Let’s discuss stuff in the pet community that most people are against. It can be about any pet/animal.
Some things I thought of. Feel free to give your opinion on any of these, as well as give out your opinion on anything else. These are just some conversation starters.
- Pigeon racing
- Dog breeding
- Declawing cats
- Keeping pet birds caged permanently
- Keeping dogs outside and/or tethered
- Prong collars
- Electronic collars
- Ear cropping and tail docking
- Letting pet cats go outdoors
- The statement “It’s all in how you raise them” when talking about aggression in bully breeds (American Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, etc.)
- Getting pets from pet shops
- Feeding dogs a BARF (bones and raw foods) diet
- Pediatric spaying and neutering
- Clipping birds’ wings
- Free-flying pet birds
- Using the term “Pit Bull” as a blanket term for multiple dog breeds/mixes that look a certain way
My opinions on the stuff above
-
Pigeon racing
I’m against it. The pigeons are forced to fly for unnaturally long distances to get back to their mates and squabs. Also, any racer that gets ill is usually killed. -
Dog breeding
When it’s done responsibly, with health tested dogs, and with the main goal being to preserve the breed, I’m perfectly good with it. If it’s done for colors, to breed “designer breeds”, like doodles (goldendoodles, aussiedoodles, bernedoodles, you name them), or because someone wanted to breed their out of standard/crossbred pooch, I hate it. You’re bringing more mutts into a world that’s already full of them and selling them as pure breeds. -
Declawing cats
It’s cruel, selfish, and leaves the cat in permanent pain. And then goons wonder why their declawed cat doesn’t use the litterbox anymore. -
Keeping pet birds caged permanently
It depends on the bird, how it grew up, and on the cage. If the bird grew up caged, having it live in a large flight cage, with plenty of perches, swings, and toys is ok with me. Especially if the bird is on the shier side or is not a “hands-on” bird (finches, for example). I have a free-roaming canary that I tamed, but I know not every owner wants a super tame bird, or wants to put the time into taming a bird. Also, having a free-roaming bird is hard, since you’re constantly cleaning and have to make sure that the places where they have access are safe for the bird. -
Keeping dogs outside and/or tethered
I don’t have a problem with either. Unless the dog is a toy breed (which were specifically bred for companionship and can’t survive outdoors), keeping it outdoors isn’t cruel by itself. Same with tethering; It provides a lot more space than a kennel would, while also keeping the dog safe and allowing it to do species-specific behaviors. As long as the dog gets food, water, shelter, and vet care, I’m fine with it living outside or tethered, as long as the chain is a decent length. Most dog breeds exist for working outdoors, they weren’t created to sit and lay around. No, if you’re cold, they most likely aren’t. And not everyone has the means to build a dog-proof fence. -
Prong collars
I’m cool with them, as long as they’re good quality ones (Herm Sprenger). They offer clear communication between the dog and the owner and also prevent harm to the trachea, since, unlike flat collars, they spread the pressure evenly on the neck, instead of having it all focus on the trachea. And no, they don’t have sharp spikes that dig into the dog’s neck. The tips of the prongs are rounded. -
Electronic collars
Again, quality matters. Good e-collars, like the Mini Educator, rely on muscle stimulation and give a painless tingle, whereas cheaper shock collars rely on actually shocking the dog, which is painful and can burn the dog’s skin. -
Ear cropping and tail docking
As long it’s done at the vet, under anesthesia, I’m cool with it, be it done for aesthetic or working purposes. The dog feels no pain no matter what the purpose of the crop/dock is. I also think some breeds, like the Doberman and the Great Dane, look gorgeous with good crops.
-
Letting pet cats go outdoors
Ideally, cats should be kept indoors, for their and native wildlife’s safety. However, if the cat was born and raised outdoors, bringing it indoors isn’t going to be pleasurable for the cat, nor for anyone in the house. -
The statement “It’s all in how you raise them” when talking about aggression in bully breeds (American Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, etc.)
It’s not only false but also dangerous. It completely disregards the history of those breeds (They were created for dogfighting. None of that nanny dog crap) and the fact that they are genetically predisposed to dog aggression (Not human aggression! It’s stated in the breed standard of the American Pit Bull Terrier that “Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable”. In the past, a fighting dog that’d turn on a human while being pulled out of a fight would be shot. They’re only human aggressive if they are bred specifically for that). Just like a Jack Russel Terrier is genetically predisposed to chasing small animals, or a Border Collie is genetically predisposed to herding. You can’t raise genetics out of a dog. It doesn’t help the stigma around bully breeds. Also, it discourages people from getting an adult dog, since they believe that its behavior is already fully formed. -
Getting pets from pet shops
That’ll be a hard no. I understand it for some pets like fish, where breeders may be hard to find, but not for dogs, cats, or birds. The ones at pet stores usually come from puppy mills and irresponsible breeders. -
Feeding dogs and cats a raw diet
Nothing wrong with feeding meat to carnivores. As long as the meat is raw and is sourced from a trustworthy place (to make sure it doesn’t have any parasites that your pet wouldn’t be able to handle), it’s amazing for pets. Much better than dehydrated flour and meat by-products. -
Pediatric spaying and neutering
I’m fine with getting a dog/cat fixed only after they’re one year old. They need their hormones to grow. Also, if fixed too early, their growth plates don’t get to close properly, which leaves them prone to easy joint injuries. -
Clipping birds’ wings
I’m against it. It leaves birds vulnerable to predators in the event that they get out of the house. -
Free-flying pet birds
I’m against free-flying small parrots, as they get easily taken away by the wind. But for big ones, like Macaws and Cockatoos, with the proper training, I think it’s amazing. -
Using the term “Pit Bull” as a blanket term for multiple dog breeds/mixes that look a certain way
Awful thing. There is only one Pit Bull, the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), which is a small to medium-sized dog. Calling any dog with a big head a Pit Bull contributes to mislabeling. And then you get people actually thinking that the horribly inbred, obese French Mastiff mutt with a horribly-done battle crop that Hulk is is a Pit Bull. That abomination of a dog weighs 80 kilograms, while the maximum weight of a Pit Bull, according to the breed standard, is 28 kilograms. This just goes to show how much the general public really knows about the Pit Bull as a breed.
Also, this mislabeling is what makes the bite numbers of APBT’s seem so high, which, ultimately leads to BSL (breed-specific legislation). When, in reality, that number is the bite number of 5+ breeds and mutts that somewhat look like them. It’s like counting the bite numbers of every herding dog breed+mixes and saying that they’re all Caucasian Shepherd bites. It’s detrimental to the breed.Actual American Pit Bull Terrier aka the only actual Pit Bull
French Mastiff mutt aka not a Pit Bull
American Staffordshire Terrier aka not a Pit Bull
Staffordshire Bull Terrier aka not a Pit Bull
American Bully (XL) aka not a Pit Bull
