Are housepets supposed to make people more human?

Life Pets & Domestic Animals
1

I am still a little confused about the whole housepet thing. We had a big German Sheppard when I was kid and she was cool in a rodeo kind of way, rides, not roping. Then growing up we had a corgie ankle biter. I was never much into her, as she wasn’t “my” dog and I was never asked to be responsible for her, and we had different interests I guess…anyway…

In college, I had a black cat who was cool. She would sleep on the small of my back while I read on the floor. We kept our relationship distant though.

Now, we have cat, and I got her because I wanted jdson to grow up not being afraid of animals as a lot of Taiwnaese kids are.

I often hear stories of people who say their animals make them better people, but I don’t see it. Domesticated animals seem to be animals you just don’t eat. Some people say they love their animals, but I’ve honestly never gotten beyond the fondness level.

Fish? Nada feeling for them. As a diver, seeing fish in tanks depresses me, unless I’m choosing my dinner.
Birds? Cruel cruel cruel.
Horses? Sure, great for riding and such things. But does a horse make you a better person?
Dogs? Very needy.
Cats? Less needy and more aloof.

Is it the caring for something that, once in your house can’t care for itself, makes people better people? Lots of animals do just fine without people. Or houses.

Are people, myself included as a pet owner/guardian, fulfilling some missing part of themselves by having a housepet? Is it a goal that some people have? To raise a pet?

Having had a cat for a year, I don’t see much of a change in myself. She’s cool, but I thought cats were cool before she showed up. I sleep less that’s for sure as she wakes me up every day between 5-6AM. She’s fun to play housesoccer with, being a natural goalie. She sleeps on my lap when I’m online. I’m warm. She sits directly in front of the TV when I’m watching (not a big deal, as my kid does the same thing, as has done that for years; although when I say, “You are in the red zone, please move from the red zone” the cat doesn’t move and inch. The boy is better trained I guess.

But still…I don’t GET what these other people are getting about their pets. Or maybe I am and it’s not that big a deal for me.

jdshakesandscratches

2

Great entertaining post JD. But, no, I do not think pet’s make humans better. Some unexplained facts about small pets such as cats and dogs can make humans “feel” better when depresses, sick or so, but a serial killer will remain a serial killer while striking his beloved pet on the head while cleaning his axe.

3

ICaught an interesting bit of story that was on Discovery? last night about people living on an island off Africa and the dogs that hung around their habitations. Those dogs weren’t their pets, i.e. they weren’t fed by any of the people in the villages, and the people do not play or go out of their way to interact with the dogs, either. The dogs also didn’t hunt the livestock, even though there were chickens running around. The dogs basically live off the villagers refuse and according to the point of view of the documentary, they are treated in much the same way we would treat city pigeons.
The documentary was making a connection between those present day dogs and the first dogs that habituated themselves to humans once we started to settle in one place, farm crops and so on. Some of the dogs were so cute, I wondered how long it will be before one endeared itself to one of the villagers, breaking down his/her barrier of indifference.
But according to what I watched, it would appear that it were the dogs that has/had the most to gain from a relationship with humans. Perhaps that’s just it. They endeared themselves to us and being the generous people we are, we can’t help ourselves.
It’s a doggone conspiracy!

Pets are great companions. Yet, they are no substitute for human company, IMO. They do fill voids in people’s lives and I have known quite a few people who have had pets because they needed some(one) to come home to.
Does having a pet make one a better person? Not necessarily, but at the same time, I could not imagine my childhood without my dogs and my family still talks about our dogs like they were human members of our family. Getting teary with memories.

4

I’ll make you more human if it’s the last thing I do!

5

I guess it’s different for everyone. Not much into pets myself, only had one rabbit as pet for a while when I was a kid but then again I was the only one that could not pet it - it would gnarl at me like a dog and scratch me when I tried to lift it up. Can’t remember what eventually happened to it, probably ended up as dinner some day …

6

To some people, they are preferable to human company. :wink:

7

I’ll make you more human if it’s the last thing I do![/quote]

Well, please do try, my friend, but a bit of advice

your nose + my crotch = :astonished:

8

I’m preferable to most humans, that’s for goddamn sure. But why would we want to make humans more human?
More doglike, perhaps, but more human? We’re smarter than that, surely?

9

Welcome to Forumosa, Baloo!

