Treating animals....like humans

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I don’t have any pets of my own but I have taken care of other people’s pets at times. One of the dogs is so excited every time I come over - I have never had a person be so happy to see me like this dog seems to be. I’m sure others can attest to having an animal greet you when you come in the door and seem happy to see you every single time. Dogs are loyal and can sense your moods and comfort you. Yes, they aren’t people but if you don’t have any people who will do that for you a pet sure helps.
 
Polluted said:
I hate animals at times. Why? How on earth could I hate a puppy you may ask? 🤷 Because for so many people, animals are literally treated like a human. It’s a sick perverted state of mind and it’s found all too often in our society.

Animals, are not humans, you are not the “proud grandparent” to a new puppy as your bumper sticker may say. Some people actually take this to an extreme, going so far as to have sexual intercourse with their animals and pretending as if they are in a relationship with them. I kid you not there are forums dedicated for people who have sex with their animals. Some of the comments in these forums are shockingly similar to homosexuals validating their own behavior.

My point is, I don’t care how crummy someone feels about humanity. Some people think that’s an excuse to justify this sick twisted notion that animals are no better or worse than a human being.

Where do you guys stand? How attached are you to your own animals. Is it in line with your Catholic faith? Or do you spend an plethora of resources that could be going elsewhere treating your animal like a human? Through your own hurt in life by human beings, have you decided your family poodle is worthy of being treated like a child because “He would never hurt you”.
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Did I just read this?..:hypno:
 
Although I agree with you- that animals are not to be held at the same level as human beings, it’s our responsibility- as God’s children to treat them humanely and love them. It’s our responsibility as humans to care for them… because they are God’s Creations. Any type of animal abuse is a sin- and I truly believe people will pay in the end for their mistreatment. It pains me to see animal activists post comments such as “animal abusers deserve to die” or “animals are better than humans”… but I do see how they can come to that point of view. I remember reading somewhere that satan hates animals… especially Dogs because of their loyalty to their human families. Animals are a gift from God, the loyalty and love they give their owners is never ending… some people have only their animals in their lives that show them love and companionship. And for that reason- satan hates them.

IMO- anything satan hates is doubly worthy of love.
 
A thought just occurred to me- I figured it worth while to mention it. Seldom have I heard anyone say “I hate animals”, and although I think from a few posts after your initial post that that’s not really what you really meant- I think you need to pray on this.

There is no room for hate in your life. Anytime feelings of hate creep into you- they are not from God and should be banished from your mind. Pray to better understand people’s feelings towards animals. Pray for God to take the frustrating feelings away. Use every instance of frustration as a gift to further your spiritual journey to God.
 
Did you know centipedes are also carnivorous? They would be terrifying if they grew to a big size, like a dog or something. Millipedes are not carnivorous; they eat vegetation and rotting things.

To lighten up this subject of treating animals like humans, I have done some checking. On Intelius I ran across a Millie Peed and a guy named Santi Peed. How funny is that?

On PBS they have animal programs, and to watch a chimp cuddle a puppy was surprising. Some animals bond with other species, like the elephant and the dog who were pals.
 
Perhaps you need to start another thread as you apparently mis-named this one and some people did not really get your drift. 🙂 I understand what you are talking about with people who go way overboard with their pets, yet wouldn’t help a child or a beggar in need. I know someone who is spending a small fortune trying to keep a dog alive by extraordinary means, yet appears to have no qualms about killing babies in the womb, starving people around the world etc. We have to pray for those who are so blind in this regard. I recently and humanely had my old cat of 22 years euthanized when she became to feeble to reach the litterbox or even eat enough to keep herself going. I enjoyed having her around as a pet for all those years, but she was, afterall, just an animal. Seeing some of the commercials about poor mistreated animals with heart rending tunes playing in the background just makes me realize that I seldom see a commercial about poor mistreated children who are in foster care and shuffled from one place to another. There is a disconnect in some people for sure.😦
 
For me, it isn’t misplaced care or love of animals so much that is bothersome as it is the lack of the same devotion to human life that when juxtaposed as such, makes me uncomfortable.

