Without considering
areas of animal treatment outside household pets, there is a spectrum of
pet treatment, and the goal of our educational programs is to move
people along the spectrum. Our beliefs will run contrary to many other's
beliefs, including some who consider themselves "good pet owners". Our
mission is to educate all people, no matter where they are along the
spectrum currently, and try to move them along.
Possession -> Tool -> Animal -> Pet -> Family Member
Possession
- A possession
is often seen as a replaceable accessory. This is tragic, as it means
the owner fails to see the uniqueness of each individual pet, may not
realize that it is a living creature, and fails to understand that it
cannot simply be replaced when it is too old or falls out of fashion.
Tool
- A tool
that does a specific task. The pet will probably not be a member of the
family, since it is usually constrained to a specific job, for example,
a hunting dog that lives in a outdoor run, a mouser that lives in the
barn, and so forth.
Animal
- An animal
is chained in the yard as "protection" or trained to fight or attack.
These animals are treated abysmally by their owners. Some are abused.
Abuse cannot be tolerated. Pets do not belong chained in the yard. In
fact, in some areas, it is now against the law.
Pet
- A pet
is more than just an animal. It spends time with the family and plays
with the children, but it may still be an "outside" pet, which means
that for at least part of the day, it is separated from the pack. These
pets may get regular care, but are not fully integrated with the family.
Family Member
- A family member
spends most of his time with his family, they want to have him around,
and enjoy interacting with him. He is indoors most of the time. He has
his own bed and a crate for rest. The crate is his safe place, not a
place of punishment. At this point, a pet is a family member with fur.
What kind of critter do you have? |
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