Floof said:The brain fails me on forming words to respond right now. Darn it. lol.
One thing I wanted to say: Maybe my understanding here is limited, but, from where I stand, there seems to be a drastic difference between Animal Rights and Animal Welfare...
AR brings you people like PETA and HSUS who take it too far. Animals deserve human rights... Like lawyers. Humans shouldn't have any hand in any captive animal... Not even dogs, cats, cattle. Forget hunting for sustenance. That's as bad as murder. For all intents and purposes, HSUS and PETA appear to believe that animals are better off put to sleep than in captivity. Forget having them "grandfathered" in.
Animal Welfare, on the other hand, brings you people who care about the actual welfare, the actual quality of life, of animals. They don't seek to ban your ability to have a dog or enjoy the majesty that is the satisfied and well-kept captive snake, lizard, tortoise. They seek to educate and ensure that those captive animals ARE given the care they deserve.
Again, maybe my definition of these things is limited, but I wanted to share my understanding of what exactly AR and AW are. In hopes of understanding each other better.
Oh... And chocolate chip all the way.
Well that post confused me probably about as how many are confused about this thread in general. lol. Let's just all take it in.
I don't believe that most who profess a desire to promote "animal welfare" really know what that means. I have discussed this topic on another forum with people who are not particularly inclined to keep reptiles, but they seem to have some perspective. I'll quote one post from that forum and see what you think:
I'm not sure that reptiles want anything other than food and proper temperature and moisture. I question whether they are even capable of suffering in any sense comparable to mammals. Their nervous system and brain structure is so different. They have no cerebral cortex so it's hard to see how there can be any self awareness to experience the pain.
If you look into the eyes of a cat or dog or horse or dolphin or whale or cow there's a soul for lack of a better word looking back at you. Reptiles can be interesting creatures but there is nothing behind their eyes. I guess it's why some people find them repulsive. BTW I'm not suggesting that people should harm reptiles for no good reason. Even if they don't suffer, they are important, unique, a product of billions of years of evolution and all that.
I'm not saying I agree with that post, because I don't. But is this how some of you feel? That is really the vibe I'm getting from some. As long as they're safe and healthy, they're content since they don't have the capacity to feel anything else.