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

Human child of course...

But if the person in danger wasn't a stranger's child but a person you actively dislike, it's a harder dilemma. Because I love my dog but some people are pricks.

It's virtual mauling, who cares.

How is it brave to say pet? You seem to be under the assumption that everyone saying child is just too scared to say pet, when I’m guessing the majority, if it came to it, would save the child. It’s fine for people to have differing opinions, but annoying for you to keep implying that the ones who say something you don’t agree with are lying.

I’m not sure. I very much believe human life and animal life is equal. That’s just what I believe, I understand others feel differently. I think it depends on the connection you feel to each being.
I have responsibility for my own animals, I took them
on and agreed to do everything I possibly could for them. I do not have the same responsibility for a stranger’s child. The child could be saved by their own parents or family.

If it was me dying for a strangers child? I would do that without hesitation at the minute as I don’t currently have children and my husband would care for our animals.

@WhatsUnderneathTheClothesBrookeDavis I'm not implying anyone is lying. I'm implying that people who would say "pet" are choosing not to answer. So they are not labelled psychopaths (by at least 1 poster!)

But surely you got your pets with the expectation that at some point they will die?

On reading the question my first instinct was my pet(s) but no - it would be the child. Simply on logic, my youngest dog is 2 and (if I'm lucky) will be around for another 12-14 years. A child will have another 70+ years.

I have pets and I don't particularly like other peoples kids.....but in a life or death situation, you save the child, surely?

How could you live with yourself otherwise?

Child obviously. I would seriously worry that anyone saying otherwise had sociopathic tendencies

This with bells on. Couple of sociopaths on this thread now.

If you'd choose your pet over another child and don't yet have children yourself but are considering it - don't. Sociopaths don't make for good parents.

Of course they will die? But my dog is 1

a child of course

The strangers child/baby.

I love my dog a lot but it's only going to live another 7 years or so. The child will hopefully go on for another 70.

@JellySunset has posted what most closely aligns with my beliefs. I don't see humans as superior to other animals. When I rescued my cat I made a commitment to her. I don't have a partner or children. So I'd put her before all my other human relatives too never mind strangers.

Sounds about right!

Goodness me what awful answers on here. Absolutely without a doubt a child! I adore my dogs and cats and would be heartbroken to loose them but I've lost pets before and got over it. A child dying would haunt me forever especially if I had the power to save it.

I would save my dog. I love him
more than anything in the world.

How far would you take it? Would you save a fly or an ant over a child then?

Looks like two people have said they would save the pet.

And neither of them have children.

I wonder if they would change their mind once they have kids.

Pet
I think in the secrecy of the experiment a lot more people would do the same than would admit it here

You would let an actual child die? Mind blowing.

It would break me, but of course I would save the child.

Op...if you accidentally ran over a child would it have the same impact on you as if you accidentally stood on a spider and killed it?

What if you had to choose between saving your DH/DP and a stranger's baby or small child?

The strangers child. It’s the natural order to lose a pet, they have a much lower life expectancy. That is not the case with a child. It is something that would be so devastating and life changing , that I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.

Good question. Not an insect, no. Not a random animal. Only a pet of mine.

And yes, if I had ever had children, I may well feel differently.