Saturday, April 30, 2011

Pets should be renamed 'companions', claim animal rights academics (and rats are just 'free living')

We read:
"Animals should not be described as 'vermin', 'pests' or even 'pets', animal ethicists have decided. Academics say that traditional words used to characterise animals like 'beasts' and 'critters' are derogatory and should be replaced.

They say words like 'pests' and 'vermin' should be dropped altogether, and 'pets' replaced by 'companion animals'. 'Wild animals' should be termed 'free living or free ranging animals' they argue, because 'wildness' is too close to 'uncivilised'.

The call for a new 'animal language' has been made by the editors of a new academic journal, the Journal of Animal Ethics, published this month for the first time by the University of Illinois Press.

They said: 'Despite its prevalence, "pets" is surely a derogatory term both of the animals concerned and their human carers. 'Again the word "owners", whilst technically correct in law, harks back to a previous age when animals were regarded as just that: property, machines or things to use without moral constraint.'

But their semantic zeal does not end with man's best friends. They also argue for a new understanding of animals in their natural habitat. 'In addition, we invite authors to use the words "free-living", "free-ranging" or "free-roaming" rather than "wild animals",' they said.

'For most, "wildness" is synonymous with uncivilised, unrestrained, barbarous existence. There is an obvious prejudgment here that should be avoided.'

Source

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Probably shouldn't call the people who came up with this idea "morons" either but...

Brian from Rochester said...

Oh, My!

Now what will Charlie Brown say when things to go his way?

But I like the sound of Free Ranging! Those are the tastiest chickens, so it sounds like the menu just expanded! ;-)

Brian from Rochester said...

oops, meant to say "when things don't go his way"

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness for Free Ranging Cats. Without them Chinese food wouldn't taste nearly as good!

Dean said...

One wonders if they are as upset about businesses and 'Human Resources' departments. After all, that term intimates that employees are property to be used and then disposed of when no longer profitable.

Probably not. PETA types seem to be far less concerned about people than they are animals.

Anonymous said...

Dean, PETA kills animals and dumps them into dumpsters. They're anti western hypocrits.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,159861,00.html

Spurwing Plover said...

Sounds like the same PC poppycock i once heard from this MICHEAL W. FOX wacko He looks and talks like atotal doofus. RIO yes,RANGO no

Anonymous said...

Does that mean that homeless people are not really homeless but free ranging?

-btm

Anonymous said...

I'm the master and my dog is my servant or slave if you will. He lives to serve me.

Anonymous said...

"He lives to serve me."

What does he serve you? Beer, turds, dog fighting, what? Just asking.

Kee Bird said...

Magilla Gorilla living at PEEBLES COMPANTION ANIMAL SHOP

Jub jub Bird said...

Political Correctness a new word for stupid