Having a companion animal is a controversial topic that has been around for decades. A companion animal can be defined as a pet or other domestic animal that one keeps to build a relationship with. Many people keep animals as pets for their self-fulfilling desires. Having a companion animal results in many responsibilities and duties that the owner must satisfy. Under the Animal Welfare Act it states that all animals are entitled to the basic quality of life, so when keeping a companion animal it is important that these basic needs are met. The direct and indirect duties that one has towards their animals must be present at all time to ensure proper care and treatment of these animals.
The question of if having a companion animal is ethical
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Cooke claims all owners of companion animals must not only take care of their basic needs but their emotional ones. These indirect responsibilities include caring and loving for this animal as if it were a family member. Owners are supposed to be showing these animals affection and that they care, in order for the relationship to be ethical. “Indeed, companion animal owners will often talk of their relationship with their pet in terms of the love they share.”(Cooke p.268). Owners will often communicate their love for these animals as if they were a family member, in fact, Jackson states that having a pet is almost like having a child (Jackson, 2015 p.160). Just like you need to feed, change and give the child a home where all basic needs are met you must also meet the indirect responsibilities. Just like a pet, you can not abandon the child, not comfort the child, love the child or give the child affection. The bond we share with these animals are irreplaceable “The Humane Society of the United States also argues that we should keep our pets because we grow a bond and share our world with them”(Lin,2017).Without these indirect duties being met, it is almost impossible for the animal to live the happy life he or she …show more content…
These direct responsibilities are necessary for the animals ability to survive.When caring for an animal it is important that the animal is getting food, water and the chance to go to the bathroom. Without these basic qualities of life, it is almost certain that the animal will not survive. Animals are important as the status of property based on how owners will defend and protect this animal (Cooke p.262).The legal and ethical question of how one must defend their animal is related back to property. “Particular consideration will be given to an owner’s right to defend his property against damage or destruction together with the duties that others have to respect and protect an owner’s pet qua his property”(Cooke p.263). Just like one would want to prevent harm/damage to his or her property and would use their rights to do so, the same is expected when having a companion animal. “Thus pet ownership includes responsibilities of care, and duties to ensure that the animal’s behavior does not infringe the rights of others: we have responsibilities both to and for our pets”.(Cooke p.268) .Owners are in charge of the welfare of an animal so by defending them and making sure no harm is inflicted on them the animals ethical needs are being met. Having a companion animal relates directly to having a child, Obligations that need to meet when having a child are similar to the
Have you ever wondered how much it costs to have and maintain a pet? Burkhard Bilger, the author of “The Last Meow”, explains how Americans spend a lot of money on their pets and that people's “love affair” with their pets has gotten out of control. An observation I have made is that in many movies dogs are treated very well. When I was younger, I watched a movie called Bratz and one character would always have her dog inside a dog purse and they would even get manicures and pedicures together. The dog always had shiny clothes on and it was always very clean. Therefore, I agree with Bilger's argument that Americans “love affair” with their pets has gotten out of control.
...t of the family. While the pets have gained better treatment and consumer power, through their owners, this concept has left many animals that are used to make consumer products. These animals are removed from humans so bonds are not formed with them, leaving them open for overuse and exploitation. Ideas like these are spread through the consumer market in places like Petco, where the entire business is reliant on people continuing to feel their animals are part of the family which means the pet needs certain items. If that idea didn't exist I don't think there would be need for a Petco or other big box pet stores, because there wouldn't be the social construct of the pet family member to drive the business. The basis of all of this is that people make pets, without the ideas behind pets would pets exist in the modern for and have the consequences to other animals?
Many people consider animals as a part of the family. Pets are fun and can be a great addition to many homes. Although, owning an animal can come with many added benefits other than just having a cute and furry friend to play with. People who own pets, may see an increase in their overall quality of life compared to non-pet owners. Pets are a great way to improve the physical, social, and mental health of their owners.
Research has been done in the area of human-animal companionship and security, and stress management. Due to the relative newness of this field and the difficulties in studying it, most research has been concentrated on the elderly, specifically, institutionalized elderly. Pets have been introduced into these settings in order to minimize the negative consequences of institutionalization. Most research has been conducted on the extreme ends of the continuum, either very brief visitation or therapy of resident pets studies (Wrinkler 216).
