Calling animals 'pets' is insulting, academics claim

[The Straight Story]

Domestic dogs, cats, hamsters or budgerigars should be rebranded as “companion animals” while owners should be known as “human carers”, they insist.

Even terms such as wildlife are dismissed as insulting to the animals concerned – who should instead be known as “free-living”, the academics including an Oxford professor suggest.

The call comes from the editors of then Journal of Animal Ethics, a new academic publication devoted to the issue.

It is edited by the Revd Professor Andrew Linzey, a theologian and director of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics, who once received an honorary degree from the Archbishop of Canterbury for his work promoting the rights of “God’s sentient creatures”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8479391/Calling-animals-pets-is-insulting-academics-claim.html

[Scout]

1. mine are my fur kids n/t

[eShirl]

2. “Human carers?”

I thought it was "staff."

As in, "Cats don't have owners; they have staff."

[AtomicKitten]

3. Insulting to whom? I'm pretty sure my dog and two cats are cool with it.

[alfredo]

20. My cockatiel referred to me as her pet.

I felt used.

[AtomicKitten]

39. Well as long as you weren't insulted ...

----> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg1BqGReqqU

[Liberal Veteran]

4. Is it okay if call them pets and think "companion animal"?

I'm fairly certain my cats know their in charge, either way.

[BlueJazz]

5. I call my Chinchilla "Sweety-pie" Is that OK ?

[CountAllVotes]

21. gee that is the name I call one of my cats

I guess it is ok for you to use the same name as well ... whatta ya know about that = the same name for a cat! ;)

:dem:

[BlueJazz]

38. Chinchillas are kinda' like cats. They love you but refer to you as their "Servants".

:)

[Autumn]

6. My papillion calls me Grandma.

I call him Darlin or Baby, or Chico when he is in trouble.

[RKP5637]

7. My cat is my peer, of course he will say I'm his pet! n/t

[madinmaryland]

8. I am ordering up some extra popcorn with lots of butter!!

:popcorn:

[Buzz Clik]

9. I call my cat flea bag, fuzz bucket. el stupido, double dumbass. Never "pet". He's far too sensitive

Ridiculous.

[Cid_B]

10. Pretty sure if I call my dog "Dumbass"

but say it in a positive tone he will be overjoyed....

[rufus dog]

15. You uncaring bastard!

I call out "Hey Dipshit food time!" and he pops up and happily runs to his bowl.

[LARED]

11. Goofy

Phrases such as “sly as a fox, “eat like a pig” or “drunk as a skunk” are all unfair to animals, they claim.

How is that unfair to animals, Do animals have any notion of fairness?

[sarge43]

18. They might, but highly unlikely they understand human language. n/t

[baldguy]

12. Orchid's my buddy.

[xchrom]

16. Hi Orchid! Nt

[oldhippie]

13. They really don't need to be giving cats any more ideas ......

They are uppity enough as it is.

And a previous poster was right. Cats have "staff."

[blondeatlast]

14. "Reverend" it is then.

I think my pastor will be cool with that.

[LisaL]

17. Mine already think they are the cat's meow.

[xchrom]

19. ...

My animals are my family.

[hlthe2b]

22. Carer? You've got to be kidding..

My precious girl may just bite Professor Linzey for that....When it is thundering & lightening and she is terrified, I can guarantee she comes running to her "Mama".

[Edweird]

23. Ok, a dog that licks his own ass and eats cat poop is "insulted" by being called 'pet'. Srsly?

My pit seemed ok with being called 'stink butt'.
If he had a problem with it, he never said anything
to me about it.

[boppers]

24. I think we should call them: "blogwafffles"

I heard they liked that term more, and we mustn't insult our blogwaffle's feelings.

[seabeyond]

25. i am bettin the "pets" really dont care and are not taking offense. especially when loved. nt

[aquart]

26. "Pets" isn't pretentious enough for these idiots.

Is there some reason why they are incapable of using a dictionary?

