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Essay on Benefits of Having Pets

Students are often asked to write an essay on Benefits of Having Pets in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Benefits of Having Pets

Introduction.

Pets are more than just animals; they are friends and family members. Having a pet can bring many benefits.

Physical Health Benefits

Pets, especially dogs, encourage physical activity. Walking or playing with a pet can keep you fit and healthy.

Mental Health Benefits

Pets offer emotional support and reduce stress. Their companionship can make you feel happy and loved.

Learning Responsibility

Taking care of a pet teaches responsibility. You learn to feed, groom, and take care of another living being.

Social Benefits

250 words essay on benefits of having pets, the therapeutic power of pets.

Pets offer more than just companionship. They provide therapeutic benefits, which are particularly significant in today’s fast-paced, high-stress world. Studies reveal that interactions with pets can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Psychological Benefits

Pets also have a profound impact on mental health. Interacting with pets has been shown to release endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that produce a sense of happiness and well-being. This can help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. Pets also provide a sense of purpose and responsibility, which can be beneficial for individuals struggling with mental health issues.

Pets and Social Connections

In addition to health benefits, pets can also enhance social connections. They act as social catalysts, increasing opportunities for social interactions and helping to build a sense of community. This is particularly helpful for individuals who may feel isolated or struggle with social interactions.

Physical Health and Fitness

Pets, especially dogs, encourage physical activity. Regular walks or play sessions help maintain a healthy lifestyle, contributing to weight management and overall fitness.

Concluding Thoughts

In conclusion, the benefits of having pets extend beyond companionship. They contribute to physical and mental health, foster social connections, and encourage a healthier lifestyle. As such, pets can be seen as an investment in one’s overall well-being.

500 Words Essay on Benefits of Having Pets

Encouraging physical activity.

Pets, particularly dogs, encourage their owners to engage in regular physical activity. Dog owners, for instance, are more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements than non-dog owners, according to the American Heart Association. This is because dogs need to be walked and played with regularly, which in turn promotes physical activity in their owners. This increased level of exercise can help to reduce obesity rates and improve overall physical health.

Boosting Social Interaction

Pets can also act as social catalysts, improving their owners’ social lives. Dog parks and pet-friendly cafes offer opportunities for pet owners to interact with each other, facilitating the formation of new friendships and social networks. Pets can also provide a common interest or talking point, making it easier to initiate conversations and build relationships. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals who struggle with social interaction, such as those with social anxiety or autism.

Teaching Responsibility and Empathy

Increasing life satisfaction.

Finally, pets can significantly increase life satisfaction. The unconditional love and companionship provided by pets can help to improve mood and reduce stress, leading to increased happiness and well-being. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that pet owners reported greater self-esteem, were more physically fit, were less lonely, were more conscientious, were more socially outgoing, and had healthier relationship styles (i.e., they were less fearful and less preoccupied) than non-owners.

In conclusion, the benefits of having pets extend far beyond simple companionship. They offer a range of physical, emotional, and social benefits, and can significantly improve the quality of life for their owners. Whether it’s through encouraging physical activity, boosting social interaction, teaching responsibility and empathy, or simply providing unconditional love and companionship, pets truly enrich our lives in a multitude of ways.

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Louise B. Miller Ph.D.

Animal Behavior

The psychological and physical benefits of having a pet, pets can improve our health and well-being..

Posted October 26, 2020 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

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Pets are an essential part of our psychological toolkit and a great source of comfort. The experience of spending time with an animal is beneficial in the context of your overall health and well-being.

Petting, holding, or cuddling an animal increases the levels of serotonin and dopamine in our bodies, which are feel-good, calming brain chemicals. As a result of these positive chemical changes, our feelings of depression and loneliness may be reduced while our self-esteem and happiness may increase. Interacting with pets can serve to reduce your blood pressure, slow your heart rate, and decrease the level of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. High levels of cortisol can cause the buildup of plaque in the arteries of your heart; this can lead to a heart attack. Even just watching fish swimming around in an aquarium can be a calming and relaxing experience.

Studies have shown that owning a pet may reduce the symptoms of depression, provide a sense of purpose, increase self-confidence , and provide comfort to their owners. Seniors who are depressed or lonely benefit greatly from having a pet to care for and love; it makes them feel needed, which promotes self-confidence and self-esteem. Pets also provide structure and routine to daily life because they require regular care and feeding. Our pets are a welcome sight when we return home following a long or stressful day. Dogs, especially, are palpably happy to see you when you’ve been away.

Dog ownership is immensely therapeutic. A dog requires daily walks; this means that their owners, too, experience fresh air and exercise on a daily basis, thus lowering their risk of succumbing to heart disease. Dog walking also decreases the extent to which humans can isolate themselves. While out and about, walking our dogs, we encounter numerous opportunities to strike up conversations with people whom we might otherwise have never met. People often pass each other on the street without saying a word — but having a dog present is a natural conversation-starter.

Some dogs can sense when you, their owner — their family — are sad or unhappy. They will often respond by nudging you with their paw or head — or they’ll simply sit by your side to let you know that they’re there. Children often prefer to confide their feelings to a pet rather than an adult. Law students who are anxious and stressed before exams have benefited significantly from visits to their schools by therapy dogs.

Many law schools are now allowing therapy dogs onto their campuses to alleviate the pressure of exams among their students. Certified therapy dogs are brought in by their owners, and the students are allowed to pet the dogs and sit with them. The experience of doing so offers students a welcome diversion from their studies and eases their levels of stress, anxiety , and tension. Therapy dogs have, likewise, become part of children’s library reading programs and also provide comfort to people who are in or who work in nursing homes, hospitals, and funeral homes.

Any animal can be a source of social support. Just having another living being whom you can talk to, hug, love — and who needs you — can alleviate feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. Dogs and cats are great sources of comfort and companionship. However, if you are allergic to dogs or cats — or if you don’t want or are not in a position to be able to fulfill the commitment of owning one — then an aquarium is an excellent choice. Aquariums are inexpensive and are relatively low-maintenance. The sound of the filter can also be relaxing, as well as the experience of watching the fish while they swim.

Louise B. Miller Ph.D.

Louise B. Miller, Ph.D., is an Integrative Mental Health Specialist in Southern California. She is the author of Psychological First Aid: Removing the Stigma & Reframing the Way We Think about Mental Illness.

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Why Dogs are the Best Pets: Exploting Persuasive Arguments

Table of contents, unconditional love and loyalty, stress relief and emotional support, encouragement of physical activity, enhanced social interactions, protection and security.

  • Odendaal, J. S. (2000). Animal-assisted therapy—Magic or medicine? Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 49(4), 275-280.
  • Anderson, W. P., & Reid, C. M. (1992). The short-term effects of pet therapy on the elderly. Gerontology, 38(6), 307-310.
  • Wood, L., Martin, K., Christian, H., Nathan, A., Lauritsen, C., Houghton, S., ... & McCune, S. (2015). The pet factor—Companion animals as a conduit for getting to know people, friendship formation and social support. PLoS ONE, 10(4), e0122085.
  • Wells, D. L. (2009). The effects of animals on human health and well-being. Journal of Social Issues, 65(3), 523-543.
  • Nagasawa, M., Mogi, K., & Kikusui, T. (2009). Attachment between humans and dogs. Japanese Psychological Research, 51(3), 209-221.

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Essay on My Pet in 150, 250, and 350 Words for Students

having a pet essay

  • Updated on  
  • Jan 12, 2024

Essay on my pet

Essay on My Pet: Pets are wonderful companions, there is no denying that. Pets provide us with immense love and affection and ask for very little in return. Dogs are “man’s best friend”, this particular phrase has been heard for centuries now, and for a good reason too. Dogs are protective, they are loyal, and are always there for you. There are a lot of reasons as to why dogs make great pets. They comfort and support us in our difficult times. For centuries they have been the most popular pets in the world and it is no surprise as they have been our faithful friends.

Talking about one’s pet is just so exciting and fun. People can go on and on talking about their pets and not stop. Doing the same, we have moulded some of those words in the form of samples of essay on My Pet in 150, 250 and 300 words for students. Let’s have a look at them. 

Table of Contents

  • 1 Essay on My Pet in 150 words
  • 2 Essay on My Pet in 250 words
  • 3 Essay on My Pet in 300 words

having a pet essay

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Essay on My Pet in 150 words

I have a pet dog and his name is Chandler. He is named after my favourite “ Friends ” character and has been with us for the last nine months. His colour is golden and his tail is bushy as he is a golden retriever. Chandler is very energetic and likes to play a lot with all of us. He runs extremely fast when chasing cats. He is very playful. We take good care of his diet. I give him foods like eggs, meat, fish, bread, rice, etc. Whenever I return from school, he wags his tail in joy and jumps and hops all around me as if celebrating. Chandler knows everybody in our family and whenever he sees a new person, he barks at them, but he is sweet and does not bite anyone. He is very intelligent as well and gives us handshakes with his paws. He understands whatever we tell, and on command, he sits and rolls over too. He is an essential part of our family and we all love him very much.

Also Read:- Essay on My Hobby

Essay on My Pet in 250 words

My pet dog is a Golden Retriever and his name is Cheddar. He is named after a dog seen on the famous sitcom “Brooklyn 99”. Cheddar is a very energetic and playful dog. He likes to go on walks a lot and play with frisbees and balls. My dad brought him home a year ago. Although I somewhat wanted a cat, now I love him the most. Bella, my sister is crazy about dogs, she wanted a dog since time immemorial. At first, our mother was sceptical about getting a pet, but now Cheddar is her favourite. She treats him just like the way she treats us. 

My sister is particular about his timely vaccinations, eating habits, cleanliness, etc. She bathes him twice a week and every evening, we take him out for a stroll in the neighbourhood as well as the park. As mentioned before, Cheddar is quite active. Hence, we play with him in the park a lot. We throw a ball or a frisbee and play a game of fetch with him. He likes to roll in the leaves and it is fun to watch him do so. Along with being active, Cheddar is smart as well. At home, when his food is served, as long as we don’t say the word “go” he patiently waits. On command, he jumps and shakes hands with us using his paw. When told, he can roll over too. He amuses us with his daily fetching of random things like slippers, or one of his toys. We love him with all our heart and he has become an essential member of our family.

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Essay on My Pet in 300 words

My pet’s name is Mario. He is a two-year-old German Shepherd. I was in 6th grade when my father brought Mario home when he was just 45 days old. His cute little face was so fluffy I could just hug and kiss him all day. I bought a soccer ball, with which he and I used to play all day long. Being in school, I used to think about what is he doing right now or today I’ll take him for a walk to the park, where we will play soccer, etc. 

His unconditional love has always been there as a stress reliever. His loyalty, unwavering support and companionship have been with me in my good and bad times. Now that he is an adult, I have taken all his responsibilities like feeding him, bathing him, taking him for walks, etc. 

Mario once fell ill due to a cold, and whatever he was eating, he was not able to digest it. I got s worried that I took him to the vet, where he was given a penicillin shot as an antibiotic treatment. I was so scared that I held him with my hands and he was lying there, unconscious. Two hours later, he gained his consciousness and started licking my face. All my sorrow and sadness vanished away in a second, seeing his beautiful eyes and fluffy tail wavering all over the table. 

