who have pets to go to alleviating homelessness.

Also shouldn’t guide dogs, drug dogs, rescue dogs and hearing dogs be out because they are using resources that could be used for humans.

Unfortunately there isn’t usually one single way to solve a problem but the original poater has certainly got us thinking and discussing.

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

Street people tend to try to maintain some semblance of dignity despite their difficult situations. We do not have to ask permission to scoop a dog up off the street and take him to a shelter; sometimes human beings want to try to remain self-reliant even when faced with sickness or death. To force a person into a shelter against his will may be in his best interests physically, but perhaps not emotionally. We still all have the option to decide how to deal with our own personal economic failures. I would go to a shelter, but not everyone would.

Limerick

This is so true. I worked in a homeless ministry for a year, and the problem is that there is help for these people, but many refuse to go. They have many reasons, anything from wanting to try to remain self-reliant, to being afraid of getting caught with drugs or some kind of illegal substance.

 

[warpspeedpetey]

Meh. Souls don’t really mean aanything anyway. Just a fairytale religious construct really… I sold my soul to a friend at school for a tasty tasty cookie

if you dont have a soul now…

doesn’t that meann that you are a tasty, tasty nanobot?

mmmmmmmmm…

 

[AngelAshley]

Try and eat me, I dare you

 

[Highwayhound]

Originally Posted by AngelAshley
#1 Why do humans deserve priority treatment over animals?

If you were walking a dog, and in the process of crossing a road the dog and you are struck and injured by a vehicle. If I called a vet first would I be a sane individual?

#2 What makes us so special?

We donate the surplus of our efforts to the charities of our choice. Some of us even donate from that which is not our surplus.

#3 Because we’re supposedly more intelligent?

We are more intelligent. Do you deny this statement?

So, by that logic, anyone who has the ability to pay the heating bills deserves a warm place to live. Makes sense then that people are out on the street freezing to death. They can’t pay the bills, so they don’t deserve a wam place to live. Hmm. Twisted.

Your original question is #1 above. My response about paying heating bills was in response to your question and it demonstrated that humans are the caretakers of animal. Do you deny that we humans can choose to care for animals, but animals cannot choose to care for us?

Then you jump to a completely different frame of reference concerning whether people deserve a warm place to live or not. Your zeal to put me in my place did all the twisting. Do you know what I do concerning the welfare of my fellow humans? The answer is “No” and thus your rejoinder is meaningless. I am not here to toot my own horn so my efforts shall remain my own. This is how I was taught to handle charity by doing it low key and not seeking public acclaim for what I do.

Hmm. The same thing would happen if I put a 2 year old child in front of the keyboard. I wonder why more people aren’t kicking their kids and babies out on the street cos they can’t type…

Not quite! Because that 2 year old with love and care will eventually learn to form words and use the keyboard for productive purposes, be it business or entertainment.

Planet Earth, mainly. (I don’t have a great deal of experience with other places, alas.)

I asked what your frame of reference was for declaring that humanity is “a pretty aweful species”.
Your response was not enlightening. Why do you think humanity is pretty awful?

Alas humans have never been much good at sharing…

This statement is your closing response to my “GIANT CHICKEN” question. Would it have been better if I had used Grizzly Bear or Mountain Lion? I could cite multiple instances when these large mammals have attacked, killed and in some cases eaten humans. Also, you state that humans are not good at sharing. How is it that you presume to speak with such authority on the matter? My personal experience is that the people I know are incredibly generous. They give to local causes, nationwide events and help with international disasters. Most of these people are of some Christian denomination. Do you know any Christians?

God bless

 

[AngelAshley]

If you were walking a dog, and in the process of crossing a road the dog and you are struck and injured by a vehicle. If I called a vet first would I be a sane individual?

I wouldn’t hold it against you. As long as you called the ambulance imediately after, I would see noreason that you didn’t make a reasonable attempt to treat us both equally.

We are more intelligent. Do you deny this statement?

