Is it really a widely held belief that those who dislike animals are dangerous?

My first impression was this!!!! then I realised what you meant

Having said that, I don't like cats, but then again I never pretend to be a nice person.

Absolutely.

It also works the other way round. If my dogs take a dislike to someone then then I don't trust that person either.

Does it have to be so black and white? Jane Goodall said that she liked some chimps and disliked others; same as with humans.

I do find it hard to understand how someone can look into a dogs eyes and not love them (haven't we bred them to have adorable big eyes?) but I'm a hypocrite because I'm indifferent to cats generally speaking. Some are nicer than others but I'm scared of their claws.

I agee with the pps who say there is a link between harming/ abusing animals and going on to abuse people.

Although I guess its fair to say from a pig perspective me eating him is bot ok, but I havent gone on to eat people.

It's just one of those stupid things said by people who make loving dogs their whole personality.

I really dislike cats. I was indifferent to them, before we got one though. I have realised I'm just not a cat person.

But how would you know?

You could be friends with me for years and years and not know I dislike dogs.

I happily visit my friends’ homes who have dogs, I have cared for and walked relatives dogs if they needed the help.

All the dogs like me. They don’t apparently have a sixth sense that I’d rather they were in another room or in the garden.

I’m dreadful, I don’t like cats either. And I regularly cat sit for my friend.

You could be unknowingly surrounded by non-dog people! 😆😆😆😆

If the ILs dog hates you, even though most other dogs love you, then I suspect that the sad truth is that your ILs aren't very keen on you and the dogs have picked up on it! I've seen this in a country where dogs are discreetly but deliberately encouraged to be wary of a particular section of the population, to bark when these people are nearby etc, and they are very sensitive to their owners' feelings on this sort of thing.

I spent ages thinking I was a psychopath because I am indifferent to most animals and hate dogs. You get really bad reactions from some people if you admit this in real life.

However, like you, I hate animal cruelty - I can't even watch pretend animal cruelty in films. So no, disliking animals doesn't make you dangerous or anything like that.

This!!! Shut this line down

This is true, and the cognitive dissonance required to love and adore a pet as a member of the family and eat commercially produced meat (and feed that meat to said house pets in most cases of cats and dogs) suggests the individuals aren't so much animal lovers as sentimental about specific types of animals, or people who love individual animals, the way they love their own family but not all of humanity...

Psychologist here…

if you were into pulling wings off flies and crushing spiders for pleasure as a small child, making kicking the odd dog = problematic and an indicator of potential problems but only potential.

Btw Hitler was a fervent antivivisectionist and loved dogs, particularly his German Shepherd Blondi. So that blows their theory

Why? What's your reasoning for this?

I don’t think people who actively dislike animals (as opposed to mere indifference) are “dangerous”. More just weird. And probably in for a wild ride as the fuckers are everywhere.

Speaking of bumpy rides, sounds like @Thesinisterone might be in for one with her mother-in-law.

Ffs. Get a grip.

as someone who doesn’t understand how no one can not like animals (imo missing out big time on so much joy they all bring in their own ways) I do get it that some people just aren’t into them. Its ur choice totally altho ur missing out on soo much that animals can bring to humans and ur mil altho i see how she thinks it, has to accept ur just not that into them. As far as ur question goes, anyone cruel to animals is definitely a dangerous person and should be jailed. For me they are in the same evil bracket as rapists and murderers.

I think she doesn't like you and this is just an excuse.

MIL is the weirdo for thinking you're odd.

Nothing wrong in hating, disliking, or being scared of something that could inflict a serious injury or even kill you.

There are a lotvof photos of Hitler posing with his dogs, including a famous one with his cousin-wife just after they got married and just before they committed suicide - whether he genuinely loved them (or was capable of unselfish love) would, I imagine, be impossible to know.

It's a false concern with an ulterior motive.

There are things which in British popuar culture it's compulsory to claim to like - animals being probably pretty close to the top of the list.

Your in-laws have found a way to signal their virtue and your dangerousness using this one handy trope.

Oddly it's culturally completely acceptable in most social groups for people to say that they don't like children, as long as they hurry to claim exceptions of their own and those of close family (or to imply they are joking about disliking those children).

In reality there is nothing morally or psychologically wrong with not liking either children or animals and in both cases equally what matters is simply not actively wishing ill upon animals or children (and of course not harming them).

The faux concern about potential personality disorders is an affectation, although it tells you clearly that they dislike you and have hit on what they think is a genius way to make you look extremely bad whilst making themselves look (they think) like concerned animal lovers - almost a protected characteristic in British popular imagination.

My dog loves everyone but there is one woman we often see on our walks and every single he starts barking at her. He isn't a barky dog so it's very unusual for him. I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't wondered what skeletons are in her closet.

To be neutral and disinterested in the idea or commitment of having a pet, or animals as a form of entertainment (zoos etc) is perfectly fine. Or some people even have phobias of certain animals. Again perfectly reasonable.

What people find a red flag is those who seem actively angry with animals, they seem like they'd not empathise with one in pain, not value their life, not treat them with any kindness. Possibly even take pleasure in dominating, hurting or even killing them.

Sounds like a you problem.