Now that he is completely healthy, I take him for his walks every day, where he is always filled with excitement to explore the other world. As a loyal friend, my dog, Mario, has never demanded anything except for 3 times of meals and a walk. Whether it’s a game of fetch in the backyard or a stroll in the park, every shared moment is a treasure that adds richness to my life.

I have a pet dog and his name is Chandler. He is named after my favourite “Friends” character and has been with us for the last nine months. His colour is golden and his tail is bushy as he is a golden retriever. Chandler is very energetic and likes to play a lot with all of us. He runs extremely fast when chasing cats. He is very playful. We take good care of his diet. I give him foods like eggs, meat, fish, bread, rice, etc. Whenever I return from school, he wags his tail in joy and jumps and hops all around me as if celebrating. Chandler knows everybody in our family and whenever he sees a new person, he barks at them, but he is sweet and does not bite anyone. He is very intelligent as well and gives us handshakes with his paws. He understands whatever we tell, and on command, he sits and rolls over too. He is an essential part of our family and we all love him a lot.

Both cats and dogs make wonderful pets, each offering unique qualities that appeal to different people. Cats are generally more independent animals. Dogs are social animals that thrive on companionship. They usually need more attention, exercise, and social interaction.

Dogs are known as the best friends of humans because they bring loyalty, joyous moments, unconditional love and life-teaching lessons. Some of the best dog breeds for domestication are German Shepherd, Siberian Huskey, Golden Retriever, Labrador, Beagle and Boxer.

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My Pet Essay

500 words essay on my pet.

Pets are a blessing that only lucky people get to have. I have been lucky enough to have many pets since my childhood. My pet is a cat whom we call Mingi. It is white and grey in colour. Mingi is 3 years old and has been with me ever since she was born. Through my pet essay, I will make you learn all about Mingi and why it is so dear to me.

my pet essay

How Mingi Became My Pet Essay

Mingi has short hair and also a glossy coat. It is a female and love to have milk and chicken. Sometimes, I treat it with fish as it loves the taste of tuna. Moreover, Mingi is a very loving pet that stays with me at all times.

Ever since I was little, I liked cats. I love how clean and majestic they are. Although, there were no plans to keep a pet cat. My mother did not allow me as she would end up doing all the work for the pet.

However, she used to keep a bowl of fresh water in our garden to ensure no birds or animals remain thirsty during the summer season. A lot of pigeons and sparrows come to my garden to quench their thirst.

One fine day, a cat came to drink the water. It started coming regularly afterwards and gave birth to kittens in our garden. My mother gave them food as well and some milk every day.

However, one day all of them were gone except for a little kitten. I started to feed it regularly and became close to it. As the mother did not return, I decided to keep it as my pet.

After taking permission from my mother, I finally got to keep Mingi by promising to bear its responsibility. Ever since Mingi has been in my life. It was so little but now has grown into a big and beautiful cat.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

A Clean Pet

Cats are one of the cleanest pets that do not require a lot of effort to maintain. I hardly have to worry about Mingi being dirty as it cleans itself regularly. I conduct a bathing session every month with my mother.

It is not easy but Mingi is now used to it. We also comb Mingi’s coat twice a week so no dead hair remains and her hygiene is intact. Moreover, it may sound rare but we also brush Mingi’s teeth every week.

During winters , Mingi gets cold so we have got her a warm coat to protect her from the cold. Mingi remains indoors mostly and never dirties our house. Ever since it was little, she knew where to relieve herself so she’s always been low maintenance and love.

Conclusion Of My Pet Essay

All in all, Mingi has been a blessing that happened by chance. However, she is now an inseparable part of my life. I love spending time with her and she manages to make my saddest days happier.

FAQ on My Pet Essay

Question 1: Why are pets important?

Answer 1: Pets like cats and dogs can reduce the stress and anxiety of a person. Moreover, they also help to ease loneliness and reduce depression. Children become more secure and active when they care for animals .

Question 2: What do pets need?

Answer 2: Pets needs food, water, shelter, exercise, and socializing. It is essential to give your pet all this so they can lead a comfortable and happy life.

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NIH News in Health

A monthly newsletter from the National Institutes of Health, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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February 2018

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The Power of Pets

Health Benefits of Human-Animal Interactions

Illustration of people with different types of pets

Nothing compares to the joy of coming home to a loyal companion. The unconditional love of a pet can do more than keep you company. Pets may also decrease stress, improve heart health, and even help children with their emotional and social skills.

An estimated 68% of U.S. households have a pet. But who benefits from an animal? And which type of pet brings health benefits?

Over the past 10 years, NIH has partnered with the Mars Corporation’s WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition to answer questions like these by funding research studies.

Scientists are looking at what the potential physical and mental health benefits are for different animals—from fish to guinea pigs to dogs and cats.

Possible Health Effects

Research on human-animal interactions is still relatively new. Some studies have shown positive health effects, but the results have been mixed.

Interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure. Other studies have found that animals can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and boost your mood.

The NIH/Mars Partnership is funding a range of studies focused on the relationships we have with animals. For example, researchers are looking into how animals might influence child development. They’re studying animal interactions with kids who have autism , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) , and other conditions.

“There’s not one answer about how a pet can help somebody with a specific condition,” explains Dr. Layla Esposito, who oversees NIH’s Human-Animal Interaction Research Program. “Is your goal to increase physical activity? Then you might benefit from owning a dog. You have to walk a dog several times a day and you’re going to increase physical activity. If your goal is reducing stress, sometimes watching fish swim can result in a feeling of calmness. So there’s no one type fits all.”

NIH is funding large-scale surveys to find out the range of pets people live with and how their relationships with their pets relate to health.

“We’re trying to tap into the subjective quality of the relationship with the animal—that part of the bond that people feel with animals—and how that translates into some of the health benefits,” explains Dr. James Griffin, a child development expert at NIH.

Animals Helping People

Animals can serve as a source of comfort and support. Therapy dogs are especially good at this. They’re sometimes brought into hospitals or nursing homes to help reduce patients’ stress and anxiety.

“Dogs are very present. If someone is struggling with something, they know how to sit there and be loving,” says Dr. Ann Berger, a physician and researcher at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. “Their attention is focused on the person all the time.”

Berger works with people who have cancer and terminal illnesses. She teaches them about mindfulness to help decrease stress and manage pain.

“The foundations of mindfulness include attention, intention, compassion, and awareness,” Berger says. “All of those things are things that animals bring to the table. People kind of have to learn it. Animals do this innately.”

Researchers are studying the safety of bringing animals into hospital settings because animals may expose people to more germs. A current study is looking at the safety of bringing dogs to visit children with cancer, Esposito says. Scientists will be testing the children’s hands to see if there are dangerous levels of germs transferred from the dog after the visit.

Dogs may also aid in the classroom. One study found that dogs can help children with ADHD focus their attention. Researchers enrolled two groups of children diagnosed with ADHD into 12-week group therapy sessions. The first group of kids read to a therapy dog once a week for 30 minutes. The second group read to puppets that looked like dogs.

Kids who read to the real animals showed better social skills and more sharing, cooperation, and volunteering. They also had fewer behavioral problems.

Another study found that children with autism spectrum disorder were calmer while playing with guinea pigs in the classroom. When the children spent 10 minutes in a supervised group playtime with guinea pigs, their anxiety levels dropped. The children also had better social interactions and were more engaged with their peers. The researchers suggest that the animals offered unconditional acceptance, making them a calm comfort to the children.

“Animals can become a way of building a bridge for those social interactions,” Griffin says. He adds that researchers are trying to better understand these effects and who they might help.

Animals may help you in other unexpected ways. A recent study showed that caring for fish helped teens with diabetes better manage their disease. Researchers had a group of teens with type 1 diabetes care for a pet fish twice a day by feeding and checking water levels. The caretaking routine also included changing the tank water each week. This was paired with the children reviewing their blood glucose (blood sugar) logs with parents.

Researchers tracked how consistently these teens checked their blood glucose. Compared with teens who weren’t given a fish to care for, fish-keeping teens were more disciplined about checking their own blood glucose levels, which is essential for maintaining their health.

While pets may bring a wide range of health benefits, an animal may not work for everyone. Recent studies suggest that early exposure to pets may help protect young children from developing allergies and asthma. But for people who are allergic to certain animals, having pets in the home can do more harm than good.

Helping Each Other

Pets also bring new responsibilities. Knowing how to care for and feed an animal is part of owning a pet. NIH/Mars funds studies looking into the effects of human-animal interactions for both the pet and the person.

Remember that animals can feel stressed and fatigued, too. It’s important for kids to be able to recognize signs of stress in their pet and know when not to approach. Animal bites can cause serious harm.

“Dog bite prevention is certainly an issue parents need to consider, especially for young children who don’t always know the boundaries of what’s appropriate to do with a dog,” Esposito explains.

Researchers will continue to explore the many health effects of having a pet. “We’re trying to find out what’s working, what’s not working, and what’s safe—for both the humans and the animals,” Esposito says.

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The case against pets

A morally just world would have no pets, no aquaria, no zoos. no fields of sheep, no barns of cows. that’s true animal rights.

by Gary L Francione & Anna E Charlton   + BIO

We live with six rescued dogs. With the exception of one, who was born in a rescue for pregnant dogs, they all came from very sad situations, including circumstances of severe abuse. These dogs are non-human refugees with whom we share our home. Although we love them very much, we strongly believe that they should not have existed in the first place.

We oppose domestication and pet ownership because these violate the fundamental rights of animals.

The term ‘animal rights’ has become largely meaningless. Anyone who thinks that we should give battery hens a small increase in cage space, or that veal calves should be housed in social units rather than in isolation before they are dragged off and slaughtered, is articulating what is generally regarded as an ‘animal rights’ position. This is attributable in large part to Peter Singer, author of Animal Liberation (1975), who is widely considered the ‘father of the animal rights movement’.

The problem with this attribution of paternity is that Singer is a utilitarian who rejects moral rights altogether, and supports any measure that he thinks will reduce suffering. In other words, the ‘father of the animal rights movement’ rejects animal rights altogether and has given his blessing to cage-free eggs, crate-free pork, and just about every ‘happy exploitation’ measure promoted by almost every large animal welfare charity. Singer does not promote animal rights ; he promotes animal welfare . He does not reject the use of animals by humans per se . He focuses only on their suffering. In an interview with The Vegan magazine in 2006, he said, for example, that he could ‘imagine a world in which people mostly eat plant foods, but occasionally treat themselves to the luxury of free-range eggs, or possibly even meat from animals who live good lives under conditions natural for their species, and are then humanely killed on the farm’.

We use the term ‘animal rights’ in a different way, similar to the way that ‘human rights’ is used when the fundamental interests of our own species are concerned. For example, if we say that a human has a right to her life, we mean that her fundamental interest in continuing to live will be protected even if using her as a non-consenting organ donor would result in saving the lives of 10 other humans. A right is a way of protecting an interest; it protects interests irrespective of consequences. The protection is not absolute; it may be forfeited under certain circumstances. But the protection cannot be abrogated for consequential reasons alone.

Non-human animals have a moral right not to be used exclusively as human resources, irrespective of whether the treatment is ‘humane’, and even if humans would enjoy desirable consequences if they treated non-humans exclusively as replaceable resources.

W hen we talk about animal rights, we are talking primarily about one right: the right not to be property. The reason for this is that if animals matter morally – if animals are not just things – they cannot be property. If they are property, they can only be things. Think about this matter in the human context. We are all generally agreed that all humans, irrespective of their particular characteristics, have the fundamental, pre-legal right not to be treated as chattel property. We all reject human chattel slavery. That is not to say that it doesn’t still exist. It does. But no one defends it.

The reason we reject chattel slavery is because a human who is a chattel slave is no longer treated as a person, by which we mean that the slave is no longer a being who matters morally. A human slave is a thing that exists completely outside the moral community. All the interests that the human slave has can be valued by someone else – the owner – who might choose to value the slave as a member of the family, or could provide the slave with minimal sustenance but otherwise treat the slave horribly. The slave’s fundamental interests might be valued at zero.

There were many laws that purported to regulate race-based human slavery in the United States and Britain. These laws did not work because the only times regulatory laws are relevant is when there is a conflict between slave and slave owner. And, if the slave owner does not prevail substantially all of the time, then there is no longer an institution of slavery. There can be no meaningful challenge to the exercise of the owner’s property rights.

The same problem exists where non-humans are concerned. If animals are property, they can have no inherent or intrinsic value. They have only extrinsic or external value. They are things that we value. They have no rights; we have rights, as property owners, to value them . And we might choose to value them at zero.

There are many laws that supposedly regulate our use of non-human animals. In fact, there are more such laws than there were laws that regulated human slavery. And, like the laws that regulated human slavery, they don’t work. These laws are relevant only when human interests and animal interests conflict. But humans have rights, including the right to own and use property. Animals are property. When the law attempts to balance human and non-human interests, the result is preordained.

however ‘humanely’ we treat animals, they are still subjected to treatment that, were humans involved, would be torture

Moreover, because animals are chattel property, the standard of animal welfare will always be very low. It costs money to protect animal interests, which means that those interests will, for the most part, be protected only in those situations in which there is an economic benefit in doing so. It is difficult to find a welfare measure that does not make animal exploitation more efficient. Laws requiring the stunning of large animals before slaughter reduce carcass damage and worker injuries. Housing calves in smaller social units rather than in solitary crates reduces stress and resulting illness, which reduces veterinary costs.

To the extent that animal welfare measures increase production costs, the increase is usually very small (eg, going from the conventional battery cage to ‘enriched cages’ in the EU) and rarely affects overall demand for the product given elasticities of demand. In any event, however ‘humanely’ treated animals used for food are, they are still subjected to treatment that, were humans involved, would be torture. There is no such thing as ‘happy’ exploitation.

Although the right not to be property is a negative right and does not address any positive rights that non-humans might have, recognition of that one negative right would have the effect of requiring us, as a matter of moral obligation, to reject all institutionalised exploitation, which necessarily assumes that animals are just things that we can use and kill for our purposes.

W e want to take a short detour here and point out that, although what we are saying might sound radical, it’s really not. Indeed, our conventional wisdom about animals is such that we come to almost the same conclusion without any consideration of rights at all.

Conventional wisdom about animals is that it is morally acceptable for humans to use and kill them but that we should not impose unnecessary suffering and death on animals. However we might understand the concept of necessity in this context, it cannot be understood as allowing any suffering or death for frivolous purposes. We recognise this clearly in particular contexts. For example, many people still have a strong negative reaction to the American football player Michael Vick, who was found to be involved in a dog-fighting operation in 2007. Why do we still resent Vick almost a decade later? The answer is clear: we recognise that what Vick did was wrong because his only justification was that he derived pleasure or amusement from harming those dogs, and pleasure and amusement cannot suffice as justifications.

Many – perhaps most – people object to bullfighting, and even most Tories in the UK oppose fox hunting. Why? Because those bloodsports, by definition, involve no necessity or compulsion that would justify imposing suffering and death on non-human animals. No one proposed that Vick would be less culpable if he were a more ‘humane’ dog fighter. No one who opposes bloodsports proposes that they be made more humane because they involve unnecessary suffering. They oppose the activities altogether, and advocate their abolition, because these activities are immoral, however they are conducted.

The problem is that 99.999 per cent of our uses of non-human animals are morally indistinguishable from the activities to which the overwhelming number of us object.

The only use of animals that we make that is not transparently frivolous is the use of animals in research to find cures for serious illnesses

Our most numerically significant use of animals is for food. We kill more than 60 billion animals for food annually, and this does not count the even larger number – estimated conservatively to be about a trillion – of sea animals. We don’t need to eat animals for optimal health. Indeed, an increasing number of mainstream healthcare authorities, including the National Institutes of Health in the US, the American Heart Association, the British National Health Service, and the British Dietetic Association, have stated that a sensible vegan diet can be just as nutritious as a diet that includes animal foods. Some authorities have gone further to say that a vegan diet can be healthier than an omnivorous diet. In any event, it cannot be credibly claimed that we need animal products for health reasons. And animal agriculture is an ecological disaster.

We consume animal products because we enjoy the taste. In other words, we are no different from Vick, except that most of us pay others to inflict the harm rather than inflicting it ourselves. And our uses of animals for entertainment or sport are, by definition, also unnecessary. The only use of animals that we make that is not transparently frivolous is the use of animals in research to find cures for serious illnesses. We reject vivisection as morally unjustifiable even if it involves necessity (a claim we also believe is problematic as an empirical matter), but the morality of vivisection requires a more nuanced analysis than the use of animals for food, clothing, entertainment and other purposes. Just about all of our other uses of animals can easily be seen to be immoral given our conventional wisdom.

The bottom line: whether you adopt an animal-rights position and recognise that animals must have a basic, pre-legal right not to be property, or you stay with conventional wisdom, the result is the same: substantially all of our uses of animals must be abolished.

T o say that an animal has a right not to be used as property is simply to say that we have a moral obligation to not use animals as things, even if it would benefit us to do so. With respect to domesticated animals, that means that we stop bringing them into existence altogether. We have a moral obligation to care for those right-holders we have here presently. But we have an obligation not to bring any more into existence.

And this includes dogs, cats and other non-humans who serve as our ‘companions’.

We treat our six dogs as valued members of our family. The law will protect that decision because we may choose to value our property as we like. We could, however, choose instead to use them as guard dogs and have them live outside with virtually no affectionate contact from us. We could put them in a car right now and take them to a shelter where they will be killed if they are not adopted, or we could have them killed by a veterinarian. The law will protect those decisions as well. We are property owners. They are property. We own them.

The reality is that in the US, most dogs and cats do not end up dying of old age in loving homes. They have homes for a relatively short period of time before they are transferred to another owner, taken to a shelter, dumped or killed.

And it does not matter whether we characterise an owner as a ‘guardian’, as some advocates urge. Such a characterisation is meaningless. If you have the legal right to take your dog to a kill shelter, or to ‘humanely’ kill your dog yourself, it does not matter what you call yourself or your dog. Your dog is your property. Those of us who live with companion animals are owners as far as the law is concerned, and we have the legal right to treat our animals as we see fit as long as we provide for minimal food, water and shelter. Yes, there are limitations on the exercise of our ownership rights. But those limitations are consistent with according a very low value to the interests of our animal companions.

But, as you recoil in horror thinking of what life would be like without your beloved dog, cat or other non-human companion, whom you love and cherish as a member of your family, you are probably thinking: ‘But wait. What if we required everyone to treat their animals the way I treat mine?’

The problem with this reply is that, even if we could come up with a workable and enforceable scheme that required animal owners to provide a higher level of welfare to their animals, those animals would still be property. We would still be able to value their lives at zero and either kill them, or take them to a shelter where they would be killed if not adopted.

You might respond that you disagree with all that as well, and that we ought to prohibit people from killing animals except in situations in which we might be tempted to allow assisted suicide (terminal illness, unrelenting pain, etc) and that we should prohibit shelters from killing animals except when it is in the best interests of the animal.

domestication itself raises serious moral issues irrespective of how the non-humans involved are treated

What you’re suggesting starts coming close to abolishing the status of animals as chattel property and requiring that we treat them in a way that is similar to the way we treat human children. Would it be acceptable to continue to breed non-humans to be our companions then?

Our answer is still a firm ‘no’.

Putting aside that the development of general standards of what constitutes treating non-humans as ‘family members’ and resolution of all the related issues is close to impossible as a practical matter, this position neglects to recognise that domestication itself raises serious moral issues irrespective of how the non-humans involved are treated.

Domesticated animals are completely dependent on humans, who control every aspect of their lives. Unlike human children, who will one day become autonomous, non-humans never will. That is the entire point of domestication – we want domesticated animals to depend on us. They remain perpetually in a netherworld of vulnerability, dependent on us for everything that is of relevance to them. We have bred them to be compliant and servile, and to have characteristics that are pleasing to us, even though many of those characteristics are harmful to the animals involved. We might make them happy in one sense, but the relationship can never be ‘natural’ or ‘normal’. They do not belong in our world, irrespective of how well we treat them. This is more or less true of all domesticated non-humans. They are perpetually dependent on us. We control their lives forever. They truly are ‘animal slaves’. Some of us might be benevolent masters, but we really can’t be anything more than that.

There are some, such as Sue Donaldson and Will Kymlicka, who in their book Zoopolis (2011) say that humans are dependent on each other, and ask what’s wrong with animals being dependent on us? Human relationships might involve mutual dependence or interdependence, but such dependence either operates on the basis of choice, or it reflects social decisions to care for more vulnerable members of society who are bound together and protected by the complex aspects of a social contract. Besides, the nature of human dependence does not strip the dependant of core rights that can be vindicated if the dependence becomes harmful.

There are those who respond to our position by saying that dogs, cats and other ‘pet’ animals have a right to reproduce. Such a position would commit us to continue to reproduce without limit and indefinitely, as we could not limit any reproductive right to ‘pet’ animals. As for those who are concerned that the end of domestication would mean a loss of species diversity, domesticated animals are beings we have created through selective breeding and confinement.

Some critics have claimed that our position concerns only the negative right not to be used as property, and does not address what positive rights animals might have. This observation is correct, but all domestication would end if we recognised this one right – the right not to be property. We would be obliged to care for those domesticated animals who presently exist, but we would bring no more into existence.

If we all embraced the personhood of non-humans, we would still need to think about the rights of non-domesticated animals who live among us and in undeveloped areas. But if we cared enough not to eat, wear or otherwise use domesticated non-humans, we would undoubtedly be able to determine what those positive rights should be. The most important thing is that we recognise the negative right of animals not to be used as property. That would commit us to the abolition of all institutionalised exploitation that results in the commodification and control of them by humans.

We love our dogs, but recognise that, if the world were more just and fair, there would be no pets at all, no fields full of sheep, and no barns full of pigs, cows and egg-laying hens. There would be no aquaria and no zoos.

If animals matter morally, we must recalibrate all aspects of our relationship with them. The issue we must confront is not whether our exploitation of them is ‘humane’ – with all of the concomitant tinkering with the practices of animal-use industries – but rather whether we can justify using them at all.

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I was embarrassed to move back in with my parents at 53. But they love having me around, and I'm finally pursuing my dream career.

  • After my second divorce, I moved back in with my parents at age 53.
  • Moving home has allowed me the financial freedom to pursue my dream career .
  • My parents love having me back and it's nice to be able to spend more time together.

Insider Today

2023 was a hard year for me. My second marriage was unraveling, and I was in the midst of a mental-health crisis.