Not deny, but question how you know it to be true. Since you can’t sommunicate with every other species on the same level you communicate with humans, then I’m interested in how you measure their intelligence to the same degree. i.e. Whos to say a dolphin could not score highly in an IQ test, assuming you were able to communicate the questions & answers back and forth to that dolphin?
Either way, I maintain that intelligence should not be a reason to treat animals any differently than we expect to be treated.

My response about paying heating bills was in response to your question and it demonstrated that humans are the caretakers of animal. Do you deny that we humans can choose to care for animals, but animals cannot choose to care for us?

Only domesticated animals. Most animals survive pretty well in the wild without anyone paying their heating bills. I believe that animals can and do care for us, in the only ways they can. In our society, it’s a little difficult for my dog to go out, earn money and pay my heating bills. But when I am upset he knows it, he comforts me, he’s an unconditional friend.

Because that 2 year old with love and care will eventually learn to form words and use the keyboard for productive purposes, be it business or entertainment.

And what if he or she grows up with a mental disorder preventing them from doing so? Will you still love them? Wouldn’t your love be unconditional, regardless of what they are capable of?

Your response was not enlightening. Why do you think humanity is pretty awful?

youtube.com/watch?v=kndX3tVxCt8

I could cite multiple instances when these large mammals have attacked, killed and in some cases eaten humans.

Yes, but can you cite a single one where they did so out of malice, and not due to protecting their young, themselves, or finding food?

Do you know any Christians?

Yes. One of my good friends is a Christian. All in all he’s a good guy, except that because of his beliefs, he continues to purposefully refer to me as a male even though he knows I suffer from gender dysphoria and prefer to be referred to as a female.

 

[Newbie2]

well, i meant more in the vein of all resouces used for animals, should be used for people, until all the people are takin’ care of, its immoral to donate to animal charities

taking in animals as pets is not bad, but donating money to an animal charity while people charities need it is what i mean.

neither, just if you give money to peta that you could give to save the children, your committing an immoral act

Hmmm…you’re saying two things here; one, that giving money to pet charities is immoral (as there will always be indigent and hungry people) and that giving preferentially to animal charities in lieu of helping out one’s fellow man is immoral.

The second notion has some degree of merit, the first is flawed.

yes they do and the action of giving resources to a pet charity while there are people going hungry is objectively wrong, ones first duty is to there fellow man, we are our brothers keeper, animals are for food, and labor.

it is a zero sum game.

Using your logic, I am immoral because I choose veterinary medicine as a career rather than human medicine.

yes, every extra dollar should go to the poor as the ideal, that was how the earliest Christains lived. i dont expect current culture to live that, people spend so much on unneeded things, our entire culture defines you by what you possess. it ends up possessing you.

if you give money to animal charities when another human being is in need you are committing an immoral act. you are choosing to feed a dog as opposed to a person. its hard not to call that immoral.

Again, flawed logic. Your argument is that any sort of resources given to pets while indigent humans exist is immoral. Not so. Purposefully witholding charitable giving (to humans) is immoral, whether one uses such resourses for feeding pets or buying a new BMW. You’re a bit confused in your logic.

i am refering to the limited charitable budget athat most people have, and the idea that until every person in need is taken care of, it is immoral to give any of it to a pet charity.

please give me rational reasons as to why it is ok to give money to a pet charity, when there are human beings in need?

Two reasons:

1. There will always be humans in need. Your implication is that pet ownership is immoral. It’s not.
2. We have been given a commission to take care of the flora and fauna of our planet, pets included.

Not the exclusion of (human) charitable giving…that’s what you’re missing.

Why do humans deserve priority treatment over animals?

Because we’re human. This is a whole other discussion.

False dilemma following a strawman. No one said it’s okay to let people die so that animals can have nice places to live, and the choice isn’t either help people or help animals.

– Mark L. Chance.

Now I will agree with the OP that PETA is a poor choice for charitable giving to help pets.

 

[Sheeniac]

A few points…

PETA is, IMO, an immoral lying organization.

I give a fair bit of money to animal charities. Animals can show us the face of God in their unconditional love. They can teach responsibility and loyalty among other things.

This argument is similar to the ‘you have to work to stop abortions and everything else should be put on hold’ argument that sometimes pops up now and then.

