I introduced my last post by explaining the importance and fragility of our entanglements with the natural world. How we, as humans, have overwhelmingly shaped the lives of other organisms in powerful ways. In this post I want to "bring in" the animal, the "other". I aim to do this by giving focus to our entanglements with domestic animals.
It cannot be denied that the domestication of plants and animals has dramatically shaped human society. Once reliant on searching for resources to hunt and gather, the domestication (and ultimately our control) of livestock enabled us to stay still, to form settlements, towns and cities. Ease of access to animal products spurred trade in clothes and food. Selective breeding has resulted in sheep who produce more wool , and cattle who produce more meat than ever before. We have hundreds of domestic dog breeds that bare zero resemblance to their wolf ancestors, who first interconnected with humans between 20, 000 and 40,000 years ago (Botigué et al. 2017). Wolves provided protection, humans provided food in return (or so the symbiotic story goes). Mans best friend, so named because of their loyalty to humans? Or because of our loyalty to them? It seems to me that what once was a love affair, is now an abusive relationship of domination and control.
Why? Because animal domestication has created entities at the mercy of humans, unable to survive without human care. At the bare minimum, domestic animals rely on humans to provide provisions of food and shelter. In maintaining (or at least trying to maintain) optimal health (or productivity), we pump our animals bodies with pharmaceuticals to prevent, control or treat diseases. We breed for temperament and train for desired behaviour, all of this necessary for them to be permitted to exist within human society. In short, we shape, dictate and control both their bodies and their psyche. And to not fit expectations, is to not belong.
I want to briefly touch on the concept of creator for a moment. To create, is to bring into existence matter which was previously a subject of thought, an imagined possibility. The creator chooses and selects for desired outcomes, the creation has no say in this process or it's results- it simply has to live with them. The irony is not lost on me here, that with this sentiment, the most appropriate quote that springs to mind comes from a human-animal hybrid: "With power, comes great responsibility" (Spiderman, courtesy of Steve Ditko).
Perhaps such a realization can only be formed by the animal within us. The part of us that is connected to the Earth and all other organisms in it.
But regardless as to the relevance of a fictional comic book hero here, I do not believe that we humans have done a very good job (as a whole) in living up to our responsibility for our domesticated creations.
Despite cultural differences in the ways we view and relate to domestic animals, strays are forced to the periphery of the human society we developed them for. Across the world domesticated animals live diseased and feral, abandoned, neglected and euthanized for being surplus to human requirements (for examples see Kass et al. 2001; Nimmo and Miller 2007; Ellis et al. 2017).
Particularly prominent within the "developed world" (if there is such a thing), purebred dogs live in suffering due to hereditary disorders such as syringa myalgia, hip dysplasia and dermoid sinus. Syringa myalgia, a condition frequently observed in Cavalier King Charles spaniels, is where the brain literally outgrows the skull causing immeasurable pain. Brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds, such as pugs, are particularly popular for their baby-like features. Although seen as adorably cute to humans, brachycephalic dogs suffer from serious conditions including breathing difficulties, eye problems, headaches and skin problems (all because of the formation of their facial features). All of these hereditary deformities are associated with selective breeding for physical traits that humans find pleasing to look at.
When did the sound of an animal struggling to breath become cute? And is all of this acceptable as long as our dogs have their own instagram page to show how much we love them?
I believe that somewhere along the way, we humans forgot the debt we owe to animals in the shaping of society. Without them, our lives would be vastly different. I can't imagine my life without my companion animals, who bring me so much joy and comfort. I can't imagine a childhood without story books depicting happy farm animals and talking pets. Yet these are not accurate representations of the human-animal relationship that is observable on a species level. As a species, we are hypocrites. We overwhelmingly project a harmonious relationship between us and our domesticated creations, an empty rhetoric to alleviate our guilt and deny our responsibility.
I am not arguing that all humans disregard domestic animals. Far from it. It is clear that companion animals are considered an important part of our lives. As a case in point, we offer great financial investment into our human-pet relationships.
According to a recent study by Global Market Insight Inc. the Global Pet Care Market is expected to exceed USD 269.9 billion by 2025. An increased consumer demand for high quality pet foods, pet grooming and pet and livestock insurance and are theorised to be among the key contributing factors (Global Market Insight 2019). Anthropologically speaking, it may not be unrealistic to claim that the sheer quantity of money invested in pets is a clear indication of how far consumers are willing to go to provide for those they love (Boonjakuakul 2014). Although lets be realistic, there are also a plethora of alternative factors that could see a rise in consumer demand in the pet industry. Interestingly, within the USA, Millennials and Generation Z account for 65% of pet ownership, compared to Baby Boomers who account for just 32% (Kestenbaum 2018). Perhaps this will become exaggerated. Perhaps political and economic uncertainty will eventually result in a rise in pets over human babies? And if so, is this really a demonstration of love for domestic animals? Or is it simply a way of fulfilling parental desires without the burdensome cost of having a human child? But I digress. Let's get back to what I am suggesting!
I am suggesting that we could (no, we should) do more to evaluate our individual entanglements with domesticated animals. Ask yourself some simple questions: Why am I attracted to this specific breed of domestic animal? Do these cute traits negatively impact the animals life? How has this animal (or it's product) been produced? What was the quality of life like for that animal before it's encounter with me? What does the animal get out of this interaction? Simply put:
Be it a burger or a beagle, what are you personally investing in? Is it yourself or the animal?
References
Boonjakuakul, J., 2014. From Our Laps to the Laps of Luxury: The Development of Pet-Keeping in Twenty-First-Century America.
Botigué, L.R., Song, S., Scheu, A., Gopalan, S., Pendleton, A.L., Oetjens, M., Taravella, A.M., Seregély, T., Zeeb-Lanz, A., Arbogast, R.M. and Bobo, D., 2017. Ancient European dog genomes reveal continuity since the Early Neolithic. Nature communications, 8, p.16082.
Ellis, C.F., McCormick, W. and Tinarwo, A., 2017. Analysis of factors relating to companion rabbits relinquished to two united kingdom rehoming centers. Journal of applied animal welfare science, 20(3), pp.230-239.
Global Market Insight, 2019. World Pet Care Market value to hit $269 billion by 2025: Global Market Insights, Inc. [online]. Available from: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/06/18/1870027/0/en/World-Pet-Care-Market-value-to-hit-269-billion-by-2025-Global-Market-Insights-Inc.html [Date Accessed: 16/12/2019].
Kass, P.H., New Jr, J.C., Scarlett, J.M. and Salman, M.D., 2001. Understanding animal companion surplus in the United States: Relinquishment of nonadoptables to animal shelters for euthanasia. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 4(4), pp.237-248.
Kestenbaum, R., 2018. The Biggest Trends in the Pet Industry. Forbes [online]. Available from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardkestenbaum/2018/11/27/the-biggest-trends-in-the-pet-industry/#cbad64cf099a [Date Accessed: 16/12/2019].
Nimmo, D.G. and Miller, K.K., 2007. Ecological and human dimensions of management of feral horses in Australia: a review. Wildlife research, 34(5), pp.408-417.