Having pets can be one of the sweetest experiences in our lives. as someone who grew up around farms, spending time with goofy cute animals is one of my sweetest memories. Pets by definition are not just our friends in the animal world, they evolved into our family members and you hear that from almost every pet owner. Let’s be honest, they support us emotionally much better than humans and that’s what makes them so special.
But do they feel the same about us? I wonder many times if anyone ever asked if their pet is where it belongs. our ancestors have benefited from animals in many ways but also kept boundaries. The modern human has broken those boundaries and managed to live with an animal without considering the difference living factors.
For thousands of years, we have domesticated some species and managed to live with them efficiently. it was our financial life that became strongly dependent on domestic animals but now, we’re sharing our home with pets regardless of their benefits. The occasional purr and cuddle are enough for us, that’s all we want.
Sorry to break it to you, but we are causing an environmental hazard by having pets. I know that a lot of pet owners will hate me for writing this article, but here’s the problem; you are not by any means the owner of an animal even if you have given them a government-issued ID with your name on it! that’s the truth whether you like it or not.
We’re turning pets into disasters by destroying their natural cycles of life and death, hunting and mating, and so on.
Let me explain it to you in more details.
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Having a pet is a wrong decision from the scratch. now, I’d like to explain some of my discussion from an animal’s point of view so it makes more sense.
There are two ways to own a pet, to buy or to adopt. Except those who look for more special breeds, some people adopt pets thinking they have made a better choice. but, it really doesn’t make a difference for the poor animal. the only difference is saving some money and of course, contributing less to the pet industry. but for the rescued animal, it’s much different. The moment it’s captured in a shelter is where our crimes begin. we are consciously denying a natural life from a creature that is not created for the human living environment.
Be it a bird, a chameleon, or a dog, we are restraining them in our lives. I don’t want to discuss the psychological intentions behind it, because this article is only about exposing animal abuse. the truth is, your pet isn’t meant to live with you but you have modified it to do, without considering the damages done.
These are the things that violate an animal’s right of truthful living the moment it’s identified as a pet (to be):
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The Trauma Of Breeding:
The gorgeous unique poppy you’re holding right now is the result of breeding. you may say it’s just two animals having sex and no big deal. well, it is. first of all, that’s not how nature works. you’re restricting animals to follow their natural instinct of mating and pushing them into forced breeding. to me, it’s a crime that damages both the carrying mother and her children with permanent issues such as separation anxiety or aggression. breeding is no less crime than rape if you find out what they actually do besides (Washington Post further explains)
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The Damage Of Adopting:
Stop thinking you’ve done a homeless animal a favor by adopting it. stop fooling yourself that they came to you for your help and you have to take them home. all they might want you is food or attention. if you manage to take one home from the shelter, well you should be prepared to fix someone else’s mistake because a large number of sheltered animals are abandoned, as BBC confirms the 25% increased amount in 2022. in both scenarios, you have neglected a living creature’s right to live in an appropriate atmosphere that allows constant contact with nature.
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The Hoax Of Pet Food:
It saddens me to see that my friends are relying on corporates to feed their pets. the corporates that put quantity over quality all the time. there are a lot of studies proving toxic cancer-causing chemicals used in pet food that will at least damage digestive organs, based on Guardian and CBS NEWS studies.
Keep in mind that the pet you’re feeding with one type of food for years could be hunting on its own and receive non-toxic food based on its need. the least you should do is provide real food to them. the greedy pet food industry shouldn’t trick you into giving your pet cheap chemical food, real food has a certain cost and you should be aware of that.
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The Twist Of Toys:
I used to work in a trade company couple of years ago and I was shocked by the number of hazardous chemicals traded for pet industries. the chew toys can help your furniture last a little bit longer, but they can also damage your pet in many ways.
Whenever I visited my friends who had dogs I used to get them a stick from outside and they loved it! it kept them busy for hours. the more we avoid chemicals the healthier our pets will be. if you still prefer a plastic toy, avoid the chemicals introduced here.
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The Living Space Complications:
Almost none of our living space details are pet friendly, and by that, I mean something an animal feels comfortable within its nature. it doesn’t matter if your cat or dog has conquered every comfy couch or carpet, they’re not where they belong. a lot of people leave their pets (cats in particular) in apartments for years without a single moment spent outside. not only do you give them anxiety by 1. keeping them in a limited area 2. leaving them alone at home but also you traumatize them by restricting or demolishing their access to the free world. those pets who lived in a free environment will suffer the most from it, no matter how active they are.
I know many of you think that your dog or cat is always sleeping and they don’t need outdoor time. well, congratulations my friend, you have shut down their active traits. their instinctual patterns are now broken and they rely on you for living. that’s why your pets for years cannot survive the external world if they survive in your household. I mean, if it was right why do mommy animals leave their kids after months rather than being there forever? ahem, why did you leave your parent’s home if you think having someone to feed and clean you is okay?
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The Neuter And Spay Concern:
I have no idea how pet owners get along with this, I’ve seen a lot of abnormal behaviors in pets after their neuter/spay session. in general, whatever we become in our 60s, they get to experience it out of a sudden. both female and male pets become much less active, less social, and more aggressive with a chance of depression.
Of the 100 behaviors assessed, 40 showed statistically significant differences between the castrated and intact dogs. Only four of these behaviors showed a more positive outcome as a result of neutering. — Dr. Stanley Coren
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It’s perceived that pets are better friends than humans. just like most animals, we are hunters too and sometimes our desire to own a pet depends on the extent of our possessive and dominating characteristics. although apart from the thrilling feeling that pets give, there is no significant reason an animal should limit its adventurous life to your cautious human boundaries.
They can’t talk to us but deep inside, they feel what they do to them and it affects them. they certainly have feelings and their feelings impact their health directly like us. that’s enough reason to stop turning them into something other than their nature. we must give them the freedom they deserve, not fearing what would happen. nature has always been balanced unless we interfere with it.
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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Photo credit: Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash