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By Morgan Wendt Across the United States, more than 50 million homes choose dogs as their companion animals, according to a survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association. In addition to providing exercise and stimulation, taking the dog for a walk can help decrease destructive behaviors, help with weight loss, and improve socialization. Furthermore, walking can help caretakers feel closer to their animals and can improve the physical and mental health of humans. Taking the dog for a walk, however, may not be as straightforward as it seems. Retractable leashes are an option often promoted in pet stores as easy to use and providing the most freedom to your dog, but can actually cause harm to both animals and humans, and should be banned from use.
So, what exactly is a retractable leash, and how is it different from a regular one? A standard leash is exactly what you think of when you imagine a dog leash. It’s a woven cord that’s a few inches wide and 6-12 feet long, usually with a metal clasp on one end to attach to a collar, and a loop at the other end that serves as a handle for the caretaker to control the leash. A retractable leash is usually a thin cord, just a few centimeters in diameter, that is attached to a reeling mechanism. This mechanism automatically retracts when there is no tension on it, hence the name “retractable leash”. These mechanisms also come with two buttons on the handle, one to lock the mechanism so the leash no longer retracts and the pet can stay on the current length of leash, and another button to release the lock. These leashes can vary in length, but can be anywhere from 12 to 30 feet. By Nicki Jecha When I was a kid, I would beg my mom to go to the pet store so I could look at all of the nonhuman animals there. I would see all of the animals and think to myself, “wow they are so cute. I want all of them”. I still do that sometimes, but now when I do that, I think about the commitment it takes to have these animals. Most people do not take time to research the care that goes into keeping companion animals, specifically reptiles. This leads to a poor quality of life for the animals. The popularity of exotic animals is high enough that the exotic animal trade is still prevalent, and most reptiles are taken from the wild where they have a limited chance of surviving. This is why I think exotic reptiles should not be sold in pet stores.
Before talking about the logistics of why some exotic reptiles should not be sold as companion animals, let’s define what “exotic” means. According to Lianne McLeod, DVM, an exotic companion animal can be loosely defined as companion animal that is not a dog, cat, or farm animal. It is a companion animal you would not normally think of in a household. The key word in this definition is “loosely”. Defining a companion animal as exotic or not depends on the context you want to describe the animal in. Some people may not think of a bearded dragon when naming popular companion animals, so it would be considered exotic (the bearded dragon is the lizard in the picture above). Yet it is a common reptile to see in a pet store. I have more personal knowledge about exotic companion animals in pet stores because I work at a chain pet store. I spend a lot of time educating people on the care of reptiles because a lot of reptiles have more requirements than small animals (hamsters, guinea pigs, etc.). Reptiles all have different heat and humidity requirements we as caretakers have to adhere to, and a lot of people don’t know that. There are reptile enthusiasts that want to give those animals the best life, but that is not necessarily the target audience of a chain pet store. Lack of knowledge is a big component in the neglection of reptiles. The assumption is that you can walk into a pet store, buy a nonhuman animal you think looks cool, and then walk out with this animal and have he/she live a full life. This is not the case with reptiles. There are many common issues associated with reptile neglect including metabolic bone disease due poor diet, inappropriate temperatures and humidity, which can cause thermal stress, and inappropriate handling. By Reed Seifert Let’s start with a quick narrative to set the scene- the story of Rudy and Louie. As a child I was desperate to bring a furry companion into my life, so at the tender age of 10 I lobbied my parents relentlessly to get a dog. I used all the plays in the play book and pulled every trick from my sleeve, and eventually they caved. I was thrilled to have gotten my way, however my mother and father agreed on one condition- the dog was to be kept in a kennel in the garage. Unfazed by this stipulation we bought our first dog, a Yellow Lab bred specifically for hunting and named him Rudy. My life was complete with the new addition to the family, or so I thought. When Rudy became too large to keep in the house my parents enacted their one condition, and bought a 9’ x 6’ kennel for the garage.
Five years later my younger sister began to press our parents for her own dog. She must have taken notes on my tactics, because she too was successful. Her breed of choice was a cute little white Cavachon with big black eyes and a round face. The fur ball named Louie quickly earned the nickname “Lou-cifer” for his constant carpet-pooping, carpet-peeing, and (worst of all) sock-eating tendencies. Despite all the mayhem and destruction Louie brought to our house, he received the keys to the castle. And so I thought, “Why was Rudy locked in a 50 Square foot kennel eating kibble, while Louie lived in our 2,000 Square foot house eating home cooked dog food?” This is the question prompted my research into how socially constructed roles for dogs have led to such a radical disparity in living conditions. By Emma Fendrick Tail docking is a total or partial amputation of a dog’s tail. It is illegal in areas such as England and Australia, however in the United States the legality of tail docking becomes unclear. This procedure is legal for veterinarians to perform if they have the proper license to do so. However, in many cases dog breeders are taking it upon themselves to do the procedure themselves. I will be discussing the tail docking procedure, risk factors of docking a dog’s tail and also why as a society we dock dogs’ tails. Tail docking is animal abuse and should stop being a common practice.
By Holly Blooflat One of the hardest parts of living a plant-based lifestyle is caring for other animals. The concept of “owning” companion animals is challenging enough but deciding how to continue your vegan lifestyle while caring for carnivorous creatures, such as cats, is rather perplexing. With hopes of answering some of your questions, I present you with some basic background knowledge of cats and some of the pros and cons of a plant-based cat diet from the perspective of a vegan human.
By Michelle StorupI'm going to provide evidence-based information that supports the need for domestic cats not to roam free in most situations. Even so, I don't believe domestic cats need to stay indoors 24/7. For the purpose of considering the pro-animal perspective, I will present reasonable solutions for keeping them safe within their human companion's property.
By Dr. G (Carol Glasser) Students in the Spring 2017 section of Society and Animals (SOC 285W: Special Topics) took a survey measuring their attitudes toward nonhuman animals in the first day of class and again 14 weeks later, toward the end of the semester.
By Sam Orinstien When most people seek out a companion animal such as a cat or dog, the first thought in their mind isn’t based on rescuing a nonhuman animal; but maybe it should be taken into consideration. Animal shelters in the United States take in an average of 324,000 animals a year from previous owners for a variety of reasons. The reasons for giving up an animal to a shelter can range from financial/housing issues or death of an owner to behavioral issues. There are many people who don’t have the patience or the means to take care of a pet and the result is millions of animals in our shelters. It seems wrong to buy animals from a breeder trying to make a business off of these living beings instead of saving one of the many who desperately need a human companion.
By Anonymous To all of those who have ever been to a pet store and stopped to notice the vibrant Betta fish in their tiny jars: Have you ever wondered why they are packed in there like that? Do you ever consider what these small, beautiful creatures go through to get there? Betta fish usually start their journey from breeding stations in Asia and are then shipped to the United States to be sold in pet stores across the nation. The unfortunate history of the Betta fish affects how they are viewed as companion animals, and many people are unaware of how this history effects how Betta fish are cared for today. When considering bringing a Betta fish into one’s life, it is important to educate oneself about the proper care that the Betta fish needs.
By Anonymous I have a vivid memory from when I was growing up in suburbia, right outside the twin cities of Minnesota, where my elementary school held a ring toss tournament. I recall being excited for the big first place prize that was a beautiful, vibrant red Betta fish. Remembering the event is always so sad for me, even more so now, because I was so close to my victory of achieving the red flashing prize to only be dashed with a second place letdown. I had then been forced to watch another child run around and splash the poor Betta fish around in its tiny little container. I believe that the Betta fish did not even make it through the night before he went belly up.
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This is a website about nonhuman animals, written by human animals taking a Society and Animals class at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Archives
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