Which animals do we save?

After watching 'Sharkwater,' I have been pondering the question about which animals we should save (actually, I have been wondering about this topic for quite some time). For the record, by "animals" I mean any non-human alive being that is not plant-related, and by "save" I mean respect, look after, take care of, and etc.

This is a very philosophical question. Why do we respect some animals, such as dogs, and not others, such as ants? Is it because we think certain animals might have souls and others do not? Is it because we think that certain animals are somehow better than others? Which animals do we respect more? We probably respect the ones we either live with, such as dogs and cats, or sometimes see in person, such as the lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!) that are in our zoos. Or maybe we respect some animals because they are simply larger than others. Maybe we think larger animals are somehow smarter than these smaller ones, and thus should be respected.

Sorry for all of these questions, but let's think about these and others so we can discuss the topic. I can see protecting animals that are needed for a balanced environment, but I don't think one should be imprisoned for killing dogs. This is just me personally. What do you all think?

I think humans should respect ALL life that we share the Earth with.

I get so angry when I see videos or news articles of humans being cruel to animals. This week in NZ we had an incident where some mongrels set a sheep on fire and put fireworks in it's mouth, which blew off the animal's lower jaw I am furious that the Japanese and other nations are allowed to slaughter hundreds of whales and dolphins in the name of "research".

Some people have a mentality that we are the only important life forms here, and they give no respect to anything else, not even themselves. Even the animals we breed for meat, they don't get a say in the matter, they're treated as a chunk of meat and every day I'm getting more interested in becoming a vegetarian because of it. We don't need meat to survive, our digestive systems aren't even designed for it.

Even if I see a lady bug struggling in the pool, I'll rescue it and put it on a leaf

[edit on 22/4/09 by dmorgan]

Originally posted by dmorgan
Even if I see a lady bug struggling in the pool, I'll rescue it and put it on a leaf

Great way of living! I am sure, though, that most will not be of the same school of thought.

I haven"t seen Sharkwater, so I am going to come from the direction that we are in a world situation and only a certain number of animals can be saved for future ensurance of the human race. Like a Noah's Ark with limited allowance for animals. I chose the five I thought to be the most important, but I am sure there needs to be more than these to have a decent ecosystem. These will not necessarily be in order of importance but I have to start with line order. First, the horse should be saved. The horse is a useful animal for travel and for plowing fields for crops. Imagine how important the horse was to west. The dog (Doberman Pinscher) so man will have personal protection from "enemy combatants" and comraderie, nobody loves you like your dog loves you. Actually, it doesn't have to be a Doberman, I just believe they are the best dogs, I love them. Since, we aren't going to eat the horse or dog, then we need chickens (rooster included), because they do not require much to eat and they provide protein with eggs and white meat for dietary purposes. Sheep, so bedding and clothing could be made. Bees would be needed for pollination of plants. Lastly, worms would be needed to eat dead plants and animals.

That is my two cents. I will have to see what Sharkwater is about.

I'm with dmorgan - all life should be respected. And I always rescue small creatures when I see them in trouble, too.

I was thinking about this 'size issue' recently - it is easier to have more thought for a larger creature. Then I stopped to think about the size of the Universe and how vast it is - obviously too vast too imagine easily, or at all.

So after considering the size of the universe and then looking at ourselves and our place in it, the size difference between us and an ant or an elephant doesn't seem to be all that much.

Any living thing values its life and has as much right to be here as humans. Everything has its place and its purpose, even if it's sometimes hard for humans to appreciate that purpose.

All of us are here experiencing life and I'd defend any creature's right to go about its business unharmed (and, where possible, unhindered) by man just because we might find them inconvenient or insignificant.

I always take the view that a soul resides in any living being, so really the vehicle is unimportant. It's the soul that counts and it has the right to experience being any creature it chooses to incarnate as.



[edit on 23-4-2009 by berenike]

I guess I was on the wrong track . As far as respecting and taking care of animals I think a bit different on that too. I love animals in general and have many different kinds of domesticated animals. Now as far as a crocodile, alligator, rattlesnake, or any animal that is a serpent I do not like and it wouldn't bother me in the least to kill them. A wildcat went into the town area of a small town I did live in and snatched a miniature colt from the front yard of a friend of mine. No love for an animal that is aggressive and carnivorous--don't want to care for that type either.
It makes me sad to see cougars attacking a herd of antelope and getting them down and massacrering sp?.
Another two cents, for free.

Originally posted by berenike
Any living thing values its life and has as much right to be here as humans. Everything has its place and its purpose, even if it's sometimes hard for humans to appreciate that purpose.

I really love this, and I love your universe rationalization! Great stuff!

Originally posted by catamaran
Now as far as a crocodile, alligator, rattlesnake, or any animal that is a serpent I do not like and it wouldn't bother me in the least to kill them.

Thanks for sharing! I am interested in every form of thinking!

We should save all the tastiest ones, none of the cats or lions or things we can't eat, just the grass eaters

Originally posted by munkey66
We should save all the tastiest ones, none of the cats or lions or things we can't eat, just the grass eaters

I'm with you to a degree, my first thought was MMMMM COW!!!! Keeps me warm, tastes good and they are just sooo damn cute.

Love those tasty animals. We have to keep them around. Along with my dog (I don't eat dog, he's my protector).

A_L