Nice bed, by the way. :wink:

10

To some people, they are preferable to human company. :wink:[/quote]

This is something I was wondering about. I don’t get why someone would “prefer the company of animals” more than people.

My ninja workneighbor says, “Maybe they haven’t met the right people.”

11

To some people, they are preferable to human company. :wink:[/quote]

This is something I was wondering about. I don’t get why someone would “prefer the company of animals” more than people.

My ninja workneighbor says, “Maybe they haven’t met the right people.”[/quote]
Right. Lots of people are complete and total cunts. I haven’t met any animals like that.

12

To some people, they are preferable to human company. :wink:[/quote]

This is something I was wondering about. I don’t get why someone would “prefer the company of animals” more than people.

My ninja workneighbor says, “Maybe they haven’t met the right people.”[/quote]
Right. Lots of people are complete and total cunts. I haven’t met any animals like that.[/quote]

Yes, some may well be, but if someone were to think all people were cunts, wouldn’t he actually be the cunt?

13

I have met more wonderful people than probably any of you, but I still feel that, at least some of the time, the presence of a non-human animal can be preferable to that of a human one.

Many people fail to make that certain connection with the animal in their charge; they treat him or her like an accessory, or a toy, as something nice to have around, or even as something to care for. But it’s not until you learn to truly appreciate what you have there, what a fantastic friendship you have waiting to develop, what an unquestioning and loyal partnership there is to be made, and what an incredibly intelligent and lovable being that dog or cat (or other animal) can be, that you can really understand what you have been missing.

Not everyone can do this (or wants to), but I really do believe that you are missing out on something very special and rewarding if you fail to make that easy-to-make connection with the non-human animal in your home. There really is nothing like it - human-human relationships really don’t compare. Each has it’s pros and cons, of course, but, as always, the former by far outweigh the latter.

14

Sandman wrote [quote]Right. Lots of people are complete and total
cunts
. I haven’t met any animals like that. [/quote]

JDSmith wrote [quote]Yes, some may well be, but if someone were to think all people were cunts, wouldn’t he actually be the
cunt
?[/quote]

Nice to see two moderators setting a good example.

15

Maybe you haven’t met the right animals? :wink:

Seriously, Its not that all animals are preferable to all people, but rather that most animals are preferable over most people… IMO.

16

Howsa house plant gonna make me a better person?

…waking up from nap…:yawn: :ponder:

17

[quote=“TainanCowboy”]Howsa house plant gonna make me a better person?

…waking up from nap…:yawn: :ponder:[/quote]

Try smoking it. :wink:

18

[quote=“Stray Dog”]I have met more wonderful people than probably any of you, but I still feel that, at least some of the time, the presence of a non-human animal can be preferable to that of a human one.

Many people fail to make that certain connection with the animal in their charge; they treat him or her like an accessory, or a toy, as something nice to have around, or even as something to care for. But it’s not until you learn to truly appreciate what you have there, what a fantastic friendship you have waiting to develop, what an unquestioning and loyal partnership there is to be made, and what an incredibly intelligent and lovable being that dog or cat (or other animal) can be, that you can really understand what you have been missing.

Not everyone can do this (or wants to), but I really do believe that you are missing out on something very special and rewarding if you fail to make that easy-to-make connection with the non-human animal in your home. There really is nothing like it - human-human relationships really don’t compare. Each has it’s pros and cons, of course, but, as always, the latter by far outweigh the former.[/quote]

That is a great post, Sean. :bravo: Perhaps once you make that “connection,” you become a better person. Just perhaps. :wink:

19

[quote=“almas john”]Sandman wrote [quote]Right. Lots of people are complete and total
cunts
. I haven’t met any animals like that. [/quote]

JDSmith wrote [quote]Yes, some may well be, but if someone were to think all people were cunts, wouldn’t he actually be the
cunt
?[/quote]

Nice to see two moderators setting a good example.[/quote]
Oops! Forgot there are some Kiwis on this site. Such delicate ears they have.

20

[quote=“Stray Dog”][quote=“TainanCowboy”]Howsa house plant gonna make me a better person?
…waking up from nap…:yawn: :ponder:[/quote]Try smoking it. :wink:[/quote]
2007 will mark 21 years of ‘no smokie the dope.’ And that has, IMO, made me a better person… :beatnik: