Would you save your pet or a stranger's child?

[NotADailyMailJournalist]

Hello all

Slightly inspired by another thread where posters were surprised that people were more interested in someone's dog than their baby...

If you have a cat/dog and you could only save it or a stranger's child/baby, what would you choose?

For the purposes of this thread, no-one would ever find out you'd been given the choice, so you wouldn't face any consequences.

Thanks

I think that losing a child is worse than losing a pet, but that doesn't equate to thinking someone is wrong for saving their pet before a strangers child, depending on the circumstances.

Again, that’s such an arrogant thing to say when you’ve never been in that situation. People who have experienced it are telling you why it’s not that straightforward and you’re still arguing with them 🙈

You said it better than me!

It’s nobody else’s place to judge what anyone would do in a situation like that.

As has been repeatedly explained, the question isn't about your own children, but about a stranger's child, someone completely unknown to you, vs your own pet.

As well to say you would choose not to save your parent, because you expect them to die before you. And yes, some people's live have been shattered by grief for their pets' deaths.

What does it matter? In this hypothetical, you would act one way, and other people wouldn't. Why are you judging how people love their pets vs other people's children (because, again, this isn't about one's own child, but a random child)?

People can feel however they want. I'm not judging. I'm saying what the majority view is.

Let's say you bumped into a random mum you know and ask how she is....she tells you her cat has died. What do you think and how do you respond? Now think, you bump into a random mum and she tells you one of her children has died? Is your response and thought process the same?

Not to mention that it's completely irrelevant to the question asked. It's "would you save your pet or a child you don't know" not "would you save your pet or your child".

In my experience, most people will offer sympathy for the cat and be kind and continue with the friendship as normal. With the child, they will say they are sorry, maybe say some out of place platitude or make it worse demanding information when it already took everything you had to tell them about the death without falling apart, and then avoid you in future because they feel uncomfortable (even if they were nice enough to come to the funeral). Then again, there are a handful of people who are really kind and supportive.

This is key. The question is not about would you save your own pet or your own child first.
As I said I choose my pet first every time I pay for vet treatment, rather than paying for a child who is a stranger to get life changing medical treatment.
Most of us already choose our pets in this scenario. Because most people put those they love first.

I'd feel more about the cat, because I love random cats and feel nothing for random children. I'd be sorry and probably shocked if someone said their child died, but no more than that.

I consider that really really disturbing

Your response doesn't surprise me at all.

I'm not shocked anymore because I've come to learn it happens far more often than we think. I'd feel very sad for them though and offer them support as a fellow bereaved parent. I'm also aware that some people would rather not engage with the topic or receive too much sympathy, because that can actually make it harder. So with the cat or the child, I'd respond to what they seemed to need from me.

Thank you, and long distance hugs, for whatever that's worth. You have a much clearer and more compassionate view than some of the more virtue-signalling types on this thread.

I consider the death of a child the most soul destroying thing a person could go through. I can imagine it would be one of the few things that could push me over the edge and not want to exist anymore.
Ive lost pets and other family members but cannot imagine coping with the death of a child. To inflict such unimaginable pain on another parent vs the death of an animal that has a far smaller life expectancy I find shocking.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers so you do everything you can to help children in other countries access life saving medical treatment, or even simply food and water? Or are we only talking about children in the UK?

That's not the question though is it in the op.

The op is a simple hypothetical question....if you could only save one, which would you choose?

Most ordinary average people don't have the capacity or opportunity to go to other countries and help children access clean water.

We all have capacity to spend money to save children's lives.
I put my desire for a nicer house over the ability to save some children's lives. That is a disturbing thought to be honest, but it is also true.
I could easily have a less nice house and use the money to save the lives of children I do not know. I don't.
All the time we put ourselves before strangers, especially strangers in other countries.

Most ordinary average people don't have the capacity or opportunity to go to other countries and help children access clean water.

I'm sure the vast majority of people who post on here could afford to donate some money to a children's charity every month, though, or do some volunteer work, but they don't - because they have other things they'd rather spend their time and money on 🤷‍♀️

of children in the UK live in absolute poverty. That means they don’t have enough food, shelter or adequate clothing.

Their parent don’t have any spare monet to give away.

Fair enough, not all. But many people do. They do nothing to save the life of children they do not know, including me.

That should say 30%. I wish it would diaappear in real life!

You don't get to say how other people should grieve.

Bloody hell- does anyone love their pet more than their child?

Or because they don’t believe the money gets to where it should- or make a sizeable difference.
However I give to charity- people supporting charities over animals!