PETA

[volcob]

i've had plenty of chances to discuss about my opinion with some PETA (People for Ethical Treatment on Animals)advocates

their basic ground is that animals have feelings just like humans

and that we should let them in the wild

my question is: do animals express and feel emotionally? or they just live on instinc?

shall we stop taking custody of them in zooz and our homes as peta have been advocating?

[alextemplet]

I think it depends on the animal; some have emotions and some don't. That said, I think some animals (especially pet dogs, for example) really enjoy living with humans and would not appreciate having to fend for themselves in the wild.

[volcob]

they say that these animals can't express well unless they are left alone naturally(in the wild)

imagine yourself imprisoned

so they insist that we set even the dogs free

[sob]

Animals do feel emotions and they even express emotions. I think you can keep them as pets but keeping in the zoo doesn’t seem right, just as volcob said "Imagine yourself imprisoned?"

[alextemplet]

Many pets, even when allowed freedom such as not having a leash, voluntarily choose to stay near or return home, thus showing that thay seem to enjoy captivity.

[volcob]

Many pets, even when allowed freedom such as not having a leash, voluntarily choose to stay near or return home, thus showing that thay seem to enjoy captivity.

oh! i see but this animals have long been tamed and domesticated so that being near to human is already somewhat encoded in their genes

but i dont think its their natural..

[volcob]

Animals do feel emotions and they even express emotions. I think you can keep them as pets but keeping in the zoo doesn’t seem right, just as volcob said "Imagine yourself imprisoned?"

in one of our biology discussion, our instructor told us that lower forms of animals (reptiles etc) with respect to evolutionary tree only cared about the acquisition of food and their safety

therefore they do not emote

[alextemplet]

It's probably a mistake to look at keeping pets as an unnatural exploitation of another species. If anything, it's a form of mutually beneficial symbiosis, and therefore perfectly natural. For example, consider the relationship between early humans and their dogs. Both species freely chose to live together and both benefitted from it.

[mith]

One of the questions you need to ask yourself about emotion is whether it is a real emotion you're detecting or simply a physiological response.

For example a baby's cry is not an emotion of sadness/anger etc...it's a reflex action to get attention for milk/diaper change etc.

[Jones]

Another from PETA! I joined their site about a year ago, and am now a vegitarian because of it.
Animals are people too!

[MrMistery]

If you ask me that's rubbish. A lion doesn't care that a gazelle has feelings when it goes hunting, why should I care a cow has feelings when I go to the supermarket. Don't get me wrong, I am not an advocate of cruelty towards animals and generally love animals. But that is how the food chain works.

[Jones]

Honestly I agree with you. I just don't like how the food is produced and distributed and how dirty and nasty and well, just plain sick the whole thing is.
I don't care if the end product tastes good, the thought of what our food goes through makes me want to vomit.
Even vegitables, but I like the fact that I can wash and prepare them myself.