Animals vs humans

[fifi669]

AIBU to think if faced with choosing a pet over a human (even if a stranger), you should choose the human?

The idea was brought up in another thread and put in life or death situation. Building on fire contains your pet and a stranger. You could only save one, who would it be?

I had a dog, Ralph, I cried my heart out when he died 3 years ago. The only dog I wasn't scared of! But I can't imagine leaving a person to die instead, no matter how my heart would break.

I wouldn't kill either of them.

The fire is different I have to act or both will die. Your scenario, if i do nothing they both live... Why would I have to administer a lethal injection?

What if they were both in pain and wanted to die...

How would I know the dog wanted to die?

New scenario..........

Who would you save? You can only pick one!

Your laptop, your sister's Rottweiler or your neighbour who never says hi over the fence.

If they wanted to die they could inject themselves.

No wonder we still have wars. A stranger (Someone's son or daughter definitely, possibly someone's beloved, maybe someone's parent) is less important than an animal that just eats, excretes and will die in under 10 years.

may everyone get what they deserve.

Thanks for coming back Rino, we all misread things sometimes so no humble pie needed.

I do think the human-savers have been much more black and white i.e. all humans before any animal. I also think they've been less tolerant of the alternative viewpoint. I haven't seen any insult aimed at the human-savers other than 'I'd save my dog over you', which isn't really an insult, just an answer to the original question.

may everyone get what they deserve

You sound like a lovely person.

'is less important than an animal that just eats, excretes and will die in under 10 years.'

To contribute anything to this discussion you need to try and understand what people's pets mean to them.

The reason we still have wars is because of ignorant humans refusing to empathise with or understand the views of others, not because of dog lovers.

an animal that just eats, excretes and will die in under 10 years

Tell that to a blind person who has independence because of their dog.

thank you for your graciousness outraged

I agree it's not black and white, because you can't just 'stop' your emotions. I thinks that's why I find this thread so interesting. Regardless of what I think I might do in that situation, I am genuinely interested in the reasoning people might have for one option over the other, to try and understand why someone would choose one or the other.

Forgot to add, it should be possible to explore this topic without resorting to insults etc but alas, such is MN I suppose!

I do think the human-savers have been much more black and white i.e. all humans before any animal. I also think they've been less tolerant of the alternative viewpoint.

Definitely, and I make no apology for it! For me, it wasn't a tricky question to answer. It's not often I'd be so immovable on something but this is one of those!

It's horrific to think anyone would leave another person to die in favour of their pet.

I might change my mind actually... My dog has just farted... Bygum!

Special I don't understand how choosing to save a loved member of the family over a total stranger goes onto war. That's one helluva escalation.

Dogs do also contribute a lot more than what you've listed. Some even prevent deaths in war situations. And burning buildings.

Piano why is it so horrific to you to think that? I am interested to know.

I don't think I could ever forgive myself if I left my cats to just burn alive. I'd never be able to get the image out of my head of them hiding, being in pain, scared, crying out for me and wondering why I wasn't coming for them...

Person over pet.

This is a decision I may actually have to make given the location of our house.

A couple of weeks ago I had to grab the fire bag and head to a hotel with the kids. As I had a plan and therefore time I was able to collect my cat and drop her in a cattery for the duration.

If however the fire had been at the back fence and not a couple of kilometres away she would have been on her own.

I love the cat, just as I loved the one before her and will no doubt love the one after her.

But you don't know the human. You lives would never cross. You wouldn't know if they were a man or woman or if they had just got out of prison for killing someone..

But I don't have any emotional attachment to the stranger - I think that's where the issue lies. I wouldn't feel like I 'owed' the stranger anything, especially risking my own life, but I feel a duty (and desire) to keep my cats safe and protected as I have done ever since they were kittens.

"It's horrific to think anyone would leave another person to die in favour of their pet."

I do worry about some people's emotional incontinence over a completely hypothetical situation.

Worth more to who? Not to me and I'm the one running into burning building to save one of them.