Animals Used for Companionship
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By Jace Maddock
My cats Nigel, Whip, and Buzz are decently good brothers to each other. Even if there’s a hiss or swat attempt, my house is far from the plot of the Lion King. Want to know why? They were properly introduced when they were brought home. Reported by Forbes in 2024, 46.5 million households in the United States are home to a cat. A study in 2019 surveyed 547 people with a result of 42% of people having 2 or more cats in a house. The importance of the way cats get introduced directly impacts the way they behave towards each other and in their environment. Cats first interaction is imperative and without the correct set up, they risk having behavioral issues in their home. |
REALITY BEHIND THE WRINKLES:
THE PAINFUL TRUTH ABOUT PUG BREEDING
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By Allison Wasieleski
Although it is easy for pugs to win over our hearts with their undying affection, squishable faces, and silly snorts, there is an upsetting truth lying underneath their adorable exteriors. Selectively breeding pugs to get this adorable look has resulted in pugs experiencing debilitating medical issues at the hands of humans. Selectively breeding pugs to the point of deformation and persistent medical issues is both unethical and irresponsible. |
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THE ETHICS OF REPTILE MORPHS
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By Lidia Vassar
Reptiles in the pet trade, like most other nonhuman animals kept as companions, come in a variety of colors. As with all selective breeding, unfortunate side effects are a reality. There are times, like in the case of the spider ball pythonand the enigma leopard gecko, however, that these side effects can severely alter the individual’s quality of life. The breeding of reptile morphs who suffer from predictable and preventable issues, whether they are neurological or more physical in nature, is not ethical and should not be treated as a normalcy of the reptile breeding industry. |
WHY RETRACTABLE LEASHES SHOULD BE BANNED
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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. |
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WILD FOR A REASON: EXOTIC REPTILES IN PET STORES
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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. |
THE KENNEL AND THE CASTLE: HOW A DOG’S ASSIGNED PURPOSE DETERMINES ITS LIVING CONDITIONS
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By Reed Seifert
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. |
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HEATED COMPANION FOR ORPHANED ANIMALS
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By Danielle Morgan
This object consists of a stuffed animal with a heating cell inside to make it warm. With this object the frightened dogs or other animals can have a soft, warm friend that does not need to be a human or another animal and orphaned animals can have the feeling of a “mother” to console them. |
ANIMALS AS WE LIKE THEM
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By Aislinn Ambrose-Rossow
Throughout history, humans have meddled with the appearance of animals to make them more appealing to the human eye. Breeding animals to display certain visual characteristics is often detrimental to the wellbeing of the animals themselves. To obtain what a human desires in an animal, an animal may have to be bred artificially, incestually, or unnaturally - sometimes suffering from major health issues as a result. |
THE CRUELTY OF TAIL-DOCKING
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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. |
NO-KILL? OR NO-UNREASONABLE-KILL
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By Jenna Berry
Have you ever walked into a humane society’s shelter area? If you have, you know the feeling you get all too well – your stomach drops, your heart swells, you feel the need to save them all… Even if you haven’t, I’m sure you can still imagine those eyes, looking at you full of hope, loneliness, and sorrow. Now imagine the worst-case scenario – those potential companions are killed, simply because no one wants them or there is not enough room in the shelter for the amount of nonhuman animals coming in those doors with you. Wouldn’t you stop that if you could? That is why I choose to support no-kill shelters, where no healthy or treatable nonhuman animals are euthanized. If a nonhuman animal has the potential to be someone’s companion, it’s worth it to give them a greater chance at life. |
PLANT BASED CATS: A VEGAN PERSPECTIVE
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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. |
DOMESTIC CATS SHOULD STAY ON THEIR HUMAN COMPANION’S PROPERTY
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By Michelle Storup
I'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. |
OBTAINING A COMPANION ANIMAL: TO SHOP OR ADOPT?
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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 BAGGAGE THAT COMES WITH HAVING CLAWS
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By Emily Mosher
Do you know what happens on that operating table when a cat gets declawed? Well I am letting you know that these next couple of paragraphs will not be for the light-hearted. These next paragraphs will be descriptive, and highly grotesque, just like a declawing procedure is for a cat. Declawing cats is wrong and here is why. |
ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES FOR NON-HUMAN ANIMALS
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by Krista Wermerskirchen
When the Michael Vick’s dog fighting operation was busted in April of 2007, there were 51 pit bulls that were rescued. One of the pit bulls, Little, was adopted by a woman who had to be patient with her and work with Little’s trauma that she will have for the rest of her life. Little is just one of many non-human animals who benefits from alternative therapies used on animals. |
TO VACCINATE OR NOT? THAT IS THE QUESTION
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By Kallie Wolseth
What are vaccines? Vaccines are serums or sprays that are designed to prevent an animal, human or non-human, from falling ill. Vaccines work by exposing the body to a weakened, killed, or synthetic bacteria or virus. |
IT'S A DOG EAT DOG WORLD
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By Emily Baker
Vegan dog food is not cheap by any means. So rather than put all of the emphasis on buying plant based dog food it is important to also take a look at the horrendous operation that is the sourcing and manufacturing of the meat in mass produced dog food. |