Animals deserve care and protection as we are their stewards. They also serve purposes such as sustenance, protection and companionship, which the Church recognizes.

It is when we begin to escalate certain rights of animals on par with that of those created in God’s likeness and image that it goes too far.

If we took care of the actual rights of human’s first and recognized their own inherent dignity, I’d be a lot more concerned about moving on to doing the same to animals. Not that we cannot do both; most seldom do, though.

Anecdotally, most of the people I have encountered involved in animal welfare causes were not pro-life in the sense they actually cared about the child’s right to life. Conversely, I have yet to meet someone who is passionately pro-life who opposes treating animals with love and care as good stewards should. That is not to say you have to devote all your time to both causes, as we all pick out “niches,” but at least be consistent in the beliefs you hold.
 
Animals are the closest form of God’s unconditional love that we will ever get to experience on this earth. I’m appalled by Catholics who think that supporting animal rights somehow makes them less of a Catholic.
 
lovedance4ever said:
Animals are the closest form of God’s unconditional love that we will ever get to experience on this earth. I’m appalled by Catholics who think that supporting animal rights somehow makes them less of a Catholic.
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I suppose it depends on “animal rights.”

And who opposed that anyway? I see most people supporting treating animals with love and dignity, and espousing the value they bring by enriching our world.

What rights do you see folks opposing? I’d say most sane people are close to the same mindset.

It’s the fringes of either side that support an animal’s right to vote or inherit millions of dollars, or who endorse dog & cock fighting that are bat crazy.
 
GreyWings said:
Lol word

I suppose you’re not a fan of Francis of Assisi…
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My comment was toward the OP, they hate animals because humans treat animals like humans…🤷

On the contrary I admire St Francis, I love animals, support animals rights, am a non meat eater, work with dogs, and just last week my 12 year old female dog passed away 😦 My little girl.

I will agree though, that many people are way over the top with how they treat their pets. But how one ends up hating the animal for the fault of the human is a tad strange to me.
 
Polluted said:
You are absolutely right, there is no fault to place on the animals. It falls on the humans. That’s my point.
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I have given this quite a bit of thought lately. Part of the problem is that we have cut ourselves from of each other. People are so very lonely and have been hurt by their loved ones.

I live on a farm. I have been around animals all my life. I have had dogs, cats, goats, chickens, horses and cows. I have a great deal of respect for animals and I have enjoyed them.

Presently, I have a miniature schnauzer and a miniature poodle. Yes I love these little critters but I love them as I should love an animal. But, I also have friends and family and I am not alone in the world.

A woman who has lost her husband to Alzheimer’s disease and is not visited by her children will have to love someone.

Do we sometimes carry this to far? Yes. But, it is more of a sad statement of the neglect of one human being to an other rather than a sin.

The sin is not in loving an animal. The sin is not loving people.
 
First of all, I’m not sure why you’re against treating animals like humans. We may have a lot of power over Earth (though sometimes I wish that weren’t the case) , but that doesn’t give us the right to dominate and disregard other species. If some people like certain animals (like I do, I absolutely adore cats and big dogs like huskies are fantastic!) … why’s that your problem? Let people share their compassion and love with whatever being they want. Oh and…yeah, not everyone fancies children.
 
Vivian42 said:
First of all, I’m not sure why you’re against treating animals like humans. We may have a lot of power over Earth (though sometimes I wish that weren’t the case) , but that doesn’t give us the right to dominate and disregard other species. If some people like certain animals (like I do, I absolutely adore cats and big dogs like huskies are fantastic!) … why’s that your problem? Let people share their compassion and love with whatever being they want. Oh and…yeah, not everyone fancies children.
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The main reason for not treating animal like humans is that they are not human. It is understandable that we love and respect our animals, but we should not think of them as people.

