Is it? I am undecided on whether it is, so I'd like to hear opinions and reasons why it is, or isn't.

I understand that a lot of people here have pets, so I expect the majority to say it is ethical.

I now realize there isn't necessarily a conflict between eating some animals and owning others, because both involve the subjugation of a non-human species. Both are wrong, if you really think about it.

It's ethnical if you treat your pets with love and care. I have a cat named Kira that I adopted in a shelter. I feed her, play with her, and make sure she's happy. As long as you have a happy pet and don't slave drive it I think it's ethnical. (plus it reduces chances of enthuanzia usage on strays.)

In the light of current circumstances, I think it's ethical to adopt a companion animal from a shelter. That's independent of whether having companion animals is acceptable in an ideal world or not.

Cats and dogs are already domesticated animals. It would be unethical to simply let them all run free and fend for themselves. Same with domesticated farm animals. Although most of us veg*ns would like everyone to stop eating them, to set all the farm animals free all of a sudden would also be unethical because they have been bred over many, many, many years to depend on human care and protection. Of course everyone isn't going to stop eating animals all at once, so if people gradually ate fewer and fewer farm animals (wishiful thinking) the population would most likely gradually reduce with less deliberate breeding.

But to get back on track, if setting dogs and cats loose immediately turned them back into the wild animals their ancesters were, keeping pets would be unethical. But because a cat or dog on its own is still not a wild animal in a natural habitat setting, it would be unethical not to keep them as companions. A domesiticated cat is not a lion and a domesticated dog is not a wolf.

I think it's ethical to adopt companion animals from a shelter to provide them with a good home when they might otherwise face euthanization due to no fault of their own. I do not think purchasing animals from breeders and kitten/puppy mills is ethical.

It's ethnical if you treat your pets with love and care. I have a cat named Kira that I adopted in a shelter. I feed her, play with her, and make sure she's happy. As long as you have a happy pet and don't slave drive it I think it's ethnical. (plus it reduces chances of enthuanzia usage on strays.)
I'm with this one :bow: :pibo: :D

Also, I know some people are against having exotics such as reptiles, but there are billions that are captive bred now and I only have the cb ones, so technically it is considered ethical as well.

What if your pet adopts you? I have a cat that showed up on my doorstep.. it'll be four years ago on Halloween night. She ended up running off after some trick-or-treaters. Then she came back to my house in early November. She was pregnant (although I didn't know it at the time) and kept trying to sneak in the house when someone wasn't watching the door closely enough. She ended up having her kittens in my garage. I'm not sure anyone could argue that it was unethical to keep her, as she obviously wants to be here.

I am sure that my doggies think life at my home is swell. Great food,great snacks,plenty of fresh water,hugs and LOTS of love,walks,car rides and the dogs get to sleep on my bed and lounge on my sofa. My dogs are as happy as can be. Tails always wagging,wanting to lick my face ect..it is evident that my dogs lead a wonderful life. How can you call that unethical?

Cats and dogs are already domesticated animals. It would be unethical to simply let them all run free and fend for themselves. Same with domesticated farm animals. Although most of us veg*ns would like everyone to stop eating them, to set all the farm animals free all of a sudden would also be unethical because they have been bred over many, many, many years to depend on human care and protection. Of course everyone isn't going to stop eating animals all at once, so if people gradually ate fewer and fewer farm animals (wishiful thinking) the population would most likely gradually reduce with less deliberate breeding.

But to get back on track, if setting dogs and cats loose immediately turned them back into the wild animals their ancesters were, keeping pets would be unethical. But because a cat or dog on its own is still not a wild animal in a natural habitat setting, it would be unethical not to keep them as companions. A domesiticated cat is not a lion and a domesticated dog is not a wolf.

What eggplant said.

I'm curious what the alternative is for those who are ethically opposed to owning dogs and cats? Soilman never answered that question, and still avoids the question; so I'm hoping MP will have an answer.

What eggplant said.

I'm curious what the alternative is for those who are ethically opposed to owning dogs and cats? Soilman never answered that question, and still avoids the question; so I'm hoping MP will have an answer.

