Call animals ‘companions’ not ‘pets’, demand academics
April 28th, 2011 - 6:59 pm ICT by ANILondon, Apr 28 (ANI): Animal right academics have called for a new animal language, insisting that animals be described as ‘companions’ and not as ‘vermin’, ‘pests’ or even ‘pets’.
According to animal ethicists, traditional words used to characterize animals like ‘beasts’ and ‘critters’ are derogatory and should be replaced.
“Wild animals’ should be termed ‘free living or free ranging animals’ they argue, because ‘wildness’ is too close to ‘uncivilised’,” the Daily Mail quoted them as saying.
“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,” they added.
The study has been published in the Journal of Animal Ethics. (ANI)
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