I try to think of it this way: if I am walking by a stream and I see a child and a puppy fall into the water … which one will I rescue first? The child. Why? Because the child is more important than the puppy. When the child is safe then I will attempt to rescue the dog. I will not risk the life of a person in order to save a dog.
 
GreyWings said:
Lol word

I suppose you’re not a fan of Francis of Assisi…
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Francis is not the Demigod pagan Catholic overlord of nature worship and hippie animal care. Just because some particular saints were close to animals, does not in any way shape or form convey that they viewed Gods animal creations on an equal playing field as humans. I love saint Francis of Assisi. His “Ledgend” if you will is incredible, but he is in no way venerated for downright worship or humanly care towards animals. Nor is he an excuse for getting Old Rover on doggie anti depressants, or paying a 40k medical bill to try and battle his cancer at 17 years of age.
 
I love pets…well, maybe not snakes…but most pets. I had a beloved dog when I was young. Sadly, when I met my husband, I found out he was extremely allergic to dander of any type of animal that had fur or hair. We were dog sitting a huskie and his allergic reaction turned into an asthma attack. He didn’t have an inhaler because he only used it to play sports. He was gasping for breath. I didn’t know what to do. He stripped off his clothes, took Benadryl and then a shower to get all the dander off of him. In retrospect, I should have called 911. He went to the doctor the next day.

I knew with his asthma we could never get a furry pet. So, we enjoy other pets in our neighborhood by bringing dog treats. My husband can’t even pet an animal without breaking out in hives (his asthma is better when the pet is outside).

My sister is the type of personality I think @polluted is referring to. She now has 2 dogs because she felt her first one needed a playmate. She does not have children, but she tells me she takes them on “play dates” and that they are my niece and nephew (and my son’s cousin). Ok, I can tolerate that, although in no way do I agree. However, she knows about my DH’s medical condition yet will show up at my parents when I mention we will be there WITH HER DOGS. She and her husband simply do not believe that their dogs can cause serious harm to my husband. I have even gone to the Mayo Clinic website to prove my point (she and husband are a bit self-absorbed) because they wouldn’t believe me.

So, for me, it is not about the animals. She and her husband literally treat these dogs as their children, which means the dogs need to be included in every family function. Needless to say, we had to set boundaries. My son and I would like DH around for a while.
 
I’m not a fan of keeping pets, though I think animals are lovely and I enjoy seeing them in the wild. I think that most people who call their pets “children” or “grandchildren” are doing so flippantly and are certainly aware that a pet is not a child. I wouldn’t get to worked up over it. However, the rare occasions where a person really does replace human relationships with a pet, I think it does a disservice to the animal. Animals should be allowed to be animals.
 
1990Domer said:
I love pets…well, maybe not snakes…but most pets. I had a beloved dog when I was young. Sadly, when I met my husband, I found out he was extremely allergic to dander of any type of animal that had fur or hair. We were dog sitting a huskie and his allergic reaction turned into an asthma attack. He didn’t have an inhaler because he only used it to play sports. He was gasping for breath. I didn’t know what to do. He stripped off his clothes, took Benadryl and then a shower to get all the dander off of him. In retrospect, I should have called 911. He went to the doctor the next day.

I knew with his asthma we could never get a furry pet. So, we enjoy other pets in our neighborhood by bringing dog treats. My husband can’t even pet an animal without breaking out in hives (his asthma is better when the pet is outside).

My sister is the type of personality I think @polluted is referring to. She now has 2 dogs because she felt her first one needed a playmate. She does not have children, but she tells me she takes them on “play dates” and that they are my niece and nephew (and my son’s cousin). Ok, I can tolerate that, although in no way do I agree. However, she knows about my DH’s medical condition yet will show up at my parents when I mention we will be there WITH HER DOGS. She and her husband simply do not believe that their dogs can cause serious harm to my husband. I have even gone to the Mayo Clinic website to prove my point (she and husband are a bit self-absorbed) because they wouldn’t believe me.

