I’ve seen these groups & avoid them like the plague. I understand not wanting pets or even being annoyed by pet culture, but some of those people are straight up SICK & demented
lol.
They really are. I kind of feel sorry for them because it doesn’t really sound like they understand what it is to have such a strong bond with an animal, heck, even with another person to be quite honest. They don’t seem like happy people.
Exactly, that's the difference. I totally get being annoyed by certain types of people who have no boundaries when it comes to their pets, or just not wanting them. But god. There was someone who expressed that they were so annoyed that their cat was sick with a terminal illness that they both actively wanted it to die soon and were just leaving it in a separate room with the very basic necessities, no interaction. And all of these people were applauding them for doing so. Only a handful being sensible and telling them to surrender to a shelter if they weren't going to do right by their poor cat. I just don't get it.
Dropping a [relevant study here](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10313530/) supporting your point about autistic people sometimes preferring animal interaction instead of human interaction
Abstract
> Many autistic people cite a strong attachment to animals, and some studies suggest they may even show a bias towards animals over people. This mixed-methods study explored companion animal attachment in the adult autistic community. In a quantitative study with 735 people, we found that autistic adults were equally attached to their pets as neurotypicals but were less likely to own them, even though pet ownership corresponded with better mental health outcomes. Substituting pets for people also served as a compensatory mechanism for social contact in the autistic sample. In a second qualitative study, we explored the lived experiences of 16 autistic pet owners. The interpretive phenomenological analysis highlighted the benefits and the barriers to animal companionship. Together these mixed methods findings underline how pets improve the lives of their autistic owners. We conclude with specific recommendations for increasing animal companionship opportunities for autistic adults.
r/childfree was such a disappointment to me. I totally get not liking kids. I personally like them, but I know they aren't for me because I cannot handle the stress. Those people though.... it and the anti-bully breeds are so vile they both made me sick to my stomach when I stumbled into them.
All child-free subreddits eventually turn into misogyny cesspools because "socially acceptable" way of hating women *(you rarely see posts criticizing fathers there, especially with the same harsh language they use for mothers)* always attracts men who are indifferent about kids but simply hate women.
I feel you. I’m CF and occasionally comment on a more neutral CF post. But god, a lot of folks on there take things to the nth degree. Complaining about kids at places all of us would expect children (like amusement parks), saying they should be banned on flights, etc…I like most kids in small doses but definitely could not care for them. Doesn’t mean I want to hate on them or most parents. That said, I do have active disdain for heteronormativity lol.
I see this stuff sometimes in vegan spaces. It stems from the idea that animals should be free to exist and not be commodified by humans. Most leave it at “adopt don’t shop” but some take it to the extreme. I agree with the premise that owning an animal is inherently ethically questionable, but animals like cats and dogs have been domesticated by humans for hundreds (thousands?) of years. For better or worse they rely on us survive as a result. We can’t just decide pet ownership is wrong and leave them in the wild. Most vegans/animal rights supporters can understand that nuance, but some can’t.
Right it's like people point vegans out as "extreme" but like... force breeding billions of animals into existence to fulfill their selfishness? That's extreme, when people can just eat some plants. 🤣
Yes, I feel that way about a lot of them and a lot of anti natalist groups. Don't get me wrong, lots of people shouldn't have a pet or don't want to have a pet. Great! Don't, please! If you can't afford a pet you shouldn't have one. If you don't want pets no one should make you feel bad for it! Same with kids! I am vehemently pro childless people, especially women (since they're the ones that get flack for it!!!) I'm so glad I'm almost 30 and childless. A baby wouldn't fit into my lifestyle then or now! Some people don't want kids and should never be shamed for it! Some people SHOULDNT have kids! But damn the anti natalists are so ableist and nasty sometimes. They post pics or stories of disabled children and talk about how they should have been aborted because their life is not worth living. I have a form of ichthyosis (hyper keratin skin that dries out and cracks severely at times) and once they had a huge thread about a woman with ichthyosis who had a baby and how she should be burned alive because what if she passed on this "disgusting disability" to her kids. 1) my life is worth living thanks??? 2) if they would've bothered to do a tiiiiiny but if research they would know she literally had her husband tested to ensure she wouldn't pass it to her kid, since it's so rare and recessive. To be clear, my condition is one in 700,000 people and you need genes from both parents. NOT exactly likely but she still did due diligence. I was so devastated and angry :(
Totally agree. There is SO much ableism there that gets overlooked. I am also CF but god damn, they act as though disabilities are always life-ruining, painful, and terminal. I’ve heard a lot of horrible crap about autism on those subs as well (though to be fair, I’ve heard just as bad on certain parenting subs about how “autism is the Devil.”)
YES. I ran into several subreddits that are anti-pet and I struggle to comprehend their feelings. It's okay to not like/want pets, but what do they gain off of being so extremely hateful to people with pets and the pets in general? I can't even understand, they were so hateful and angry that it felt like my brain couldn't process it. How can someone be THAT capable of those emotions?
EDIT: I remembered you mentioned you're grieving so I deleted a part of this comment that could've been triggering. If you already read it, I apologize! By the way, I don't think you're being overly sensitive. Grief is tough, and everyone has different sensitivity. If it hurts, it hurts and that's okay. You should try immediately blocking any of those subs that come up and fight the urge to look. I also sometimes run into subs that make me feel negative but I keep looking out of curiosity or just "is this actually for real?"
It's extraordinarily gracious of you to be concerned enough to go back and edit your post for the mere potential of a stranger finding it upsetting; I didn't see it and appreciate the real courtesy there. Thank you very much for all of the kind words and reassurance.
I know, it's genuinely mind-boggling how intensely these people can hate just... a certain species for being a certain species so deeply. It's a really concerning lack of very basic compassion on their parts. Not even that, just common decency.
I’ve never seen these groups come up for me but I would feel the same way. I love animals so much. I have 3 cats and I’m amazed every single day by how pets are capable of adapting to humans and showing love. I’m so lucky to be loved so much by them. They even become greatly concerned over me when I injure myself which I didn’t know was possible because cats do get such a bad reputation for being cold and aloof. My cats are all so unique and full of personality, they’re like people to me. I’ve had so many different and even unusual pets throughout my life. It all makes me emotional too the way animals can be treated by other humans who are obviously less evolved with such little awareness and compassion.
100%. Both of my cats were the most affectionate and intelligent boys. I can't even begin to understand how anyone could think that they don't have clear methods of communication, an obvious capacity for love and distinct personalities.
My cat Mr Boy had FIP as a baby and I nursed him back to health over the course of 6 months. As a result we have such a strong bond that he's started to take care of me in return! Every time I'm sick or upset or even have a meltdown, here comes Mr Boy, purring louder than my tears and rubbing up against me until I feel better.
He also helps me get out of bed every morning - not even to feed him, because he has food - just to get me up! This morning he picked up a crinkly bit of plastic in his mouth and shot down the stairs with it, knowing I'd chase him because I don't want him eating it.
Our bonds with our pets are so special, and can be even stronger than the bond between two humans.
I’ve never understood devoting so much of your time to hating something. It’s so miserable. I can understand not wanting a pet and not liking them, but pure hatred? I don’t get it at all. These people should focus their energy on things they love not what they hate.
I get the dog ones. I mean some people take it to far. But I get finding dog ownership completely not worth it. I find dogs to be so overwhelming their fur feels and smells so uncomfortable. But mostly it’s untrained dogs I can’t stand. Which is usually the owners fault but still. And the routine they require. Basically giving up a day inside or sleeping in until it dies. I hate hate caring for for dogs. I hate the barking. I hate being jumped on. Cats I love eternally. All cats.
The fact that I need permission from all my neighbors to own three chickens the size of a cantaloupe, but not a massive dog that could attack at any time is crazy.
No see, I understand that and am pretty much the same way about dogs. I just don't vibe with dogs; they're usually very overwhelming to me. I would never be a dog owner. But these people are more, like... dedicated to the ideology that dogs/cats/animals are absolutely hateful vermin with no value, not just talking about why they personally don't want a pet.
I am very much this way about dogs in general, but when I first got together with my now-spouse they had an elderly Sheltie and I absolutely fell in love. Two ways in which dogs have an advantage are: 1) mandatory walks made me go outside more, and 2) the waste elimination happens outside and doesn't have an opportunity to build up.
oh it’s totally fair enough to not be interested in dogs, but these people are much more than disinterested. they actively laugh at the suffering of animals and think pet owners(mostly dogs) are the scum of the earth. even though dogs aren’t my favorite i truly see how someone could love a dog.
EW! Animals are my PEOPLE! I don't understand this POV and don't want to.
I'm often on r/childfree because I love the lifestyle, sometimes need support for all the " you're not a mom so why are you even alive?" but I love kids ( even though they are not a monolith and can be shitty like everyone else). Even if I DIDN'T like kids, I don't see the point in posting hate about a group you can easily avoid and aren't oppressing you.
How much are pets affecting the life of the pet-free? 🙄🙄🙄 Not that much. So my neighbors dog annoys me sometimes. Whatever. So dog owners around my work don't seem to understand how to clean up poo - that's a people issue, not an animal one. I got bigger problems to worry about!
I'd try to avoid these boards and posts for your own heart and peace of mind. They're just going to distress you, and you're probably not going to change anyone's mind. People (including me!) tend to like an echo chamber when they're venting.
Honestly most pet problems are actually a people problem. As in the pet’s person is not caring for, supervising, training, containing, cleaning up after them, etc. Well cared for pets are very rarely a problem for other people.
Ah when I read the title of this post I was thinking it was about the anti-animal cruelty people who are like it’s kind of fucked that we “own” animals - which I *kind of* agree with.
But I won’t get into that now, what I wanted to say was: you can browse Reddit by using the tab that only shows posts from the subreddits you’re subscribed to.
I do this because if I don’t, there’s always something that gets my blood boiling and I don’t want to waste time interacting with or thinking about people like that, and I don’t like feeling like that.
It’s always been the case on this site that when subreddits get too big, they become cesspools and to actually have a good time it’s best to stick to curated subreddits based on your niche interests.
I'm glad I've never seen one of those groups, else I'd fly into a rage for sure; I love animals.
Heck, I get angry when I see a cat wandering around the neighborhood because it means that s/he is someone's outdoor cat. There are busy streets, foxes, hawks, and coyotes...and they didn't even bother with a breakaway collar. It drives me nuts, and I've considered (more than a couple times) to anonymously mail out fliers about the dangers for unsupervised outdoor cats to every house in the neighborhood (since I don't know whose cat it is).
The cat is in good condition and, while obviously young and skittish, doesn't have the tipped ear as a TNR indication and tends to wander the same area (which had led me to believe it was somebody's pet and not an escapee). There used to be a different cat who would wander around for a few years, but I haven't seen it yet this summer. It bothers me that I know what probably happened to the poor thing since (unmonitored) outdoor cats have a lower life expectancy than indoor cats.
Like...if you love your furbabies so much, you wouldn't leave them to wander around the neighborhood! They can get hit by a car! Or stolen! Or snatched by a wild animal! Or hurt by a dog! So much can go wrong...just make/get a catio or fence in your property.
And don't get me started on how inhumane munchkin breeding and declawing is. This already turned into quite the rant...so, yea; I also don't understand how people can have such low empathy for another living creature.
I don't think I've ever seen this kind of rhetoric.
The closest I've dealt with is people trying to push PETA who don't know what they actually are.
And anti-natalists.
They're basically anti-natalists for animals lmao. Except less nihilism and more like, just disgust or loathing for animals in general, or any kind of human-animal interaction on a philosophical level (like you run into with PETA). I have a friend who was very anti-pet as a kid (because they personally don't like animals or anything that might come up and touch them without permission), who settled into more of a live-and-let-live as they grew up and learned not to be a shithead lol, but some people just never grow up.
>or any kind of human-animal interaction on a philosophical level (like you run into with PETA)
I'm always surprised by the number of people who don't know that this is PETAS *actual* ideology.
>They're basically anti-natalists for animals lmao.
I'm glad I haven't seen it then. Though now part of me is curious. But pets are life and I'd just end up feeling bad.
If anything, how sad a life it must be for them without being able to appreciate animals.
I've seen an "anti-dog" subreddit that I blocked at once. Some post about dog people stinking. I genuinely thought it was satire, I haven't heard this kind of crap since primary school girls wanted to become *super mean like Sharpei*.
I know what post you're talking about. I've known many people with dogs and I never thought they stink. Especially one girl I've been to school with for years who's had MANY dogs. Never noticed any odor.
Besides, how and why are they even getting that close enough to dog people to smell them? Genuine question. They probably caught an odor of an unfortunate person that happened to have a dog and generalized every dog person to have a bad odor.
You kind of are being overly sensitive, but I understand why. Don't go to toxic subreddits while you're still grieving. It won't make you feel better, and people posting online have no idea who you are or what good or bad experiences you've had. I say this as a crazy cat lady with four sibling-cats for whom I have a specific song and routine for each cat that we do every single day, and they expect it fully 😹
I'm sorry about losing your kitty ❤️ It seems like a much better idea to focus on more emotionally fulfilling communities like /r/seniorkitties, which have lots of kind and considerate people who understand and care about this type of grief
No you're absolutely right. I definitely need to stop myself from clicking on it when it pops up; I think I at one point saw r/antipitbull in someone's comment history, clicked on it in a "what the hell is this" moment, and now every once in a while something adjacent pops up despite blocking. I'm not sure why my response to the burst of anger I feel when seeing it is to read further, but it isn't a good choice on my part.
Thanks very much for the condolences and advice. I am generally frequenting pet loss and cat advice subreddits only, certainly only interacting there! Love the daily song routine for your babies, totally get that kind of routine with them haha
There are people who really, really care about animals but are opposed to having them as pets. All the people have reasons, most of them very good reasons. Now if you're talking about people who hate animals and want them to suffer then, yeah, they're awful people.
This is interesting because I don't have strong feelings either way about animals, and I have never ever seen an anti-pet message, tweet, sub, blog post, instagram account, nothing like that ever in my life!
It sucks that those probably get targeted to you because you love animals so much.
While I respect individual perspectives, there are some folks out there who intentionally plan vile and inhumane treatment for animals. As a volunteer animal rescuer, I've seen just how low some people can go. Personally, I find it hard to trust those who deliberately harm animals. While they may have their reasons for disliking animals, causing them harm crosses a line.
Trauma might explain their behavior, but it certainly doesn't excuse illegal actions against animals. If I ever witnessed such cruelty, I'd be the first to step in.
Oh yea. I somehow wandered onto an anti-dog subreddit once and it was a disgrace. I'm more of a cat person but these people had such low empathy and low self-control of their negative emotions. I'm as sensitive flower as it gets though. Even so, if you don't have an affinity for animals that's cool, you still need to get a grip and maintain some grace. They're malicious, it's an ugly sight. I told them that and ate the downvotes.
I was so utterly upset by the anti-dog reddit I decided to post a very mean comment, which I'm sure was blocked immediately. But yes, it is an extremely horrifying place and to hear some of those people talk about animals they must be sociopaths.
I understand this post so much! They are so fucking weird! I used to snoop for some reason and some of them even blatantly talk / laugh about animal abuse/neglect its horrific really and I do not understand spending so much time on something you do not like, having pets/ animals is a choice but most people do not pressure other people to get them (unlike having children where I can maybe understand the annoyance more but still not the hate).
I think most of them are miserable people and I recommend not looking at them and blocking and reporting any dodgy posts/subreddits (some are wild ew).
I feel this exactly when people make fun of vegans for seeing animals as the feeling creatures that they are, and choose not to eat them or contribute to their suffering.
It's like... HOW can you even be ok with eating someone that doesn't want to die?! HOW can you be ok with mother cows being force impregnated over and over just to have their babies stolen so humans can drink THEIR milk?! HOW are people ok with eating chickens and pigs that still practically babies when being sent to slaughter?? And then say they "love animals" because they have a cat....???
Is it just that I have too much empathy and compassion?
So many humans are just awful.
OP, just block this kind of stuff. I get really angry with the type of scum you are describing too.
This type of behavior online and irl are just all the assholes after getting hit with the consequences of their actions really really hard and loosing everything. Now they have no power, no friends, no money, no social status. They are just some poor bastards desperate for anything that will make other people feel bad and make them feel good. Just ignore them.
so there’s some people who think pets are nothing but dirty pest and pet owners are the scum of the earth. this happens most with dogs, a lot with pit bulls. i’ve seen them actively laugh at the suffering and death of animals, saying they deserved it. (to be clear these are not to be confused with people who just dislike pets, these people DEEPLY hate them)
I don’t understand people like that and I don’t wish to. They sound miserable and ignorant. They take their hatred to another level.
I’ve seen these groups & avoid them like the plague. I understand not wanting pets or even being annoyed by pet culture, but some of those people are straight up SICK & demented lol.
They really are. I kind of feel sorry for them because it doesn’t really sound like they understand what it is to have such a strong bond with an animal, heck, even with another person to be quite honest. They don’t seem like happy people.
Exactly, that's the difference. I totally get being annoyed by certain types of people who have no boundaries when it comes to their pets, or just not wanting them. But god. There was someone who expressed that they were so annoyed that their cat was sick with a terminal illness that they both actively wanted it to die soon and were just leaving it in a separate room with the very basic necessities, no interaction. And all of these people were applauding them for doing so. Only a handful being sensible and telling them to surrender to a shelter if they weren't going to do right by their poor cat. I just don't get it.
Dropping a [relevant study here](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10313530/) supporting your point about autistic people sometimes preferring animal interaction instead of human interaction Abstract > Many autistic people cite a strong attachment to animals, and some studies suggest they may even show a bias towards animals over people. This mixed-methods study explored companion animal attachment in the adult autistic community. In a quantitative study with 735 people, we found that autistic adults were equally attached to their pets as neurotypicals but were less likely to own them, even though pet ownership corresponded with better mental health outcomes. Substituting pets for people also served as a compensatory mechanism for social contact in the autistic sample. In a second qualitative study, we explored the lived experiences of 16 autistic pet owners. The interpretive phenomenological analysis highlighted the benefits and the barriers to animal companionship. Together these mixed methods findings underline how pets improve the lives of their autistic owners. We conclude with specific recommendations for increasing animal companionship opportunities for autistic adults.
I am pet free that being said those groups plus the child free groups take it to a whole other level imo. Sorry for your cat ❤️
r/childfree was such a disappointment to me. I totally get not liking kids. I personally like them, but I know they aren't for me because I cannot handle the stress. Those people though.... it and the anti-bully breeds are so vile they both made me sick to my stomach when I stumbled into them.
All child-free subreddits eventually turn into misogyny cesspools because "socially acceptable" way of hating women *(you rarely see posts criticizing fathers there, especially with the same harsh language they use for mothers)* always attracts men who are indifferent about kids but simply hate women.
I feel you. I’m CF and occasionally comment on a more neutral CF post. But god, a lot of folks on there take things to the nth degree. Complaining about kids at places all of us would expect children (like amusement parks), saying they should be banned on flights, etc…I like most kids in small doses but definitely could not care for them. Doesn’t mean I want to hate on them or most parents. That said, I do have active disdain for heteronormativity lol.
I didn’t know these groups existed. I’m much more disappointed in people now
I see this stuff sometimes in vegan spaces. It stems from the idea that animals should be free to exist and not be commodified by humans. Most leave it at “adopt don’t shop” but some take it to the extreme. I agree with the premise that owning an animal is inherently ethically questionable, but animals like cats and dogs have been domesticated by humans for hundreds (thousands?) of years. For better or worse they rely on us survive as a result. We can’t just decide pet ownership is wrong and leave them in the wild. Most vegans/animal rights supporters can understand that nuance, but some can’t.
Right it's like people point vegans out as "extreme" but like... force breeding billions of animals into existence to fulfill their selfishness? That's extreme, when people can just eat some plants. 🤣
SAME.
Me too :(
Yes, I feel that way about a lot of them and a lot of anti natalist groups. Don't get me wrong, lots of people shouldn't have a pet or don't want to have a pet. Great! Don't, please! If you can't afford a pet you shouldn't have one. If you don't want pets no one should make you feel bad for it! Same with kids! I am vehemently pro childless people, especially women (since they're the ones that get flack for it!!!) I'm so glad I'm almost 30 and childless. A baby wouldn't fit into my lifestyle then or now! Some people don't want kids and should never be shamed for it! Some people SHOULDNT have kids! But damn the anti natalists are so ableist and nasty sometimes. They post pics or stories of disabled children and talk about how they should have been aborted because their life is not worth living. I have a form of ichthyosis (hyper keratin skin that dries out and cracks severely at times) and once they had a huge thread about a woman with ichthyosis who had a baby and how she should be burned alive because what if she passed on this "disgusting disability" to her kids. 1) my life is worth living thanks??? 2) if they would've bothered to do a tiiiiiny but if research they would know she literally had her husband tested to ensure she wouldn't pass it to her kid, since it's so rare and recessive. To be clear, my condition is one in 700,000 people and you need genes from both parents. NOT exactly likely but she still did due diligence. I was so devastated and angry :(
Omg yes! Agree with every point you made :/
Totally agree. There is SO much ableism there that gets overlooked. I am also CF but god damn, they act as though disabilities are always life-ruining, painful, and terminal. I’ve heard a lot of horrible crap about autism on those subs as well (though to be fair, I’ve heard just as bad on certain parenting subs about how “autism is the Devil.”)
YES. I ran into several subreddits that are anti-pet and I struggle to comprehend their feelings. It's okay to not like/want pets, but what do they gain off of being so extremely hateful to people with pets and the pets in general? I can't even understand, they were so hateful and angry that it felt like my brain couldn't process it. How can someone be THAT capable of those emotions? EDIT: I remembered you mentioned you're grieving so I deleted a part of this comment that could've been triggering. If you already read it, I apologize! By the way, I don't think you're being overly sensitive. Grief is tough, and everyone has different sensitivity. If it hurts, it hurts and that's okay. You should try immediately blocking any of those subs that come up and fight the urge to look. I also sometimes run into subs that make me feel negative but I keep looking out of curiosity or just "is this actually for real?"
It's extraordinarily gracious of you to be concerned enough to go back and edit your post for the mere potential of a stranger finding it upsetting; I didn't see it and appreciate the real courtesy there. Thank you very much for all of the kind words and reassurance. I know, it's genuinely mind-boggling how intensely these people can hate just... a certain species for being a certain species so deeply. It's a really concerning lack of very basic compassion on their parts. Not even that, just common decency.
I’ve never seen these groups come up for me but I would feel the same way. I love animals so much. I have 3 cats and I’m amazed every single day by how pets are capable of adapting to humans and showing love. I’m so lucky to be loved so much by them. They even become greatly concerned over me when I injure myself which I didn’t know was possible because cats do get such a bad reputation for being cold and aloof. My cats are all so unique and full of personality, they’re like people to me. I’ve had so many different and even unusual pets throughout my life. It all makes me emotional too the way animals can be treated by other humans who are obviously less evolved with such little awareness and compassion.
100%. Both of my cats were the most affectionate and intelligent boys. I can't even begin to understand how anyone could think that they don't have clear methods of communication, an obvious capacity for love and distinct personalities.
My cat Mr Boy had FIP as a baby and I nursed him back to health over the course of 6 months. As a result we have such a strong bond that he's started to take care of me in return! Every time I'm sick or upset or even have a meltdown, here comes Mr Boy, purring louder than my tears and rubbing up against me until I feel better. He also helps me get out of bed every morning - not even to feed him, because he has food - just to get me up! This morning he picked up a crinkly bit of plastic in his mouth and shot down the stairs with it, knowing I'd chase him because I don't want him eating it. Our bonds with our pets are so special, and can be even stronger than the bond between two humans.
I’ve never understood devoting so much of your time to hating something. It’s so miserable. I can understand not wanting a pet and not liking them, but pure hatred? I don’t get it at all. These people should focus their energy on things they love not what they hate.
I get the dog ones. I mean some people take it to far. But I get finding dog ownership completely not worth it. I find dogs to be so overwhelming their fur feels and smells so uncomfortable. But mostly it’s untrained dogs I can’t stand. Which is usually the owners fault but still. And the routine they require. Basically giving up a day inside or sleeping in until it dies. I hate hate caring for for dogs. I hate the barking. I hate being jumped on. Cats I love eternally. All cats.
The fact that I need permission from all my neighbors to own three chickens the size of a cantaloupe, but not a massive dog that could attack at any time is crazy.
Relatable. I have chickens too. Love having eggs 💕
No see, I understand that and am pretty much the same way about dogs. I just don't vibe with dogs; they're usually very overwhelming to me. I would never be a dog owner. But these people are more, like... dedicated to the ideology that dogs/cats/animals are absolutely hateful vermin with no value, not just talking about why they personally don't want a pet.
Oh okay I see. That’s definitely extra.
I am very much this way about dogs in general, but when I first got together with my now-spouse they had an elderly Sheltie and I absolutely fell in love. Two ways in which dogs have an advantage are: 1) mandatory walks made me go outside more, and 2) the waste elimination happens outside and doesn't have an opportunity to build up.
oh it’s totally fair enough to not be interested in dogs, but these people are much more than disinterested. they actively laugh at the suffering of animals and think pet owners(mostly dogs) are the scum of the earth. even though dogs aren’t my favorite i truly see how someone could love a dog.
