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Some animals-turned-pets developed/evolved symbiotically with humans, and continued through selective breeding (inevitably, and with mixed virtue). The classic

Some animals-turned-pets developed/evolved symbiotically with humans, and continued through selective breeding (inevitably, and with mixed virtue). The classic example is wild dogs to work dogs to pet dogs. I think this is healthy and remains symbiotic. And the classic example of excess is all the sad purebred dogs, developed by bad people to accentuate some aesthetic values with inadequate regard for the (sometimes life-long) pain and discomfort caused by side effects of the genetic selection. Agreed on birds though. They are pretty and entertaining, but how can it not be cruel to cage a bird? Do all those African Grays who amuse and seem to enjoy their humans really just suffer from Stockholm Syndrome? I don't know, but I don't trust that the humans have thought about it in a non self-serving way. And don't get me started on zoos... :(

deleted 4y ago
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kube-system 4y ago
The initial existence of pet and worker breeds may be symbiotic and natural, but the way people treat them like a slave species and perpetuate them is arbitrarily done for the convenience of humans. I can’t stand when I see “my fur baby is lost!” when describing the escape of large adult social dog. No, that dog knows how to get home. It escaped its prison.
- mlyle 4y ago
  > I can’t stand when I see “my fur baby is lost!” when describing the escape of large adult social dog. No, that dog knows how to get home. It escaped its prison. That dog may know how to get home initially and enjoys the freedom having slipped the leash and exploring. But there's no guarantee that when the dog decides it would like to get home that it can, nor is it making an informed decision about the risks that it faces.
- renewiltord 4y ago
  I get where you're coming from in the extreme, but animals do get lost or into situations they can't get out of. We took in two stray kittens as outdoor cats and we'd occasionally have to go around the neighborhood to find them because they'd be behind a wall in someone else's yard and forget how to make it back. As soon as they saw our faces over the wall they'd follow us to an opening or the gate and then find their way home. Ultimately, one of them met an untimely end from some stray dogs. But that's life.

deleted 4y ago

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kube-system 4y ago

The initial existence of pet and worker breeds may be symbiotic and natural, but the way people treat them like a slave species and perpetuate them is arbitrarily done for the convenience of humans. I can’t stand when I see “my fur baby is lost!” when describing the escape of large adult social dog. No, that dog knows how to get home. It escaped its prison.

mlyle 4y ago
> I can’t stand when I see “my fur baby is lost!” when describing the escape of large adult social dog. No, that dog knows how to get home. It escaped its prison. That dog may know how to get home initially and enjoys the freedom having slipped the leash and exploring. But there's no guarantee that when the dog decides it would like to get home that it can, nor is it making an informed decision about the risks that it faces.
renewiltord 4y ago
I get where you're coming from in the extreme, but animals do get lost or into situations they can't get out of. We took in two stray kittens as outdoor cats and we'd occasionally have to go around the neighborhood to find them because they'd be behind a wall in someone else's yard and forget how to make it back. As soon as they saw our faces over the wall they'd follow us to an opening or the gate and then find their way home. Ultimately, one of them met an untimely end from some stray dogs. But that's life.