So, for me, it is not about the animals. She and her husband literally treat these dogs as their children, which means the dogs need to be included in every family function. Needless to say, we had to set boundaries. My son and I would like DH around for a while.
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I’m very much in the same camp as your husband and I sympathize.

I’ve been sent to the hospital more then once, throughout my life, because of a triggered asthma attach due to severe allergies to pet dander.

Some houses I go into are okay and I can tolerate being there for a couple of hours before I start to feel itchy and stuffy.
Other houses I know immediately there is a dog, cat or rabbit because I feel like I’m being suffocated within seconds of stepping inside the house.

We can never have a furry pet. It’s just not possible because I value my health too much. The girls are too young to start wanting a dog and I will feel a little bad when I have to tell them it’s just not possible.

In all seriousness, I truly think a lot of people just don’t get it. My parents have a couple of dogs and they still have a hard time understanding that I’m really allergic.

I’m always told to just go get a “hypoallergenic” dog or get allergy shots. Other people are totally incredulous that I can’t stay at their house for more then a short period of time and that just sitting on their couch could set off a reaction.

Another thing that really scares me and upsets me is how people can’t control their dogs.

I’ll go on walks with my girls and they’ve been terrified more then once when dogs start barking and lunging at the carriage.
Meanwhile the owner is struggling to contain the dog and claiming “oh, he’s harmless! He’ll never hurt anyone!”

In all truth and honesty…my husband will always carry concealed when we go on walks…or make me take my purse and carry concealed for that reason alone.

All it takes is one slip up of the leash with a big dog.

Sorry…but this is my experience with other people and their animals.
 
Allegra said:
I’m not a fan of keeping pets, though I think animals are lovely and I enjoy seeing them in the wild. I think that most people who call their pets “children” or “grandchildren” are doing so flippantly and are certainly aware that a pet is not a child. I wouldn’t get to worked up over it. However, the rare occasions where a person really does replace human relationships with a pet, I think it does a disservice to the animal. Animals should be allowed to be animals.
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Personally I don’t think of my cat as my “child”, but as my friend.
 
This whole thread sickens me. Animals are beautiful and share this planet with us. They serve us by being eyes for the Blind, ears for the Deaf, serve our police, search and rescue, and they help the disabled. I’ve done volunteer work with dogs who serve the disabled and it’s amazing how these animals HELP people.

And Francis of Assisi was inspired by them. He set the doves free. He calmed down the wolf. He preached the Gospel to the birds and they listened. God loves ALL of His creatures.

And you know what? I go gaga over animals. What’s cuter than a happy dog, happy to see me, wagging its tail? How sweet is that? And sure, I’ll talk to such a beautiful sentient being with a cutesy voice because that’s who I am.
Polluted said:
Francis is not the Demigod pagan Catholic overlord of nature worship and hippie animal care. Just because some particular saints were close to animals, does not in any way shape or form convey that they viewed Gods animal creations on an equal playing field as humans. I love saint Francis of Assisi. His “Ledgend” if you will is incredible, but he is in no way venerated for downright worship or humanly care towards animals. Nor is he an excuse for getting Old Rover on doggie anti depressants, or paying a 40k medical bill to try and battle his cancer at 17 years of age.
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Dude, the power of love is amazing. SO WHAT if a person loves their pet so much that they want to help their hurting or sick pet that they would go into debt for it? That’s their business. You don’t know their story. You don’t know how much a pet or animal can mean to a person. Like I said, I’ve worked with dogs who assist the disabled. Those animals live their LIFE to SERVE and that is beauty. And who said Francis of Assisi was a demi-God? I mean whut? The fact is he is the patron saint of animals and nature. There’s a reason why.
 
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