Originally Posted by Lexiedhb

Basically it boils down to this.... you HAVE to make this call- who would you put to sleep your mother/husband/sister/brother/best mate or your dog.

(This is assuming you love the human and the dog)

Originally Posted by springerpete

I dont hold with the idea that any creature is lower or higher than any other, we all have our different slots to fill in the world. I love my dogs, I love the time we share together, I love the fact that they are happy to work alongside me. I never, however, think of them as anything other than dogs, why would I do so, for that's what they are, and to think of them in any other way, as some seem to, would be, I believe, doing them a great injustice.

Originally Posted by Dogless

Absolutely this ^^^^^; just put into words by Pete far, far more eloquently than I could manage.

Originally Posted by springerpete

I dont hold with the idea that any creature is lower or higher than any other, we all have our different slots to fill in the world. I love my dogs, I love the time we share together, I love the fact that they are happy to work alongside me. I never, however, think of them as anything other than dogs, why would I do so, for that's what they are, and to think of them in any other way, as some seem to, would be, I believe, doing them a great injustice.

Originally Posted by Lexiedhb

Woah- whilst I agree that dogs can be family members, surely a humans life (especially that of one known to us) HAS to be more important than that of a dog? So long as the human in question was a reasonable one- not a murderer, rapist etc

Or where do you draw the line? Cat? Hamster? Pig (as clever as a dog- in that they have the capacity to learn- can be trained) but we slaughter them daily? any other pet species? Monkey- very similar to ourselves?

Originally Posted by springerpete

I dont hold with the idea that any creature is lower or higher than any other, we all have our different slots to fill in the world. I love my dogs, I love the time we share together, I love the fact that they are happy to work alongside me. I never, however, think of them as anything other than dogs, why would I do so, for that's what they are, and to think of them in any other way, as some seem to, would be, I believe, doing them a great injustice.

Originally Posted by VioletRoses1000

Yeah, I agree. It'd be genetically wrong if my mom gave birth to a Siberian Husky anyway

Originally Posted by newfiesmum

Why? I don't see that humans are any more important than any other animal on the planet, and let's not forget that humans are animals.



I don't think one is doing a dog any favours by not treating it like a dog. If you don't you would be serving him egg and chips and expecting him to sit and watch telly!

Certainly they are dogs, and they should be treated as dogs in that we buy them dog food and take them for nice walks and places they like to go, not places we like to go. Just like we would take our children to a theme park though we would rather be at home on the internet or watching telly.

But that doesn't mean they are worth any less, or that they don't mean as much to us. If I still had small children, they would be more important than the dogs, but I don't and I don't consider my adult children to be dependent on me as the dogs are. My son is, of course, but even he knows who comes first.

When a social worker was assessing him for possible independent living, she asked what would be the first thing he would do if there was a fire. He replied straight away: "I'd get the dogs out". She looked quite astounded and asked: "what about dialing the fire brigade?" "Yes," says Ian. "But I'd get the dogs out first".

Originally Posted by springerpete

Hmmmm. not quite getting the comparison here??