We’re here to do different things on earth. We’re called to different missions.

Do I do other things besides give money to animal related charities? Yes, my newest favorite charity is ModestNeeds.org . Does this specifically help the hungry? No, but I can actually know about the family who is helped. It gives me a real sense of charity. I HIGHLY recommend this wonderful organization.

I also give money - the bulk of my charitable donation - to the Church. I donate money to many orgs - both charitable and religious.

Should I not give money to the Rosary Confraternity because someone is hungry? Should I not give money to EWTN because someone is homeless?

I have an idea - let’s not criticize others! Let’s see the good in what people do. Let’s not judge about who should donate to what! Let’s just be happy that we, and others, actually give.

 

[LMT]

Dear warpspeedpetey,
You need to read up on St. Francis of Assisi. We as Catholics need to minister to the needy; remember that God gave us dominion over all the creatures on earth … we must take care of all.
God Bless,

 

[warpspeedpetey]

Dear warpspeedpetey,
You need to read up on St. Francis of Assisi. We as Catholics need to minister to the needy; remember that God gave us dominion over all the creatures on earth … we must take care of all.
God Bless,

not at the expense of the poor.

i hoped to argue this as a logical proposition, i found out i was in error, this subject is entirely to emotional for me.

but my opinion hasn’t changed.

 

[elts1956]

Their are 1000 upon 1000s of churches that sit empty while people freeze to death on the streets. We could start a campain to allow people who are homless to live in churches ?

The tax free status of churches in america and other countrys? could be removed with those taxes going to pay for homless shelters and food.

What has sparked this for me is i see people homless in the citys near to where i live yet i continually see new churches being build that are shut and locked most of the time. Instead of bashing an innocent charity that people CHOOSE to donate to. Mabey look a bit closer to home with all the wealth that the catholic church and others like it have and distribute that to the homless people.

Many people are under the illusion that the Catholic Church has limitless wealth. Much of that wealth is dependent on the wealth of the parishoners who are the donars. I would hate to be a pastor of a religious organzation dependent on parishoners for monetary support, plus trying to fill the demands of a Bishop (Catholic) who has his own charities to support and bills to pay.

In addition, I don’t know about the churches you are talking about, but our Parish Church has to be locked when not being used for Mass because of vandals.

 

[elts1956]

Their are 1000 upon 1000s of churches that sit empty while people freeze to death on the streets. We could start a campain to allow people who are homless to live in churches ?

The tax free status of churches in america and other countrys? could be removed with those taxes going to pay for homless shelters and food.

What has sparked this for me is i see people homless in the citys near to where i live yet i continually see new churches being build that are shut and locked most of the time. Instead of bashing an innocent charity that people CHOOSE to donate to. Mabey look a bit closer to home with all the wealth that the catholic church and others like it have and distribute that to the homless people.

What about our government which spends millions on groups such as Planned Parenthood and other anti life agenda?. Don’t you think “spread the wealth” should include those funds going to the poor and homeless?

 

[Sair]

Their are 1000 upon 1000s of churches that sit empty while people freeze to death on the streets. We could start a campain to allow people who are homless to live in churches ?

The tax free status of churches in america and other countrys? could be removed with those taxes going to pay for homless shelters and food.

What has sparked this for me is i see people homless in the citys near to where i live yet i continually see new churches being build that are shut and locked most of the time. Instead of bashing an innocent charity that people CHOOSE to donate to. Mabey look a bit closer to home with all the wealth that the catholic church and others like it have and distribute that to the homless people.

Awesome reply. The fact is, there is injustice and inequality all around us, and there is violence being committed against people and animals alike.

Why is it unjust that people choose to give money to organisations that help animals and provide them with the voice they don’t have in human society? On a very basic level, animals are far more powerless to defend themselves against human cruelty and neglect than are other humans. Someone has to speak out for them. If people choose to spend their own money to alleviate suffering, isn’t it kind of rude to suggest that their compassion is misdirected?

Furthermore, if you want to see true injustice, just look at the obscene amounts of money paid to movie stars, sports stars and wealthy executives, and wonder why this wealth is not being shared with those who really need it.

