Originally Posted by
sp4294
..Clearly, this discussion mirrors the differing valuation of animals: some see chattel to be housed in pens, while others see companions worthy of better treatment..
What a bizarre argument! If dog and cat owners cared for animals they would not have a predator as a pet. Very obviously you guys give a damn about the animals they devour. So save your "we love animals more" superiority claims for Sunday school where you might find a still uninitiated victim who believes that stuff.
I have birds as pets and hence see the "cat & dog" crowd in a different light than they see themselves. But at least I am somewhat aware of my own myopia.
Originally Posted by
sokolov
..Ah, the wonderful "allergies" argument! The University of Vienna once tested their classrooms, which had never seen a single cat, for cat cells, and they found plenty of them. So there will be dog cells in the air if the person at the next table has a dog, whether the dog is under their table or not. Same for cats.
Cells??? There is not one insanity under the sun which isn't supported by some quick-and-dirty science out there. After all even the most nonsensical hogwash can be published if the crap collected has been fed to a mass spectrometer at some stage.
Unlike measurements of "carbon atoms from doggies" animal fur allergies are real and hence it makes a lot of sense of transport domestic animals in their traveling containers on a plane.