After being a pastor's wife for 23 years and taking an early retirement from teaching to join him full-time in ministry, I wasn't sure where I was going or who I was anymore.

To make matters worse, I was living in Mississippi, which was about a five-hour trip to my family in Louisiana .

But on a trip back home amid my impending divorce , my sister posed the idea of moving back in with my parents in Louisiana. After all, they were aging, and my sister had been shouldering the burden of caring for both them and her children for nearly two decades.

The offer to move home was tempting, but I felt like I'd be slinking back to town with my middle-aged tail tucked between my legs. I was publicly processing my pain and couldn't give people more to talk about by "moving in with mommy."

I knew I was successful — I have a master's degree and plenty of community-leadership accolades. However, I'd already gotten tongues wagging by tossing in my prim-and-proper status as a pastor's wife.

But after years of focusing on others, I knew it was time to turn my attention toward myself.

I was reluctant at first, but I decided it was time to follow my sister's advice

Although my sister was overwhelmed by having to care for our parents over the years, I was actually jealous of the time she had with them.

And the more I thought about it, the more I realized moving back home could give me the opportunity to reconnect with my family in person, while also focusing on my own future.

During this time, I remembered an article I'd read a few years back, which encouraged readers facing mid-life turmoil to revisit the dreams they'd had at age 10.

Related stories

My dream had been to work full-time as a writer. However, life got in the way, and writing became a part-time hobby instead of a career.

I called my parents and asked if I could live with them temporarily while I pursued a writing career, and they graciously agreed. Just as they had in my childhood, they believed they were investing in my future.

It was a roller coaster at first, but the safety of moving back home was healing.

In some ways, moving home was great. I got to participate in the game nights I'd missed out on while I was away, and heart-to-hearts with my dad were now in person instead of over the phone.

But I was also working through some past trauma while often reverting to my rebellious teenage self. I was moody and emotionally unstable at times and sometimes struggled with guilt over putting my own wants and needs first.

However, being in the safety of my parents' home was healing. I jokingly referred to their dog as my little sister and not-so-jokingly relied on her as an emotional-support pet.

I reclaimed a friendship with my former husband, took on the responsibility of caring for my parents, and learned how to help my mom without taking over her home.

I found some jobs writing for local newspapers and magazines, many of which were uncompensated. In the last nine months, I've had over 300 articles published locally and spent an average of 70 hours a week writing — which never would've been possible with a second full-time job and rent to pay.

While my parents are undoubtedly my biggest supporters, I realize I've become invaluable to them as well. I once joked with my mom that I had to act better than I did as a teenager since, this time, she could actually kick me out.

"Now, why would I do that? What would I do without you here?" she said.

My mouth dropped open, and tears filled my eyes. It was the nicest thing she could've ever said to me.

Watch: The truth behind the experimental therapy that kids say starts with 'legalized kidnapping'

having a pet essay

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2024 Election

The stereotype of immigrants eating dogs and cats is storied — and vitriolic as ever.

Headshot of Jasmine Garsd

Jasmine Garsd

In Tuesday night's debate, former President Donald Trump repeated an unfounded claim that immigrants are eating people's pets.

In Tuesday night's debate, former President Donald Trump repeated an unfounded claim that immigrants are eating people's pets. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

This story first appeared in NPR's live blog of the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.  See how the night unfolded .

It was understood that immigration would be front and center during Tuesday night’s presidential debate. More surprising was that the conversation veered into bizarre falsehoods about migrants eating pet dogs and cats in Ohio.

While certainly strange, these accusations are hardly unprecedented. In fact, there’s a long history of accusing immigrants of eating cats and dogs.

For context, in the last few days, vice presidential candidate JD Vance has echoed a rumor about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio eating people’s pets. Springfield, a city of around 60,000, has received 15,000 to 20,000 migrants in the last four years, many from Haiti.

Mayor Rob Rue recently told NPR the influx has led to the city struggling with basic infrastructure. Schools and hospitals are spread thin, and an existing housing crisis has exacerbated. It’s led to tension, as well as unfounded rumors about gang activity, voodoo practices and eating of cats, dogs and park ducks.

The Springfield police has denied the claims.

This photo shows Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, the Republican vice presidential nominee, speaking to reporters in front of the border wall with Mexico on Sept. 6 in San Diego. Wearing jeans and a white shirt, he's standing against a blue sky with white clouds.

Untangling Disinformation

Jd vance spreads debunked claims about haitian immigrants eating pets.

And yet, tales of migrants eating pets spread throughout social media like wildfire. So did the memes and AI images of former President Donald Trump saving kittens and dogs in the hours leading up to the debate.

It even made it to the debate itself.

"They're eating the dogs, the people that came in, they're eating the cats," Trump said during an answer to a question about immigration. "They're eating the pets of the people that live there, and this is what's happening in our country, and it's a shame."

Vice President Harris looked away and laughed at the comments while moderator David Muir stepped in, saying there have been no credible reports of pets being harmed by Springfield’s immigrant community.

But by the time the debate was over, THEY’RE EATING THE DOGS was trending on the platform X.

Fear and disgust over immigrant foods has a long history in America. Italians were once upon a time labeled as “garlic eaters” . Writer Gustavo Arellano has written about how the staple diet of beans led to a slur against Mexicans. The stereotype of the immigrant who eats cats and dogs is also storied, often lobbed against Asian Americans.

“The dog-eating stereotype has historically been utilized to belittle Asians and Asian immigrants,” writes Jean Rachel Bahk in the Inlandia literary journal. “I was incessantly pestered about whether the meat in the side dishes I brought for lunch was dog meat” she recalls about her own childhood.

“Despite my persistent attempts to explain that dog-eating was not at all a common practice among Asians not to mention Asian Americans I started to beg my mom to stop packing me Korean dishes.”