The alternative is not to have pets--obviously.

That doesn't answer the question. What do you suggest doing with the pets that currently exist?

I now realize there isn't necessarily a conflict between eating some animals and owning others, because both involve the subjugation of a non-human species. Both are wrong, if you really think about it.

LOL!!! A lot of pet owners will tell you that it is their animals that rule over them and not the contrary.

*Diana sighs and wonders if her cat will leave her a TINY little bit of pillow to rest her head on tonight.*

Animals and humans living together is cool!!! It seems so RIGHT. We care for them and they care for us and we're all happy and it's just so peaceful.

I don't think there's anything wrong with having a companion animal so long as the animal is well cared for. However, I doubt an exotic animal captured in the wild would qualify. Perhaps s/he would if no members of his/her species were harmed in the capture, and if it would be bred in captivity.

I think I can even see why someone might get a domestic animal from a breeder if they had their heart set on a particular animal, and could not find the type of animal they wanted in a shelter. But personally, I'm not interested in taking in a companion animal unless s/he needs a home. It's strays and shelter animals exclusively for me.

What do you suggest doing with the pets that currently exist?Go stick your head in a septic tank or something. Geez, what a dick you're being.
lol. That's your answer to my question?

[QUOTE=Diana]LOL!!! A lot of pet owners will tell you that it is their animals that rule over them and not the contrary.

*Diana sighs and wonders if her cat will leave her a TINY little bit of pillow to rest her head on tonight.*


LOL!!!!!!! Wow do i know what u mean about the pillow bit!!! HAHAHAHA

It's ethnical if you treat your pets with love and care. I have a cat named Kira that I adopted in a shelter. I feed her, play with her, and make sure she's happy. As long as you have a happy pet and don't slave drive it I think it's ethnical. (plus it reduces chances of enthuanzia usage on strays.)

I agree! :bobo:

Go stick your head in a septic tank or something. Geez, what a dick you're being.????

I thought Kpickell's question was reasonable and polite. If you are opposed to humans owning animals, so be it- but were you planning on trying to stop pets from reproducing, or did you want to get the ones that now exist killed off, however painlessly?

Turning them loose would probably be a bad idea. Several have pointed out that domestic animals often don't do well when they find themselves on their own, and I've seen that myself. Even if a cat or dog is feral and knows how to fend for itself, its life tends to be nasty, brutish, and short.

Go stick your head in a septic tank or something. Geez, what a dick you're being.
Your comment was rude, uncalled for, and immature.

Go stick your head in a septic tank or something. Geez, what a dick you're being.

Mysteriouspoet, I reported this post. I wish we could end this, as there are abundant threads on the subject.

Of course it's ethical, irregardless of whether the pets came from a responsible breeder (not a mill) or the shelter. These are DOMESTICATED animals, unable for the most part of surviving in the wilds. And no matter what some radicals believe are better off with us than in the wilds.

Wow, I came in to read other responses and now its like I'm back in kindergarten? Anyhow, I totally agree with whoever said that it wouldn't be right to turn them loose, whether its a cat,dog, bearded dragon, or other animal that has already been domesticated. These animals would not be able to survive in the wild. And yeah, I'm totally against exotic animals that have been captured from the wild, though captive breeding has diminished this quite a bit.

No I don't think it is fair to the animals to breed them so they are dependant on humans (domesticate) but it has been done, so the only ethical thing left to do is give a good home to those already alive and domesticated.

In the light of current circumstances, I think it's ethical to adopt a companion animal from a shelter. That's independent of whether having companion animals is acceptable in an ideal world or not.

Ditto. :yes:

No I don't think it is fair to the animals to breed them so they are dependant on humans (domesticate) but it has been done, so the only ethical thing left to do is give a good home to those already alive and domesticated.
With cats and dogs, I can see that, but there is and always will be a market for species such as exotics, and therefore, to prevent being taken from the wild, they do get bred. Cats and dogs will always keep the shelters full, unfortunately. With reptile demands, its either breed captive ones already domesticated, or take them from the wild. :(