 

[warpspeedpetey]

i just had an epiphany!

lets feed the homeless animals to the homeless people!

i personally think the neighbors fat cat looks just yummy!

 

[Salonika]

warpspeedpetey:

i just had an epiphany!

lets feed the homeless animals to the homeless people!

i personally think the neighbors fat cat looks just yummy!

I have a sense of humour, I have a sense of the absurd and the ridiculous. But this isn’t any of these. How would you feel if something you loved and loved you was taken away and feed to someone when there was plenty of food available for them but just that people would not share?

 

[GNJM]

Just would like to ask the question " Was your question based on a genuine concern about people caring for their pets or was it just to see what reaction you would receive?".

We have a little dog and we believe in looking after him and also we help our fellow human beings globally according to the gifts that God has given us. We try to have a balance with it all.

What people do with their money, which is a gift from God, is up to each one to decide for themselves, whether to use it to help others or not. If some do leave it to their pets, and they are entitled to do so, then leave the issue for God to work out when the time comes.

So let us pray that we will act in the proper way with the things God has given us.

Take care and God Bless.

Geoff and Norah

 

[Shin]

Pets… in small moderation…

A man is allowed to spend a certain amount of money for the sake of his own recreation. Some of this money can go to pets.

Perhaps it pleases his mind to contribute to some cause for care for animals – as long as the amount is reasonable, and the cause is just (which btw, PETA is NOT) then that is fine – as long also btw, that this does not replace or cut into any real charities or charitable contributions he would or should contribute to.

A person with a pet that can require a large expense to take care of it has to consider whether the expense is worthwhile – generally, in fact it is not. But then, generally people spend their money badly and not for the sake of God in all cases not just pets.

If a pet has huge medical bills, in other words thousands of dollars – it is better to put the pet down. There are real human beings who with real medical problems who could use that support to survive. There is no moral equivalence here. The pet can be replaced cheaply.

There are many works of God which that money would further greatly. A thousand dollars could buy books of Catholic instruction and saints for many people who need the education, could buy medicine and food for those in need, could do very very much for God.

Even a poor person can however have a pet, if it is not going to irresponsibly cut into the person’s income – even the poor if they can budget towards recreation for their mental health, should and can.

A fish, a hermit crab, smaller pets can be inexpensively owned.

However, from the smallest pet to the largest one must not develop too great an attachment to it – just like anything, if it becomes something that could get between God and the person, out it must go. We must accept the will of Providence in our lives in regards to our pets.

Some people love pets more than people. This… is a very great problem in these times. It would be better for these people if their pets were not there. May the Lord free people from unhealthy obsession with pets and animals, and grant people only a healthy view of the Lord’s Creation.

 

[Highwayhound]

Furthermore, if you want to see true injustice, just look at the obscene amounts of money paid to movie stars, sports stars and wealthy executives, and wonder why this wealth is not being shared with those who really need it.

…look a bit closer to home with all the wealth that the catholic church and others like it have and distribute that to the homless people.

These statements ask me to violate the 10th commandment by being covetous of what others have or own.

That Harrison Ford gets paid millions to make a film or Jay Leno own a large collection of cars has exactly no impact on my ability to practice the virtue of charity. Nor does the status of the bank account of a church affect my ability to be kind towards animals.

Two dogs, two cats, two ducks and various birds benefit from living at my home. At the same time I am involved in 4 current charitable causes. My childhood parish recently purchased a human sized wood sculpture of Christ to hang on wood cross in a giant window behind the altar. Did I mention the people of St. Philip’s have an annual Christmas dinner which feeds 100s of needy people?

By the way someone was paid to make the sculpture and thus is not one of the poor.

My current parish of St. Patrick’s will have its annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner in 2 weeks. It is a great fun evening with dinner (corned beef and cabbage, what else?), an auction and dancing. During the auction people will the opportunity to help with one of my charitable causes.

It is not an either/or proposition, nor do I have to worry myself with what others possess. It is possible to care for both the poor and the animals. A little faith in God is all it takes.

God bless