"Do you feel animals are more important than humans?"

Somegeezer

New member
I saw this question whilst I was browsing through OKC, and it caught my attention.

"Do you feel animals are more important than humans?"

I feel I have a great connection with animals that I just can't get with most people. There are a lot of people in my life that I really love and enjoy being with, but it's a difficult question for me to answer still.

I think if I were forced to make a decision; a theoritical decision, of course; I think I would choose animals over humans.

I've been brought up with animals all my life. I don't remember any great moments when I haven't had a pet. Something like 3 dogs, 4 cats [of which I have one now], a whole mass of cockatiels, often named amusing food items [Beans, Toast, Jam... etc - My father had a great sense of humour!].

Even pets that weren't mine, I've often been able to get along with easily. The only time I easily get that with people, are around those tiny human infants. =P It's as if once most people grow up, they turn into arseholes.

I'm very happy that there are a good few that don't seem to follow that, but I still think the animals win me over.

Then there's always the whole argument about us being animals ourselves... But that's a topic for a different thread.

How about you? Where do animals fit in your life? Where do they come in comparison to the people in your life?
 
That's one of the smarmy questions that Okcupid uses to learn about people..

Honestly, it makes sense... a dog lover doesn't want to be dating a dog hater. I like dogs, have owned several. I'm currently dating a man who dislikes dogs... intensely. Fortunately, he's come into my life when I am petless.

As far as liking animals more than humans..It really depends on the animal and the human... Comparing a delightful loving animal with a poorly behaved human isn't fair... neither is comparing a delightful loving human with a poorly behaved animal.

:D
 
A subject close to my heart, Somegeezer. :)

For the past 10 or so years, my life has been shaped and changed by my relationships with my dogs.

Some of the change has been painful and the relationships have not always been easy. One of my dogs and I spent several years working at our relationship to rebuild broken trust.

On the up side, my dogs have brought some of the best people in my life into it. And working through relationship problems with the dogs has taught me much about doing similar things with people. I'm far more patient about change taking time than I used to be.

I wouldn't say that I feel that my animals are more important than the important people in my life. But because they are dependent on me I will sometimes prioritise their needs above the needs of even important people (depends on the circumstances!).

For a few years now I've wanted to move towns to be closer to my friends and family (and now also to my SO). Life would be easier for all of us if I were closer. And I will move but not until after my oldest dog has passed away - because I feel he's just too old to move into a city. I don't want him to go through the stress of a house move at his age.

So in a way I put his needs above the needs of my family, close friends and SO (I still see all of them but not as much as I would do if I lived nearer).

But it does depend on the circumstances. When my father was dying the dogs were in kennels much of the time because I really needed to be with my family. We all needed to be together to support each other for those few weeks. So in that case, family needs came first.

I reckon that my relationships with my dogs are important relationships in my life - just like those I have with the important people in my life. I need all of them to be happy and don't feel that any are more important. They kind of intertwine.

It's all more love and (non-sexual) intimacy as far as I'm concerned. :)

IP
 
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That's one of the smarmy questions that Okcupid uses to learn about people..

Honestly, it makes sense... a dog lover doesn't want to be dating a dog hater. I like dogs, have owned several. I'm currently dating a man who dislikes dogs... intensely. Fortunately, he's come into my life when I am petless.

As far as liking animals more than humans..It really depends on the animal and the human... Comparing a delightful loving animal with a poorly behaved human isn't fair... neither is comparing a delightful loving human with a poorly behaved animal.

:D
Only trying to train a bad human to be a good one will only get you punched... and that's if you're lucky enough to not get stabbed. =P

I agree that as an animal lover, I certainly wouldn't want people who hated animals in my life. I only have a cat right now, and she's low maintenance as it is. But I certainly plan to have other animals in the future and such.

It's all more love and (non-sexual) intimacy as far as I'm concerned. :)
That's much how I feel about it too. Especially dogs. Very loving and loyal animals.
 
I had dogs growing up. When I was little, we had a Doberman, later a German Shepherd. As an adult I've owned a Shih Tzu (now deceased) and I currently have an older Husky mix and two orange tabby cats.

I know with certainty that the more I know people, the more I love my pets. Unconditional love and loyalty like no other :)
 
I like some animals more than some human. :rolleyes:

BUT to me humans are more important than animals.
 
I had dogs growing up. When I was little, we had a Doberman, later a German Shepherd. As an adult I've owned a Shih Tzu (now deceased) and I currently have an older Husky mix and two orange tabby cats.

