Can someone explain to me how 'Animal Lovers' think..?

[bettagurl]

This is a good thread.. I do count myself as an animal lover, I will not kill anything unless I need to, I feel bad when I accidentally crush a bug. But thinks like fleas, ticks, lice ect. I don't have much compassion for, they only cause suffering and I don't believe they are the smartest animals. I'm a bit upset now because I have to "take care of" a nest of wasps. I rarely eat animals, I don't see much of a difference between dogs, cats, pigs, cows, chickens, or lambs. I don't know why our animals who are headed for slaughter are treated so badly throughout their lives, they are giving their lives for us to have more food. I get sick looking at the horrible conditions that egg-laying chickens are kept in.. that they'll never feel grass or dirt, that their whole life is spent in a cage so small that cannot move, they eat and lay eggs, then go off for slaughter.
These are just my opinions.

To the OP, I understand what you are talking about... People like that drive me crazy, there is a guy down the street that makes his lab attack small dogs and cats, but swears up and down he loves animals, and his dog as much as his child. His last dog died locked in a metal shed during the summer.. And I've actually seen someone doing that in a pet store, this store only allows dogs you can carry, because their small animal cages are open-topped cages. and their birds can get out, but are very tame. Well a lady and her kids went over and picked a bird up and held it to their dog, who quickly grabbed it, yet when the employee went off yelling and forced her dog to let go of the parrot, she screamed that he was cruel to animals, and that she would have him fired
He didn't even hurt her dog, he opened it's mouth.

 

[bettagurl]

AND this lady at the park I went to(I thought I was gong to beat up some lady and her kids lol) justified her children kicking a skink until it could barely walk by saying that "there are many leeezards around, what does one matter? I mean, I love animals, but it is not like it is rare" GAHH! then she had her kids come and insult me.. I had her fined and thrown out of the park though, you are not even alowed to touch the animals.. I thought the park ranger was going to explode when I handed him the skink.. poor guys back legs were broken.

 

[pdbrady]

Miles, I couldn't agree with you more. I use to see this same crap when I was managing pet stores. You just want to knock their eyeballs on the floor. The way I view it: I won't go out of my way to kill ANYTHING. The only things I will intentionally kill are (as said already) fleas, ticks, and mosquitos, because they carry diseases like nothing else. I HATE HUNTING. Too many pointless killings. The only exception is deer, as it needs to be controlled, again, for disease purposes. I do eat meat, and am ok with that, because it is a means to our species survival. I don't, however, agree with their "care". They should be treated better than the people taking care of them, as they ARE a sacrifice. Ignorance will unfortunately never go away, no matter how we try to deal with it.

 

[bettagurl]

... You just want to knock their eyeballs on the floor..

How exactly do you do that...? XP

 

[jason longboard]

I dont keep reptiles because they freak ppl out or because its different.Just clearing that up.

 

[Miles]

It's unfair to compare dogfighting and killing animals for food.

Why?

Because humans intentionally bred dogs for fighting ability, and then fight them as sport? (remember, dog-fighting used to be a royal sport.. like fox hunting.)

How is that different than killing a defenseless animal for sport or food? We didnt specifically breed them to be defenseless, like humans specifically bred dogs to be aggressive.

"Sport" killing.. is just a term for re-living the nostalgic ways in which humans used to predate.. funny we didnt have guns or composite bows back then, though.. seems real fair?

Are 2 aggressive dogs fighting against their free will? Do rival wolfpacks fight over territory?

Meerkats fight over territory. If I bred a vicious fighting meerkat would I be subjecting them to fighting against their will, or will I just be re-enforcing their natural instinct?

 

[Miles]

That lady is plain ignorant. Don't confuse ignorance to go hand in hand with everyone who "loves animals". It doesn't.





I eat animals based on IQ and their emotional complexity.. If I don't think you're a smart animal, have little other use in this world, and eating you doesnt' hurt the enviroment or your species... Then I eat you.

Dogfighting: It's the exploitation of innocent animals that kills me. And the abusive practices it leads to like everything from home ear croppings without anethesia to massive fighting wounds for no other reason than personal enjoyment and possible profit.

Great post.. strong points.. not afraid to be honest.

A+

 

[rmorse]

Why?

Because humans intentionally bred dogs for fighting ability, and then fight them as sport? (remember, dog-fighting used to be a royal sport.. like fox hunting.)

How is that different than killing a defenseless animal for sport or food? We didnt specifically breed them to be defenseless, like humans specifically bred dogs to be aggressive.

"Sport" killing.. is just a term for re-living the nostalgic ways in which humans used to predate.. funny we didnt have guns or composite bows back then, though.. seems real fair?

Are 2 aggressive dogs fighting against their free will? Do rival wolfpacks fight over territory?

Meerkats fight over territory. If I bred a vicious fighting meerkat would I be subjecting them to fighting against their will, or will I just be re-enforcing their natural instinct?

You are talking about two completely different things. One is killing for the sake of killing. The other is killing for survival. To kill for food is absolutely fine, 100%. Humans need food in their diet. Meat is the best source of some essential amino acids.

You cannot compare dog fighting with a family hunting deer to put food on their table. That is not right. I do agree with you when you compare dog fighting to hunting though. (The hunting that people do just to put a buck's head on their wall) Both of these are unnecessary and cruel.

Your point of meerkats is moot. In the animal kingdom, there is no examples of killing just for the sake of killing (only exception being Homo Sapiens). As for the meerkats, they fight over territory. They make their point, and they move on. Wolves/dogs, if left to their own devices, will not kill just for the sake of killing. They will establish a pack order, and if death is involved, it is from the loser not wanting to back down.

 

[rmorse]

I eat animals based on IQ and their emotional complexity.. If I don't think you're a smart animal, have little other use in this world, and eating you doesnt' hurt the enviroment or your species... Then I eat you.

Dogfighting: It's the exploitation of innocent animals that kills me. And the abusive practices it leads to like everything from home ear croppings without anethesia to massive fighting wounds for no other reason than personal enjoyment and possible profit.

Name one animal that is not complex. And name one animal that does not have complex emotions.


Just out of curiosity, what animals do you eat then? Pigs, deer, cows, sheep, chicken, dogs, cats, rats, even fish are all out of the question then. They all exhibit the same form of complex emotions.

Well, that leaves insects. Hold a magnifying glass up to an ant. See what happens when it gets too hot. See what happens as it tries to escape. And then tell me that is not a complex emotion.

 

[hummingbird42]

Actually, there are well documented accounts of Killer Whales throwing seals around just for fun, not even eating them in the end. It's amazing to watch, they grip them in their teeth and then fling them to each other.

In reply to Miles, I work in a pet shop too and can really sympathize with you. It's amazing the sheer unintelligence of a lot of people.

I'd call myself an animal lover, but I have no qualms about killing, regardless of intelligence, especially if they taste good. That being said, if I see a worm lying on the footpath in the sun I'll put it back on the grass. I don't believe in causing unnecessary suffering, but don't have any illusions about where my steaks come from. People who can't face up to this reality really upset me - I know someone who is disgusted by meat unless it comes on a prepackaged polystyrene square from the grocery store, even meat in a bag from the butcher is too much for them. It's just childish.