Definition of PET
1
a : a pampered and usually spoiled child b : a person who is treated with unusual kindness or consideration : darling
2
: a domesticated animal kept for pleasure rather than utility

Merriam Webster

pet (pet)

noun

1. an animal that is tamed or domesticated and kept as a companion or treated with fondness
2. a person who is treated with particular affection or indulgence; favorite; darling

Origin: orig. Scot dial., prob. back-form. < ME pety, small: see petty

YourDictionary.com

[MadHound]

27. Insulting to whom? Oh, yeah, a few hyper politically correct folks.

The animals, being animals, don't care what you call them, just so long as you give them lots of love and care.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

28. Like the animals care

I call mine "pet," "fur face," "brat cat," "kitty boy," and sometimes even his name.

He just sits and blinks at all of them. (His real name is probably Your Royal Highness and Lord of All You Command, but he's not getting that from me.)

[undeterred]

29. My dog asked that I refer to him as my pack leader.

He's part malamute.

[LibertyFox]

30. I call him Sir Winkletwinkle Hawthorne Brisbane IV

But silly mundane people call him Martin. It makes him sad and he refuses to work on his symphonies and just lays around and meows.

[Recovered Repug]

31. I could call these professors "dumb as an ox".

However, I don't want to insult the ox.

[Dappleganger]

32. Insulting to whom?

[madrchsod]

33. she`s my baby...

a 40lb mix who thinks she`s a lap dog. my birds are murphy and laura.

[AsahinaKimi]

34. I am sure my cat doesn't care what I call him...

Its not going to mess with his fine cat mind.

[Retrograde]

46. ...as long as you don't call him Late for Dinner!

I call mine Idiot Cat, Furball, Fuzzbrain, Dimbulb, Your Highness, and Ivan, among other things. He answers about as well to his actual name as anything else.

[AsahinaKimi]

47. Buzzy

Has a dozen names too, and responds to Neko, crazy Gato, Buzz, Buddy, furball, Meow, and sometimes I just think about him, and he's near by he will make a comment..in his own way.

[sylvi]

35. After conferring with my kitteh

for several hours on the subject over brandy and cigars, his final opinion on the subject is, "Meh."

[KT2000]

36. LOL!

Liked that one! :rofl:

[joeybee12]

37. Most of us with animals in our homes know we're their pets,

they own us.

[flvegan]

40. Human carers? I prefer...Guardians.

I defer to my friends at In Defense of Animals.

http://www.guardiancampaign.com/

[kestrel91316]

41. Linzey can bite me and then go abuse himself. We refer to them as pets at times

and companion animals at times, and friends and children and fur persons and all manner of other names. We don't need some religious busybody telling us what to call them.

And NO, I am not going to start calling my clients "human carers", especially since a lot of them don't care one whit about their animals' welfare. They are CLIENTS and PET OWNERS (gasp, pets are in fact property that is owned), and we also call them moms and dads and uncles and aunts, but NOBODY is going to dictate to me what I call them.

[deaniac21]

42. I call my pet dog, professor.

[BulletproofLandshark]

43. Guess what, academics?

The animals don't give a fuck what you call them!

[Maru Kitteh]

44. Those who treat their housemates (any species) poorly have captives, the rest of us have companions

I can't imagine what could be controversial about this.

[sarge43]

45. I mentioned this to our macaw, Captain (note who ranks whom).

She mulled it over for moment and condescended to answer, "Whatever. I want a peanut, carer."

[Rincewind]

48. I have two cats,

Shithead and Dumbfuck. I usually call them fur covered parasites. Actually, their names are Jasmine and Max. They are sister and brother, about 10 months old. They are happy, friendly, affectionate, and have absolutely no concept of personal space. They assure me that I am their favorite cat toy.

[readmoreoften]

49. "Academics" don't claim this. Two professors do.

I am "academic" and I find linguistic idealism irritating.

[JCMach1]

50. I am pretty sure they don't care as long as the food, pettings and walks keep coming

[Chris_Texas]

51. Good grief.

[Warren DeMontague]

52. People getting "paid" to come up with this gibberish

that is what is insulting.

[joshcryer]

53. wtf. they have names. you don't call your pets pets, you call them by their name

the word 'pet' is used to refer to them generally, but they're not around to hear about it :P

[Raine]

54. Mine are my "babies" or "the kids"

I love them so much, they're members of the family. :-)

[mucifer]

55. I like the Spanish word for pet "mascota" as in the family's mascot.

[dipsydoodle]

56. I call my newt tiny

cos he's minute.

[Quantess]

57. "Academics say" this story is full of shit.