Is keeping a pet ethical? Is it abuse of power of the stronger species?

Domestic cats cannot really, truly fend for themselves in the wild. They get all kinds of deseases and they rarely find enough food such as rodents an birds to really sustain themselves for very long. I have seen this situation many times in just my small area alone.

We need to tend to God's creatures just as he intended us to do. Some really do need human companionship just as humans need their companionship. It works both ways for domesticated animals.

Those who are wild should stay wild. As with the chimp that ripped off the human's face, It was only doing what it would have done naturally and the subject of putting it down should have never taken place.

I had a word with Bagera about this-he says he would like to keep a pet preferably a bird or mouse but when he plays with them they die!

I think that it if it wasnt for pets we would be at each others throats.

I think it is perfectly fine to a point. If the animal has already been raised domesticated from birth then letting it "back" into the wild would honestly be the worst decision.

But if the animal is taking from the wild and put into "captivity" to be someone elses pet then there in my opinion is a problem.

This is a really good question. I've wondered this before. I think it's entirely too relative to situation at this point to be able to answer in a yes or no, black and white with no gray kind of way.

Take the Shitzu for example, or the pug. These animals have been bred and inbred for centuries. There are no wild pugs.No Shitzu would survive in the wild.

We have created them as domestic animals. We must co-exist and take care of them (it is really a codependency as they take care of many of our needs as well).

And then, I tend to my Bearded Dragon and think. I've done my best to give her a suitable home. A 70 Gallon terrarium with climbing rocks and basking spots and delicious insects and fresh fruits and greens.

But how satisfied can a dragon actually be. I know that with all the caviar and fresh strawberries I could eat. A Jacuzzi and fine linen... I still would resent being cooped up in a room my entire life.

In my defense... all of my exotic critters are rescue animals... taken from those who wanted an exotic pet and then couldn't find the time or compassion to actually take care of it.

There are two points of view on this, in my opinion at least.

1. It's wrong because that animal should be in the wild, no animals should be tainted or kept as pets.

2. The animal might not make it if returned in his habitat so if you could take care of it, why not?

Anyway you look at it, the balance was broken and animals are the ones to loose, the sad thing is that some of us want extravagant pets but we are unable to protect an endangered species....

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.