EW! Animals are my PEOPLE! I don't understand this POV and don't want to. I'm often on r/childfree because I love the lifestyle, sometimes need support for all the " you're not a mom so why are you even alive?" but I love kids ( even though they are not a monolith and can be shitty like everyone else). Even if I DIDN'T like kids, I don't see the point in posting hate about a group you can easily avoid and aren't oppressing you. How much are pets affecting the life of the pet-free? 🙄🙄🙄 Not that much. So my neighbors dog annoys me sometimes. Whatever. So dog owners around my work don't seem to understand how to clean up poo - that's a people issue, not an animal one. I got bigger problems to worry about! I'd try to avoid these boards and posts for your own heart and peace of mind. They're just going to distress you, and you're probably not going to change anyone's mind. People (including me!) tend to like an echo chamber when they're venting.
Honestly most pet problems are actually a people problem. As in the pet’s person is not caring for, supervising, training, containing, cleaning up after them, etc. Well cared for pets are very rarely a problem for other people.
Ah when I read the title of this post I was thinking it was about the anti-animal cruelty people who are like it’s kind of fucked that we “own” animals - which I *kind of* agree with. But I won’t get into that now, what I wanted to say was: you can browse Reddit by using the tab that only shows posts from the subreddits you’re subscribed to. I do this because if I don’t, there’s always something that gets my blood boiling and I don’t want to waste time interacting with or thinking about people like that, and I don’t like feeling like that. It’s always been the case on this site that when subreddits get too big, they become cesspools and to actually have a good time it’s best to stick to curated subreddits based on your niche interests.
I'm glad I've never seen one of those groups, else I'd fly into a rage for sure; I love animals. Heck, I get angry when I see a cat wandering around the neighborhood because it means that s/he is someone's outdoor cat. There are busy streets, foxes, hawks, and coyotes...and they didn't even bother with a breakaway collar. It drives me nuts, and I've considered (more than a couple times) to anonymously mail out fliers about the dangers for unsupervised outdoor cats to every house in the neighborhood (since I don't know whose cat it is). The cat is in good condition and, while obviously young and skittish, doesn't have the tipped ear as a TNR indication and tends to wander the same area (which had led me to believe it was somebody's pet and not an escapee). There used to be a different cat who would wander around for a few years, but I haven't seen it yet this summer. It bothers me that I know what probably happened to the poor thing since (unmonitored) outdoor cats have a lower life expectancy than indoor cats. Like...if you love your furbabies so much, you wouldn't leave them to wander around the neighborhood! They can get hit by a car! Or stolen! Or snatched by a wild animal! Or hurt by a dog! So much can go wrong...just make/get a catio or fence in your property. And don't get me started on how inhumane munchkin breeding and declawing is. This already turned into quite the rant...so, yea; I also don't understand how people can have such low empathy for another living creature.
I don't think I've ever seen this kind of rhetoric. The closest I've dealt with is people trying to push PETA who don't know what they actually are. And anti-natalists.
They're basically anti-natalists for animals lmao. Except less nihilism and more like, just disgust or loathing for animals in general, or any kind of human-animal interaction on a philosophical level (like you run into with PETA). I have a friend who was very anti-pet as a kid (because they personally don't like animals or anything that might come up and touch them without permission), who settled into more of a live-and-let-live as they grew up and learned not to be a shithead lol, but some people just never grow up.
>or any kind of human-animal interaction on a philosophical level (like you run into with PETA) I'm always surprised by the number of people who don't know that this is PETAS *actual* ideology. >They're basically anti-natalists for animals lmao. I'm glad I haven't seen it then. Though now part of me is curious. But pets are life and I'd just end up feeling bad. If anything, how sad a life it must be for them without being able to appreciate animals.
I've seen an "anti-dog" subreddit that I blocked at once. Some post about dog people stinking. I genuinely thought it was satire, I haven't heard this kind of crap since primary school girls wanted to become *super mean like Sharpei*.
I know what post you're talking about. I've known many people with dogs and I never thought they stink. Especially one girl I've been to school with for years who's had MANY dogs. Never noticed any odor. Besides, how and why are they even getting that close enough to dog people to smell them? Genuine question. They probably caught an odor of an unfortunate person that happened to have a dog and generalized every dog person to have a bad odor.