In recent speeches Trump has also likened immigrants to Hannibal Lecter , the cannibal in the film Silence of the Lambs. Ultimately, with both accusations there’s a point being made: these people are here to consume us, and what we love.

A Haitian family listens to Creole mass in Springfield, Ohio.

How Springfield, Ohio, took center stage in the election immigration debate

"I've seen them,” Springfield Republican committeewoman Glenda Bailey recently told NPR of Haitian migrants, echoing concepts of The Great Replacement theory. “What they've done is they've replaced the population in Springfield, Ohio."

Following the debate, social media was rife with comments from people in disbelief that part of a presidential debate focused on pets being eaten by people. But it should not come as a shock: In the last few years the rhetoric on immigration from the Republican Party has been getting more vitriolic, according to a study from Stanford University .

The study used AI to chart the tone of more than 200,000 speeches since the 1880s, and found the hostile rhetoric in the way Republicans discuss immigration today is very reminiscent of that used against Chinese immigrants in the late 1800s, when they were targeted by the nation's first country-based restrictions on immigration.

And at Tuesday night's debate, they once again were broadcast to millions of Americans by the party's candidate for president.

  • From Live Coverage
  • election 2024

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    500+ Words Essay on My Pet Dog. Pets are a great blessing in anyone's life. They are the only ones who love us unconditionally. Pets always offer us everything they have without asking for anything in return. The main aim of any pet's life is to make their owner happy. Nowadays, even the term 'owner' is changing.

  11. Benefits of Having a Pet

    Thus, I believe that by having a pet in your life can help contribute to the happiness as well, and they can even provide assistance to the ill and socially isolated. Having a pet is a literal walk in the park, especially if you have a dog. Owning a pet is surely quite a task, almost like taking care of a baby. A forever baby.

  12. Overview of The Benefits of Having Pets

    This paper, based on secondary research, discusses the advantages of raising pets: Enhancing health, Widening relationship, Being more responsibility, Having security. The findings of the research indicate that having or raising pets offers more advantages than disadvantages. Therefore people should have one for themselves.

  13. Pet Ownership: Causes and Effects

    1233 Words. 5 Pages. Open Document. Cause and effect relationship: Pet ownership The effects of pet ownership have been shown to be beneficial for humans as well as animals in need of a home. People purchase pets for a variety of reasons, spanning from a need to get more exercise, a desire for companionship, to a desire for unconditional love.

  14. Why Dogs are the Best Pets: Exploting Persuasive Arguments

    In this essay, I will present compelling reasons why dogs are undeniably the best pets, highlighting their positive impact on our physical and emotional well-being. Unconditional Love and Loyalty. Dogs are renowned for their unwavering loyalty and unconditional love. They have an innate ability to form deep emotional bonds with their human ...

  15. Essay on My Pet in 150, 250, and 350 Words for Students

    3. (330) Essay on My Pet: Pets are wonderful companions, there is no denying that. Pets provide us with immense love and affection and ask for very little in return. Dogs are "man's best friend", this particular phrase has been heard for centuries now, and for a good reason too. Dogs are protective, they are loyal, and are always there ...

  16. Benefits of having a pet and some surprising science behind it

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  17. My Pet Essay for Students and Children

    500 Words Essay On My Pet. Pets are a blessing that only lucky people get to have. I have been lucky enough to have many pets since my childhood. My pet is a cat whom we call Mingi. It is white and grey in colour. Mingi is 3 years old and has been with me ever since she was born. Through my pet essay, I will make you learn all about Mingi and ...

  18. The Joyful Bond: Why I Want a Dog: [Essay Example], 630 words

    The companionship of a dog has the power to alleviate feelings of loneliness and provide a constant source of emotional support. This bond can be particularly meaningful for children, teaching them empathy, responsibility, and the value of nurturing relationships. A dog's presence enriches our lives with a sense of purpose and a daily reminder ...

  19. The Power of Pets

    The unconditional love of a pet can do more than keep you company. Pets may also decrease stress, improve heart health, and even help children with their emotional and social skills. An estimated 68% of U.S. households have a pet. But who benefits from an animal? And which type of pet brings health benefits?

  20. Personal Narrative: How Having A Dog Changed My Life

    Choosing a cat or a dog as a pet is depending on personal preference or purpose. Both animals can become a good companion in human's life. In an essay titled "Why Cats Make Better Pets Than Dogs" Sean Curtis argues that cats are better pets than dogs because cats are low maintenance, quiet, and independent.

  21. Why keeping a pet is fundamentally unethical

    The problem is that 99.999 per cent of our uses of non-human animals are morally indistinguishable from the activities to which the overwhelming number of us object. The only use of animals that we make that is not transparently frivolous is the use of animals in research to find cures for serious illnesses.

  22. Dogs Are a Great Pet: [Essay Example], 447 words GradesFixer

    Throughout history, dogs have been known as man's best friend. They are loyal, loving, and provide companionship and security to their owners. In this essay, we will explore the reasons why dogs make great pets, including their loyalty, companionship, and health benefits. We will also examine the different breeds of dogs and their unique qualities.

  23. I Moved Back in With Parents at 53; Perks Outweigh My Embarrassment

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  24. Trump doubles down on false stereotypes about immigrants eating pets in

    Immigration was always going to be part of Tuesday night's presidential debate. More surprising was that the conversation veered into bizarre falsehoods about migrants eating pet dogs and cats.

  25. The Reasons Why You Need to Get a Pet

    A pet motivates you and their company helps you move on through life bettering your situation. Pets are your best friends, they are part of your family and more than ever apart of your life. They are what make you frustrated most of the time though they make you happy and reflect on your position in life. This essay was reviewed by.