Our pets are family members too! We need to change the law/laws that do not allow people to sue for the deep loss and pain suffered by one’s owner of a pet death when a pet is killed by someone else’s negligence.
Our pets are family members too! We need to change the law/laws that do not allow people to sue for the deep loss and pain suffered by one’s owner of a pet death when a pet is killed by someone else’s negligence.
#1 by scruffy on 11/21/2011 - 4:27 AM
Mostly because they aren’t human.
#2 by Quasimodo1957 on 11/21/2011 - 4:51 AM
*sigh*…c’mon….be reasonable. haven’t we enough ambulance chasing attorneys suing over stupid things and for people who refuse to take responsibility for their actions?
#3 by ek_90 on 11/21/2011 - 5:49 AM
Because people see pets as a lower class then humans and that the fact they really can’t think at the level that we can
#4 by TallyFloMo on 11/21/2011 - 6:21 AM
Because the govenment is full of old white egotistical men that really only care about money and not about the civilians living in the country
#5 by jon_schon on 11/21/2011 - 7:06 AM
Pets aren’t considered family members because they aren’t human. They aren’t considered citizens and can’t be held accountable by law.
#6 by learnaholic on 11/21/2011 - 7:53 AM
In some states they have similar properties…in Virginia they require you to pay taxes on your dog. Taxman always has the last word, it seems.
#7 by JustMe on 11/21/2011 - 8:45 AM
Because they are animals. I’m all one for animal rights, but they are still animals.
#8 by stfn314 on 11/21/2011 - 9:27 AM
because they’re animals…I love my dog but its still a dog.
#9 by golden_ze_bra on 11/21/2011 - 9:46 AM
I know I think you are todally right about that the law is so uncaring at times…I meen there is really ppl that try to run over ppls pets i can stand that!
#10 by Mikey on 11/21/2011 - 10:26 AM
Interesting question! Think about this, A Police dog if injured by a suspect is considered by the law to have injured a law enforcement officer and faces the same punishment as if they had injured a Human, so YES why aren’t pets considered an equal when it comes to being a part of our family’s just like they were a son or daughter! When a child or adult is abused or neglected they face punishment and our pets should be included in this law. Their are some newer laws to protect our Animals but they don’t come close to really addressing the issue.
I myself believe you are correct in how you think and feel.
As you can see, I am an animal lover but that’s besides the point, The Laws need to be changed but the Politicians we have do not seem to have the time for this, Its a sad world now and how it has changed so quickly in the last 100 years or so isn’t helping us very much. I hope it all gets better but I myself think it will not.
Good Luck as I’m on your side!
#11 by vidita1t on 11/21/2011 - 10:53 AM
WELL, NOT EXTACTLY, PETS ARE PART OF A FAMILY BUT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN A NUCLEAR FAMILY.
#12 by Cogano on 11/21/2011 - 11:36 AM
The reason for that is as simple as it is unethical, immoral and just plain wrong. For as long as people feed and exercise what I call the unholy trinity of ego, pride and arrogance, then such problems as the one you point out will persist in our socities. The fact of the matter is, ego, pride and arrogance, allow people to condescend to their fellow beings: “Behold, we create art, music, literature, create magnificent buildings, etc.” And so if other creatures fail to do the same, if not surpass us, then they are considered inferior. We have only recently come to acknowledge and respect the intelligence of such animals as whales and porpoises, that include dolphins, and elephants. Until recently, they were nothing more than things available to us to do with them as we see fit — though the sad truth is that that exploitation continues to occur!
For me, this problem has everything to do with value, especially self-value. Consider this: Suppose you now work full-time. Suppose further that you get paid $20 per hour. Suppose further that your monthly rent is $1000, you need $500 for food & $500 for other things (including medicines). Now, think about this: did people discover all those thing you buy with a price tag attached to them to indicate their value? NO. People assign price/value to the things around them, as well as to themselves. But the price/value they assign to other things, and to other beings, depends on and reflects the value they assign to themselves!
Whether or not people admit this or not, willingly or not, beings are born with intrinsic value. This means that even if you work for only 1 minute a day, you would still techincally be able to afford whatever you need, because, if things were assigned more realistic values, relative to the value of human beings and other beings etc., then you would technically not even require any money to obtain any of the things you need!
This value issue directly relates to the most important lesson I ever learned, which I will share with you. Forgive me for imposing it, as I’m not trying to condescend to you or claim wisdom or the like. I just think you would be interested by it and it would be useful to you.
I learned that when a person treats another being, human or otherwise, well, with respect, with compassion and with dignity etc., it is because that person alreadys treats themselves like that!
Whereas, when a person treats another being, human or otherwise, as something of no value, as something fit only to be used, abused, enslaved etc., as an object, and/or as dirt or scum etc., it is because they already treat themselves as faeces.
I learned this at least as much, if not more, from my own actions, as much as I learned it from other people’s actions, and learned it the hard way too, I might add!
So, when people acknowledge, accept and embrace their true value, when they choose to treat themselves in the manner that they should and deserve — well, with respect, with compassion and with dignity etc. –, then we will no longer have such problems as pets not being recognized as family members or such problems as homelessness, hunger and poverty!
I hope that helped you see the bigger picture and come closer to seeing the truth wherever and however deeply it may be buried. Good luck to you in all your endeavours. Take very good care and have yourself a most joyous day, every day.
Love And Light
Cogano
#13 by purplesometimes on 11/21/2011 - 11:39 AM
This is because pets are not humans, they are property. While humans can’t be property (at least not anymore, in this country), pets definitely are. That is why they can’t be considered family members. I do agree with you that there should be a notable difference in the eyes of the law when you lose a pet thru someone’s negligence than when you lose a livestock animal thru negligence.