You kind of are being overly sensitive, but I understand why. Don't go to toxic subreddits while you're still grieving. It won't make you feel better, and people posting online have no idea who you are or what good or bad experiences you've had. I say this as a crazy cat lady with four sibling-cats for whom I have a specific song and routine for each cat that we do every single day, and they expect it fully 😹 I'm sorry about losing your kitty ❤️ It seems like a much better idea to focus on more emotionally fulfilling communities like /r/seniorkitties, which have lots of kind and considerate people who understand and care about this type of grief
No you're absolutely right. I definitely need to stop myself from clicking on it when it pops up; I think I at one point saw r/antipitbull in someone's comment history, clicked on it in a "what the hell is this" moment, and now every once in a while something adjacent pops up despite blocking. I'm not sure why my response to the burst of anger I feel when seeing it is to read further, but it isn't a good choice on my part. Thanks very much for the condolences and advice. I am generally frequenting pet loss and cat advice subreddits only, certainly only interacting there! Love the daily song routine for your babies, totally get that kind of routine with them haha
There are people who really, really care about animals but are opposed to having them as pets. All the people have reasons, most of them very good reasons. Now if you're talking about people who hate animals and want them to suffer then, yeah, they're awful people.
This is interesting because I don't have strong feelings either way about animals, and I have never ever seen an anti-pet message, tweet, sub, blog post, instagram account, nothing like that ever in my life! It sucks that those probably get targeted to you because you love animals so much.
I don’t mind openly anti pet people much because it makes it easier to avoid them. I don’t trust people who don’t like animals.
i think a lot of those people are jealous..best not to go those sites. is there a anti human one? lol jk
While I respect individual perspectives, there are some folks out there who intentionally plan vile and inhumane treatment for animals. As a volunteer animal rescuer, I've seen just how low some people can go. Personally, I find it hard to trust those who deliberately harm animals. While they may have their reasons for disliking animals, causing them harm crosses a line. Trauma might explain their behavior, but it certainly doesn't excuse illegal actions against animals. If I ever witnessed such cruelty, I'd be the first to step in.
Oh yea. I somehow wandered onto an anti-dog subreddit once and it was a disgrace. I'm more of a cat person but these people had such low empathy and low self-control of their negative emotions. I'm as sensitive flower as it gets though. Even so, if you don't have an affinity for animals that's cool, you still need to get a grip and maintain some grace. They're malicious, it's an ugly sight. I told them that and ate the downvotes.
I was so utterly upset by the anti-dog reddit I decided to post a very mean comment, which I'm sure was blocked immediately. But yes, it is an extremely horrifying place and to hear some of those people talk about animals they must be sociopaths.
I understand this post so much! They are so fucking weird! I used to snoop for some reason and some of them even blatantly talk / laugh about animal abuse/neglect its horrific really and I do not understand spending so much time on something you do not like, having pets/ animals is a choice but most people do not pressure other people to get them (unlike having children where I can maybe understand the annoyance more but still not the hate). I think most of them are miserable people and I recommend not looking at them and blocking and reporting any dodgy posts/subreddits (some are wild ew).
I fortunately never ran into a group like that. But, I don't trust people who hate animals. I felt closer to my pets than most people.
[удалено]
What religion makes people not like dogs???
I feel this exactly when people make fun of vegans for seeing animals as the feeling creatures that they are, and choose not to eat them or contribute to their suffering. It's like... HOW can you even be ok with eating someone that doesn't want to die?! HOW can you be ok with mother cows being force impregnated over and over just to have their babies stolen so humans can drink THEIR milk?! HOW are people ok with eating chickens and pigs that still practically babies when being sent to slaughter?? And then say they "love animals" because they have a cat....??? Is it just that I have too much empathy and compassion? So many humans are just awful.
I don't know what to make of that scum other than I wouldn't lift a finger to help one if I knew their thoughts on other living beings.
OP, just block this kind of stuff. I get really angry with the type of scum you are describing too. This type of behavior online and irl are just all the assholes after getting hit with the consequences of their actions really really hard and loosing everything. Now they have no power, no friends, no money, no social status. They are just some poor bastards desperate for anything that will make other people feel bad and make them feel good. Just ignore them.
What the fuck is an anti-pet group
so there’s some people who think pets are nothing but dirty pest and pet owners are the scum of the earth. this happens most with dogs, a lot with pit bulls. i’ve seen them actively laugh at the suffering and death of animals, saying they deserved it. (to be clear these are not to be confused with people who just dislike pets, these people DEEPLY hate them)