I know with certainty that the more I know people, the more I love my pets. Unconditional love and loyalty like no other :)
I'd love a German Shepherd and a Siberian Husky. My first dog was a Border Collie. She lived til quite an old age. Had to give her up when we moved into this house at about age 5/6ish, but she still lived a good couple more years. My dad used to have a little Yorkshire Terrier mixed with something else too. He saved it from someone trying to drown it for some reason. =[

The cat I have now, I believe is Aegean or something close. Mainly white with bits of black and brown patches. She's probably about half way through her life. One of my older cats was hit by a car and died through the night before we could get him to the vet. His brother ended up running away a few years after. Sad times.
 
Losing pets is hard... I consider mine family. Not more important than humans but often more likeable. ;)
 
I don't think animals are more important than humans, but I do feel that we as a society have a greater responsibility to the animals we've domesticated than we currently show. Not only did we create their current place in our lives (whether a pet or an animal raised for consumption/production) but they, like children (who we also have a greater responsibility for), can't do much to alter their own circumstances. So it's up to us to make sure they're treated well and not abused (even with animals raised for food, there's a humane way and a wrong way to slaughter them), but a lot of that responsibility is tossed away due to greed, meanness, or just plain stupidity.

*insert appropriate Spider-man quote here*
 
Animals

I don't feel that animal are more important than humans. I do think that how seriously we take our responsibilities with regards to our animals can say a lot about us as people. I am not someone who regards my pets as "members of the family" or "children". I do, however, appreciate the unconditional love of my pets for what it is.

Growing up we generally had a dog - 1st was a beagle/dachsund mutt (adopted from a family that was moving), put down at the age of 6 when her 3rd slipped disc refused to respond to treatment (took me a long time to forgive mom for not telling me the day she was going to be put down [I was in 5th grade]...she thought it would be easier for me to not know). 2nd was a husky/beagle (?) mutt from the pound (that was a very interesting looking dog! - looked like a dingo with one blue eye, one brown, ears stood straight up and were huge - like bat ears).

MrS and I adopted a German Shepherd/Rotty mutt from the humane society when we moved to our first apt. When we were going to be gone longer during the day (I was starting my clinical rotations) we got her a pet kitten (also from the humane society) to keep her company (our lease actually specified "only one dog" - didn't say anything about cats) - OMG they were so attached to each other! Dog had to be put down at 11 yrs old due to pericardial effusion from a heart tumor. Cat dropped dead (literally - it was bizarre, fell off the couch... dead) a few weeks later.

Currently we have a boxer/pit bull type mutt (from the humane society) and her cat (also from the humane society) as well as her puppy - a collie/English shepherd mutt that randomly showed up at our back door (we live in the country). (Dog#1 doesn't generally get along with other dogs - so the fact that she accepted this puppy seemed like a sign. We did track down his former owner - 5 miles away - and leaving him with us was the best option available.) We also have a snake (have had other snakes/reptiles/amphibians/fish/rodents/ferrets along the way - but they don't give you nearly the lovin' that dogs and cats do - although my rat lived over 5 years and was, in his way, very affectionate).

We may not be the bestest pet parents in the world (training leaves a lot to be desired:confused:) - but our animals visit the vet regularly, are fixed, shots are up to date, get their heartworm pills, and none of them are overweight. Dogs have giant overhead runs outside and their own room in the house for when we are not there (plan is for a dog door to a large outside kennel in the future - for long days at work or overnights). Cat is indoors only and not declawed.

Are they "more important" to me than people? No. Do I take my responsibilities to them seriously? Yes.
 
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The hierarchy of our 2 dogs is that of pets...however I do jokingly refer to them as the kids brothers. Like go let your brothers in ....or you need to put food in your brothers bowl.

Here where the lines get blurry .....http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-Craigslist-dog-sex.html?ICO=most_read_module


Do you think their mugs shots are up at all the area animal shelters ????? God I'd like to be on a flight he be working....funny thing I just came back from AZ not to long ago .....I might have been.

Hey., they said your wife's not fit to fuck a dog I stuck up for you and her I said she was......wait for the laugh.....
 
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lolololol @ dinged !

Someone needs to mention the 'No humans allowed' apartment rentals. Pets only. Or the puppy classes, where they teach the dogs to sign-off on your DNR if you end up on a death-bed.

