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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To dislike all animals?

253 replies

PineappleFwitters · 02/10/2016 09:32

I've never liked animals. From the time I was a child, probably due to a dog chasing me at age 4. Dogs, cats, birds, farm animals, I don't like being around them and don't like them near me. I have no interest in seeing videos of funny cats or dogs in YouTube either.

However, when I tell people I don't like animals, they look at me like I should be committed! Or worse, they think I advocate cruelty to animals, which couldn't be further from the truth. I would never try to injure an animal - I'm a vegan FFS - I just don't like being around them.

Am I really that unusual?

OP posts:
JaniceBattersby · 03/10/2016 23:12

I don't like animals. Sorry.

If you like animals, crack on.

However, don't be like my 'friend' who calls herself an animal lover and keeps two parrots in small cages, a rabbit on its own in a hutch in her back garden, three dogs, unwalked in her small back garden surrounded by their own filth, and a lizard who she suspects was EATEN by one of the dogs after she let it out in the front room. Oh yes, she tells everyone how she looooooves animals so much she surrounds herself with them,

JaniceBattersby · 03/10/2016 23:14

Oh, and I would also put the life of any human over the life of any animal. It would be no cot est for me. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be putting my own life at risk to save Ian Huntley from drowning but I also wouldn't put my own life at risk to save a dog from drowning either.

PurpleTango · 03/10/2016 23:16

'I don't like animals either op especially dogs. Ds1 was very badly attacked by a dog when he was around 2 but I didn't really like them before that either. This sounds ridiculous but because they can't talk I just find them unpredictable because you can't ask them what they are going to do next. If any animal ever licked me I would just want to be sick. And the majority of houses I have been in where people have animals do smell. My MIL has 2 dogs and is convinced her house doesn't smell- it stinks! Hate getting animal hair on my stuff too. My dc would love a pet. No hope!'

Well aren't you the life and soul of the party! What exactly do you mean by your ds was "attacked"? Did he have his face ripped off? From my experience - being the owner of two docile Labradors people frequently state their dogs/kids have been 'attacked'. Not enough to report to the police or dog warden though...... Dog 'attacks' mean different things to different people..... Hang on I feel a "My son was viciously attacked by a rabid dog post" coming on. ...... Info - Dogs speak dog language. Easily interpreted by intelligent dog owners. Not so much by those who are clueless about dogs.....

PinkyOfPie · 03/10/2016 23:42

EqstMids utterly not ashamed. Bizarre that calling someone an apologist is shameful, yet calling someone a psychopath is A-OK

JaimeLannister · 03/10/2016 23:47

I am dog crazy and have spent many years training my dogs in obedience and agility. I have met hundreds of dogs and have never been bitten once BUT they can bite and people shouldn't be ridiculed for fearing them.

I'm not offended if someone doesn't want their child near my German Shepherd. I don't want my German Shepherd near their child! Easier to use common sense and protect both.

EastMidsMummy · 03/10/2016 23:49

Calling someone a paedophile apologist is not OK.

PinkyOfPie · 03/10/2016 23:50

Except I didn't say that. At all. But fine to say someone is a psychopath?

JaimeLannister · 03/10/2016 23:53

And a new burning house/human vs animal question.

A convicted child abuser and baby Sumatran tiger and tied to railway tracks. You can only save one with no risk to yourself. Which one?

Bonus question. Would it affect your decision if the human had personally harmed a member of your family?

OriginalBlonde · 04/10/2016 00:02

I think it's unusual that you don't like any type of animal. Nothing at all?

PinkyOfPie · 04/10/2016 00:05

Jaime the tiger (although it would definitely sense my indifference towards its cuteness and eat me Grin)

If that makes me a psychopath then I'm happy to wear that badge. Humans are not all divine beings, some of them are evil and the world would be a better place without them.

AbernathysFringe · 04/10/2016 00:44

It would make me look at someone weirdly because we ARE animals. I think it's weird to deny that. It implies a lack of empathy and/or imagination. 'I see these other living things and remain unmoved'. It's either robotic or excessively superior sounding.
Mind you, someone once said to me 'I don't like music', which, as a blanket statement, is equally incomprehensible to me.

AbernathysFringe · 04/10/2016 00:52

'Life of any human over an animal' Blimey. It's blanket statement night.
Joining in, I honestly can't think of anyone I'd save over my two dogs. (Other family members are a tie).

Piscivorus · 04/10/2016 00:53

If you had to rescue a human or an animal it is highly unlikely that you would know the the moral worth of the human or the endangeredness of the animal so the choice is as simple as human vs animal

PinkyOfPie · 04/10/2016 00:55

I honestly can't think of anyone I'd save over my two dogs

I'll probably regret asking this, but if it was your two dogs vs a toddler who you didn't know, would you still save your two dogs?

Shockers · 04/10/2016 06:04

As much as I think I would save the tiger, I don't think I could watch another human know that they were about to die and not help them.

Tigers are my favourite animals too.

I'm feeling really sad now, after imagining that scenario!

Headofthehive55 · 04/10/2016 12:08

purple I was bitten by a dog on my ankle. I didn't even know it was there. It came up behind me as I was walking on my own driveway. The first thing I knew was the pain! So it's not that I can not interpret dog behaviour.

limitedperiodonly · 04/10/2016 13:06

I was attacked by a rabbit once. In my capacity as Head of the Pet Club at school, I felt it was my duty to prevent him harassing the lady rabbit. He latched on to my wrist and I held him up like an anti-charm bracelet for a few moments until he fell off taking a chunk of flesh with him.

He and Tuppence ran off to do what rabbits do and I had stitches, a tetanus injection and a lesson in not getting involved in the private affairs of others.

Despite that experience, I am not afraid of rabbits and find them delicious in a stew.

MrsJayy · 04/10/2016 14:38

I was bitten by my work hamster it was always escaping bitey little fecker it was I found it nesting in the change of clothes cupboard I tried not to swear as o had a wet kid with me bloody thing I hated it

Kanewreck · 04/10/2016 14:39

I'm not keen on animals. I'm suspicious of people that say they love animals and then proceed to feed dead animals to their pets.

Shockers · 04/10/2016 21:32

This thread has taught me more than I expected.

Netflixandchill · 04/10/2016 21:47

I giggle at sayings like "how you treat animals tells
Me all I need to know about you" coming from
People that keep exotic pets in tiny rooms in innaprorpiate containment or just generally hoard animals without any thought that they want to live in a house with loads of other animals, as if keeping pets makes you kind.

I don't particularly like animals for their habits but I keep 2 cats as I love them like my children, one of them was with me when I gave birth to my daughter. However I find I have to pretend I like animals to seem normal sometimes because people that don't are treated like animal
Abusers. I used to love them until I had kids, now I just find them a bit dirty and messy.

albertcampionscat · 04/10/2016 21:49

Meh. Dislike what you want, but life gets easier and nicer the more things you like.

Netflixandchill · 04/10/2016 21:52

Tell me that again tommorow morning when I wake up to cat shit in the utility again because the cats didn't want to go outside in the cold

Netflixandchill · 04/10/2016 21:53

I think My dislike of animals is temporary as I have small children and animals carry things that can make them sick. I love my cats though.

Shockers · 04/10/2016 21:56

I think I'd probably like you albertcampionscat Smile

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