h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Owning a pet, whether it be a guinea pig, a gecko, a rat, a bat, a fox, a chimpanzee, a cat, an Emu, a rabbit, a dog, a fish, a tiger or any other animal should not be a role taken lightly. When you buy a pet you should be purchasing it for companionship. These are live animals, not some plastic toy that you can pick up at a store and discard later. Once you buy or receive the pet you are essentially becoming its guardian and you are responsible for its well being, care and happiness. Buying a pet should not be out of consequence nor should it be to exploit them; buying a pet simply for breeding purposes is cruel if there is emotional relationship between yourself and the animal. And please do not buy guniea pigs simply because they're bigger than hamsters and too fat to move around- their lives are of consequence, they are not disposable pets. If you buy your child a guniea pig and it dies from malnutrition, exhaustion or going through a washing machine cycle, deal with this situation and reflect on the consequences! If you could do this to a guniea pig, just image what would happen to a cat (who would not put up with such things without damaging the house and/or your person). And please, however cliche, ask yourself if you think your child is responsible enough to own a pet before you buy one for christmas or easter. Many a easter has gone by with strangled ducklings as a result of young tykes getting their hands around them and literally malling them to death.

Another thing to consider, especially when buying a dog, is behaviour. Every dog is essentially an urbanized wolf, with the same instincts that a wolf has. However, they are not wolfs. They are not by nature vicious animals nor are they able to fend for themselves when let loose (as in let out in the wild). That said, they do have aggressive tendencies that need to be delt with. If they are not given an amount of discipline (not necessarily negative, mind! Discipline can be a matter of positive reinforcement as well.) they will essentially walk all over you and others as well. So please be responsible and train your dog. You may want to keep your animal wild but in today's society that is not only unfeasible it is also a form of cruelty. Why should your dog be made responsible for digging up Mrs. Robinson's floral bed or killing your neighbour's cat when it is you who have failed to train your dog that should be held responsible??!!! Dogs want to learn and be loved and they will be only too willing to go through training with you.

There are so many more things to say about the care and treatment of animals but I believe that this is a good start.

I am a university student in Taiwan.I know some people keep ferocious animals as pets in my country,such as snakes and crocodiles, and some of them got killed by their poisonous or dangerous pets.Recently,I also heard a fierce dog bit its neighbor to death in America.Now,people are concerned about pet welfare and want to legalize it because some of the pets are mistreated,but what I want to say is we should also make some laws to prevent innocent people from getting hurt or killed,then we and pets can be equally treated,right?

I believe that animals have rights. I have 5 cats, and it's because some people threw their kittens out into the street, at 8 weeks old. I felt better taking them in myself. Then letting the local Humane society deal with them. The Humane society is already in debt. The amount of unwanted pets astounding. In Canada where I'm writing you from there are discussions about "Big dog" owners needing to insure their dogs. In case of a mauling or death. Too many people get animals, and don't know how to handle them! We are in the process in our House of Commons of "beefing up" our animal cruelty laws. But it's a carefull process too. Because our cattle and pig, and chicken and turkey farmers, don't want to be under the gun. It's a start though. They've raised the minimum cruelty fines. They've also starting imposing "Lifetime animal ownership bans." on the people that are too horrendous for words. Along with jail time. Psychologists have drawn a correlation between animal cruety and child and spouse abuse...I might add. So the stronger the penalty the better. I recommend psycological couselling as well.

If someone is deliberately cruel to an animal, the chances are that, given the opportunity this same person would also treat a fellow human in a similar manner.

I think that a society should be judged by how well it treats those unable to defend themselves, whether they be humans or domestic/wild animals and legislation should be introduced to enforce this.

we have had a few cases here on the wirral in recent weeks in which animals have been treated cruelly one case was 2 dogs (both female, one was pregnant) they were both about 12 months old and they had been tortured. their teeth had been pulled out and they also had been kicked as they were covered in bruises and placed in bin bags which were tied up. whoever do this 2 the dogs either dumped the bags under a hedge or got 2 teenage girls 2 dump them & there is £700 reward for anyone who has got any info on the person/s who did this.


then there's another case in which a cat had been stuck inbetween a lamp-post & a bus sign then set alight but due 2 the fact that no complaint has been made 2 the police or the rspca they won't be taking the matter further

I will never understand how anyone can mistreat an animal. All my life I've had cats and/or dogs. Mostly they were reasonably well-behaved, and always they were spoiled rotten.

At the moment we live in the city, so we only have our one little cat. She is the joy of our existance. Cleo HATES it outside, which is fine, she lives her entire life in the house. The problem then becomes a stimulating atmosphere for the little one. She has toys of every description: hard ones, soft ones, ones she has to bat around, and ones she can carry around in her mouth. She even has a little ball she can just get her jaws around and toss to bounce in the kitchen. There's big window sills she can sit on to watch the world go by. We spend a considerable amount of time talking to her, cuddling her, and just paying attention to her. She's as well-adjusted as any cat.

A dog in the city would be another thing. Even a small dog presents too many problems for the city. I love dogs, and I would love to own one, but not till we can move to the country where it can run and have the freedom and exercise dogs need. Its just too cruel to keep one where we are now.

neither can i understand why anyone could ill-treat a animal as we wouldn't like it if they did it 2 us. i've got 2 cats, did have 3 but one died in july But i don't know wot caused him 2 die. the other 2 have got their own character traits, garfield likes 2 lounge around all day and eat just like the cartoon garfield lol and the little one munchkin is forever charging around the place like a loony & she plays with anything that she can get her paws on even garfield's tail sometimes. the cat that died was called felix & he was really placid as he'd sleep anywhere & loved being stroked all the time. felix & garfield were like brothers as they were both from the same rescue centre and they both gave each other washes without fighting. munchkin was i think a stray who just wondered into my life and the rest they say is history as she likes attention as well & sleeps on my bed most of the time but she still has got some of her feral side in her as she tends 2 give a playful smack if she gets ignored. my next door neighbour had two dogs both pedigree and had them both since they were pups but unfortately one had 2 be put down has he had cancer & they couldn't do anything for him in the end.

The last dog we had, a liver and white Springer Spaniel had to be put down. She had liver failure. Babe was the best dog I've ever owned, and I'd like another one when the time's right. The cat before Cleo was white with beige spots and tail named Promise (long story!). She lived to be 18, and simply wore out. We missed her so much we were a year and a half before we could even contemplate another cat. Cleo's a calico, and she's beautiful, sometimes a brat, but usually just fun to have around. When she's bad I may threaten to paddle her hairy little bottom, but she just gives me an impudent look. She knows I'd never spank her, the discipline form is a spray bottle of water, and always has been. We had a functioning male howling outside the bedroom window at Cleo one hot summer night, and he woke us up. I went and got the spray bottle and got him right in the face through the screen. He never came back. I said something nasty to Cleo and went back to bed!

i used 2 live in wales & my dad had a sheltie collie & she was gorgeous a tri-colour and she'd howl the place down when she saw any of the family coming down the road and her tail would be wagging furiously from side 2 side and she got liver failure as well so she had 2 be put down. i'd always have a pet as they are caring animals that take away everyday stresses as i use to go around a mountain with the dog and it'd take about 2 hours but it was peaceful and gave the dog exercise and me as well. if i didn't work long hours i'd get another dog.