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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you like dogs more than people and treat them better than people ?

331 replies

tvluv · 14/10/2022 07:49

It seems to me there are a lot of people who value dogs higher than they do people and treat them better ?

Do you agree ? Do you do this ?

OP posts:
Marigoldandivy · 14/10/2022 13:54

No.

girlmom21 · 14/10/2022 13:55

ChagSameachDoreen · 14/10/2022 13:39

The "I prefer dogs to people" crew are always socially inadequate weirdos who think they're super intelligent and different. Always.

So what breeds your favourite?

whumpthereitis · 14/10/2022 13:55

YellowTreeHouse · 14/10/2022 13:34

“Sorry” but none of that changes the accuracy of my comment at all.

Even if you were genuinely crazy enough to think a human life and an animal life were of the same value, and that humans have brought nothing to this earth, that doesn’t change the fact that a human would be compelled to save another human life over that of animal. Even their own.

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What are you basing this on? I’m not aware there exists such a hard and fast rule. The reactions of individuals tend to vary, I’m not sure there exists uniformity.

girlmom21 · 14/10/2022 13:56

I have to say, @YellowTreeHouse, the more you post the more certain I am that I'd pick the dog.

JOFFCV · 14/10/2022 14:00

girlmom21 · 14/10/2022 13:56

I have to say, @YellowTreeHouse, the more you post the more certain I am that I'd pick the dog.

@YellowTreeHouse would say that you'd change your mind last minute.

I don't think you would.

Highschoolprobs · 14/10/2022 14:00

MissingNashville · 14/10/2022 13:39

And you can say and think and protest that I wouldn’t, as much as you want but that’s entirely rubbish.

I have a dim view of most humans, outside of people I’m close to, based on how I’ve seen most behave, selfish, jealous, arrogant, dishonest, bitchy, violent, deceitful, abusive...the list is never ending. Most people are immoral and I would not feel morally compelled to save a bunch of people like that. You can think that’s not true if you like, that has no impact on me.

Im vegan. I work with rescue dogs. I foster dogs and other animals. I give to animal charities only. We’re in the process of setting up a rescue sanctuary. Other than a very close group of family and friends, animals are what I’m completely devoted to.

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You sound amazing (genuinely...not snarky) but how do you as a vegan reconcile feeding dogs other animal products? I have considered veganism but i can't get my head around this aspect of it.

Badger1970 · 14/10/2022 14:02

My two spaniels are my best friends. They don't have any agendas, adore unconditionally and make my life better for being in it.

I can't say that for many people in my life.

YellowTreeHouse · 14/10/2022 14:03

@girlmom21 And the more people like you post the more certain I am that extreme animal lovers are of less than average intelligence.

whumpthereitis · 14/10/2022 14:04

Choosing an animal over a human is not particularly aberrant behavior. I believe there’s been some studies done, and the number of people who would choose their pet is something like 40-50%.

I’ve been in a life threatening situation (during a war), and my instinctual reaction was to grab my cat, which I did. It wasn’t something I thought about, it was something I just did.

Highschoolprobs · 14/10/2022 14:04

Naunet · 14/10/2022 13:47

As would we if we were starving, but lions have a preference over what they kill, as do the vast majority of meat eaters.

Obviously they don’t have pets, that’s a human construct, and a luxury one at that. We only have pets because we have access to enough food that there’s no competition.

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I think we also have pets because we can and do anthropomorphise other creatures and things.... but only certain ones. I would love to know if there was an equivalent in the animal world. I'm away to google.

WonkasBooboofixer · 14/10/2022 14:10

I love my dogs more than people. In my experience people lie cheat and let you down, dogs don't. Yes I would save my dog over any person they are my family

Pixiedust1234 · 14/10/2022 14:10

YellowTreeHouse · 14/10/2022 14:03

@girlmom21 And the more people like you post the more certain I am that extreme animal lovers are of less than average intelligence.

I think you need to stop posting as you really aren't coming across as well as you think you are 😅

Naunet · 14/10/2022 14:12

Highschoolprobs · 14/10/2022 14:04

I think we also have pets because we can and do anthropomorphise other creatures and things.... but only certain ones. I would love to know if there was an equivalent in the animal world. I'm away to google.

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There has been rare cases of animals keeping ‘pets’, mostly when they’re in captivity and food is not an issue for them. But I remember seeing one recorded case of a wild group of monkeys keeping another species of monkey as a ‘pet’. I just tried to Google it, but of course, all that comes up is stories about humans keeping monkeys as pets!! If I find it, I’ll post a link.

Highschoolprobs · 14/10/2022 14:15

Naunet · 14/10/2022 14:12

There has been rare cases of animals keeping ‘pets’, mostly when they’re in captivity and food is not an issue for them. But I remember seeing one recorded case of a wild group of monkeys keeping another species of monkey as a ‘pet’. I just tried to Google it, but of course, all that comes up is stories about humans keeping monkeys as pets!! If I find it, I’ll post a link.

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That's amazing. Monkeys are utterly fascinating.

thesurrealist · 14/10/2022 14:16

FirewomanSam · 14/10/2022 08:12

I hate the goady ‘would you save your dog or a stranger’ question. It’s designed purely to stir up upset over a hypothetical situation that nobody is likely to ever find themselves in. And even if they did, nobody knows what they would actually do any such circumstances. Stupid question.

Yes, this. In all my 48 years of life so far I have never been in the position where I would have to save either my dog (apart from taking him to the vet at the right time) or a human. I don't see me being in that position either. But if I was, who knows what I'd do? If you ask me now then my dog - first and foremost. In reality, who knows?

I do prefer my dog to humans though. Humans are mostly arseholes to me whilst my dog just loves and accepts me as I am.

Naunet · 14/10/2022 14:18

Highschoolprobs · 14/10/2022 14:15

That's amazing. Monkeys are utterly fascinating.

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I wish I could find the article! It showed how this ‘pet’ monkey was not expected to follow the same rules as the rest of the others in the group, how they would feed it and share food with it, protect it and did seem to find it cute!

Chesneyhawkes1 · 14/10/2022 14:20

@YellowTreeHouse the life of a random human is never going to be worth more to me than my dog, who I've known and loved for over 10 years.

Even with my less than average intelligence, I am able to understand that people put different values on different things. For me, my dogs are very important, most humans - not so much.

Naunet · 14/10/2022 14:20

Highschoolprobs · 14/10/2022 14:15

That's amazing. Monkeys are utterly fascinating.

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Just thought, there’s also Koko the gorilla. She was captive, so it is different, but she had pet cats.

Livpool · 14/10/2022 14:28

AnApparitionQuipped · 14/10/2022 07:54

I value my cats above everyone except my immediate family. I would save their lives before saving the life of a friend, work colleague or stranger.

That seems crazy to me

OoooohMatron · 14/10/2022 14:31

Sparklingbrook · 14/10/2022 13:48

Dogs are probably deemed to be 'nicer' than people because they are (on the whole, except when biting and killing people) mostly compliant, needy and most importantly do not speak. So no unwanted opinions, rude comments etc. And you can pretend they are thinking about how much they love you etc...

Very true. Even a dog that is abused is loyal to its master. Cats on the other hand would no doubt feast on your corpse if you dropped dead and they didn't get their Whiskas.

Notanotherwindow · 14/10/2022 14:32

It depends really. My mum, dad, some of my cousins I would

whumpthereitis · 14/10/2022 14:35

Naunet · 14/10/2022 14:18

I wish I could find the article! It showed how this ‘pet’ monkey was not expected to follow the same rules as the rest of the others in the group, how they would feed it and share food with it, protect it and did seem to find it cute!

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It’s probably not the same article, but I found this:
www.treehugger.com/animals-with-pets-of-their-own-4863624

and this:
www.researchgate.net/publication/6996680_Cross-genus_adoption_of_a_marmoset_Callithrix_jacchus_by_wild_capuchin_monkeys_Cebus_libidinosus_Case_report

FMSucks · 14/10/2022 14:48

YellowTreeHouse · 14/10/2022 14:03

@girlmom21 And the more people like you post the more certain I am that extreme animal lovers are of less than average intelligence.

I would save my dog over a stranger any day @YellowTreeHouse . I also have an IQ of 134. What's yours?

Notanotherwindow · 14/10/2022 14:52

It depends really. My mum, dad, some of my cousins, my therapist, I would prioritise over animals. Strangers, no way, I'd put my dogs first every time. I don't buy into this human life is more important shite. Look at what we are like as a species. We trash the planet, start wars, kill and enslave each other over stupid shit like skin colour, religion, who owns what land. Yeah we totally deserve saving.

Even some of my cousins and their kids, I can't stand, I'd save my pets before them. They're horrible people who are raising their kids to be even shittier people and my dogs are gentle, sweet and never hurt anyone. Damn right I'd save the dogs.

Toooldtoworry · 14/10/2022 14:59

XmasElf10 · 14/10/2022 10:37

I grew up with a black lab that I loved very very much. I also had grandparents who I loved I guess as much as you love slightly grumpy old people who buy you stuff you don’t want at Xmas and ask you stupid questions about school. My dog died long before my gran did. I think of my dog very often. I miss him. He was wonderful and my confident and my friend. I don’t feel one way or another about my gran (or my Nan or my grandad). They didn’t leave a hole in my life.

Now I have another dog. He’s funny. He talks (in his body language) and grumps and demands. He is also king and loving and a proper comic. When he is gone he’ll leave a big hole in my life and that of my wider family who see him daily. To me his life is more important than that of a random stranger.

That very eloquently puts words to how I feel @XmasElf10

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