Animals are viewed as companions, they could be there for you every step of the way, like if you are a traveler or just spending a lot of time
We should be protecting our furry four-legged friends. We can not let our animals be misused and abused. Animal cruelty is so overlooked nowadays, Thee damages are long lasting and this problem endure if nothing is done. Harming animals is a crime and a sadful thing to witness. people don 't take animal cruelty seriously until it happens to their pet. Parents and children need to be more aware of what they do to their pet. Parents also need to learn more about vet care and adopting. If the people put more love and care into their pets, then there will be fewer crimes of animal abuse in America. The abuse that animals suffer at human hands is heartbreaking and sickening. On Peta.org, it states that it is worse when we realize the choices we make can affect our animalsNo one deserves this kind of treatment. No animal should be harm for one apparent
The prevalence of pet ownership in America has more than tripled during the last several decades, rising from 67 million households during the 1970s to 164 million households in 2012 (Human Society, 2014). The conscious decision by 62 percent of American households to own at least one pet represents a long-term commitment of time, money, and dedication to the needs of a wholly dependent entity. The basic needs for all pets, inclusive of companion animals and farm animals, include several provisions. These provisions include access to safe, clean drinking water at all times, access to high quality food commensurate to the weight of the animal, and adequate shelter from excesses of heat and cold (Agape, 2014). Beyond the life-essential basic needs of animals lay commonly accepted requisites that define responsible pet ownership. These requisites or minimal standards of care include access to veterinary care, access to exercise, and freedom from physical harm.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 7.6 million companion pets enter animal shelters across the United States each year, nearly evenly disrupted between dogs and cats . These animals are abandoned for reasons including families no longer being able to care for them (sickness/death of an owner), to families not wanting them (the novelty wearing of the animal wearing off), to the animals being born into puppy mills to finally animals that are loved being lost from their owners. These animals do not understand what is happening to them and rely on the kindness of humans to provide for them in shelters until their forever home can be found.
The goal of the study was to determine personality characteristics of pets and to use the circumplex model to assess human-animal bonds. The results confirm that self-identified dog and cat people seek complementarity with their pets. However, results were insignificant between the interaction with ideal pet and the level of complementarity. It appears that the greatest predictor for human-animal attachment is the correspondence between the needs of the owner and the interpersonal characteristics of their pet (Woodward & Bauer, 2007).
Many people in the world today suffer with problems such as anxiety and depression. As a way to treat these problems, those people should use animal-assisted therapy. Animal-assisted therapy (also known as pet therapy) is used in many hospitals and is growing more every day.
“A dog is a man’s best friend” goes much deeper than the phrase might initially imply. Recently many medical journals have begun to identify with the many and varied benefits of pet ownership. Men have always relied upon animals for work, transportation, and survival. As times have changed, man has begun to appreciate a different bond with animals. Gone are the days of animals running free outside around the homestead, for now animals are allowed inside and are considered by many to be an integral part of our daily lives! Medical studies have found that animals have a much greater intelligence level than originally thought. Through proper training and experience, animals are not only household pets, but also are becoming an accepted form of medical treatment.
Animal Cruelty has many forms, many reasons and most importantly many victims. It is a growing problem in today’s society. Many people may wonder why people abuse animals. The thought is simple, however the answer is a little more complex, there are three main types of animal cruelty. The three reasons are as follows: unintentional, intentional, and cruel intentions. I will discuss each one in more detail.
Can you hear the cries of those who do not communicate in the human language? How about the fearful mewing of a motherless kitten? Do you worry for the exhaustion of a donkey, staggering under a load to heavy to bear. Does your heart skip a beat when you hear the whimpering of a lost puppy? Are you filled with sadness when you an animal that has been hit by a car? Do you take in strays and feed them because they are all skin and bones? If so you are a pet lover. You would never hurt a pet. You know the importance of taking care of a pet. Taking care of your pets is a responsibility that you need to have. Pet care involves going the veterinarian, a nutritious diet, and plenty of exercise.
Stray animals are dangerous reason being is children or elderly people can be bit while walking or playing around at parks. I live in Mercedes and at one point when I was walking from stars to the high school, and stray dog for no reason started growing at me and my instinct was to run until I got the a building. This can happen to anyone, they can be attacked trying to touch a stray or just simply walking by, or even worse a child can catch a disease. Also owners with their pets are also getting attacked by stray animals because they strays tend to be over protective of their territory, or they just want to fight with the pet of the owner.
Apart from that, owning a pet forces one to take on the responsibility of keeping it alive. One’s pet must be fed, watered, and kept healthy. Doing this requires us to move about.