I find it slightly ironic/disturbing that this is even a question. ( In the context of personal lives. ) If someone I was with, told me they thought animals more important then humans, and I then found out the cat gets hit by a car, and the dog rehomed, I`d be plenty scared where I might end up. :rolleyes:

These animal threads always amuse me.
 
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Knowing you and how much like to bite ....we'd have to find a nice home in the country with lots of space for you to run....wink wink ..nudge nudge.... Please stop biting random people.
 
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Knowing you and much like to bite ....we'd have to find a nice home in the country with lots of space for you to run....wink wink ..nudge nudge.... Please stop biting random people.

~~~*You and me baby, ain`t nothing but mammals,......*~~~

No, no it`s the tongue and drooling that gets me in trouble.
I've had my rabies shot.
 
lolololol @ dinged !

Someone needs to mention the 'No humans allowed' apartment rentals. Pets only. Or the puppy classes, where they teach the dogs to sign-off on your DNR if you end up on a death-bed.

I find it slightly ironic/disturbing that this is even a question. ( In the context of personal lives. ) If someone I was with, told me they thought animals more important then humans, and I then found out the cat gets hit by a car, and the dog rehomed, I`d be plenty scared where I might end up. :rolleyes:

These animal threads always amuse me.
Do you feel the same way about people with mental problems, who also can't do those things? That's basically all pets are. They just can't think the same way as the majority of us. They still have emotion. Often more open to showing them than their human counterparts too.

People also do get hit by cars and rehomed all the time. I really don't understand your logic here. Car accidents are very common in most countries where there are a lot of cars, strangely enough. A car doesn't see what it hits as human, dog or lamp post and I imagine the drivers very rarely plan to run anyone or thing over. Even those that do would usually target people or property to drive their cars into, rather than next door's cat that keep shitting in the garden.

We have entire blocks of flats [appartments] made especially for old people and orphans. Children in care will usually go live with another family. Those who have real trouble living every day life will often be taken to facilities that can care for them.

In short, you could have just answered "no".
 
I think that what SourGirl was saying is that it would be hypocritical if someone she was with talked the big talk about seeing animals as important, or more important, than people -- and yet let the cat out for it to be hit by a car or gave the dog away. There are people who say things like that and their actions prove otherwise.

For myself, I've lived with cats pretty much all my life and they have been very important to me, though I can't say more important than people. I have had to make painful decisions to give my furry friends away when I couldn't keep them, or to forgo expensive surgery for a cat because I didn't have the money. Were that a human being, of course, I wouldn't say to the doctor, "Oh, no, I can't afford to pay for my husband's surgery, so please euthanize him instead." But I had to do that with my 20-year-old blind and toothless cat who had been with me since he was a kitten. I stayed in bed for three solid days afterward, but it was the humane choice.

I cried a lot about the animals that were lost in Hurricane Katrina, the Indonesian Tsunami, the Haitian earthquake, and other disasters, and have contributed to funds that help people afford to spay and neuter their pets, protect elephants from poachers, give homes to abused animals retired from show business, and preserve near-extinct species - but if I had to choose between saving the life of a child or that of an animal, it would have to be the child. I would try and send someone back to rescue the animal, but how could I face anyone if I voluntarily left the child behind?
 
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In short, you could have just answered "no".

Nycindie was right, and you are wrong .
The confusion is actually my fault.
These are actually important subjects to me, and my life,..I deal with the people who can`t wrap their brain around reality, regarding pets, or animals in general.
So when I see the extreme attitudes, (either end.) ......I try to be light-hearted,...but my sarcasm,..well,..it boil-ith over sometimes.

As for what I just quoted, if you only want to hear from people that agree with you, just make a note in your threads at the beginning, otherwise you don`t get to dictate my answer.
 
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My Boston terrier taught me more about loving someone difficult than anyone else. She was a neglected/abused rescue whose first instinct when frightened or threatened was to bite. She was also one of the smartest dogs I've ever met, incredibly loving in spite of her history and genetics (I'm pretty sure she was from a puppy mill), playful, charming and funny as hell. It took Beaker and I years to understand her - eventually she mellowed considerably. She was a great gift and I will miss her for the rest of my life.
 
At breakfast with a friends the other day I learned that on of the guys wife was leaving him. She done this several times before so not completely shocking ....and he seemed happy and relieved by it. However she was going to take the dogs ....that part almost had him in tears. He was actually happy to be rid of her but the dogs really got him. Luckily they're pretty old so he won't to have to deal with putting them down.
 
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