Do you wonder whether animals feel emotions such as pain or fear and whether they can be fundamentally emotional? Very good! Then you are probably also a person who questions things and shows feelings. And of course the answer is YES!
I am writing this article primarily because it is important to me that none of us see animals simply as things. Whether in the stable, on the street, in the wild, the pet or the piece of meat on the plate.
In this article, I would like to emphasize that animals are emotional beings who feel fear, pain, sadness, anger or jealousy just like us humans. Finally, you will see a video that made me cry like a castle dog. Let's go!
How can you tell that animals have feelings?
In our hectic everyday lives, it's easy to get caught up in habit. have sometimes been forgottenthat the kebab meat in the lunch break was once a sheep or a cute little lamb, a cow or a little calf or a chicken.
We need to understand that animals are emotional creatures. Unfortunately, respect and appreciation are the values that often fall by the wayside. Instead, the Ignorance.
But whether Cows, chickens, dogs, cats, elephants, lions... they all have feelings. There are no exceptions!
How can you recognize this? Here are a few examples: Animals...
- … flee (e.g. fish in front of the shark or fishing net)
- … play dead (e.g. rats, if they are in danger)
- … attack (e.g. bees when you hit them)
- … warn each other (e.g., flocking birds such as starlings when they sense danger).
- … search one after the other (e.g. mother cows call for their snatched calf)
- … mourn (e.g. elephants, if another animal has died)
- … are pleased (e.g. dogs when reaching for the game ball).
- … remember (e.g. monkeys who see caregivers again after a long time)
- …
Tip: Animals have emotions, but can Animals also cry emotionally? In the linked article I have also dealt with this in more detail.
Why do animals feel emotions and feelings?
Emotions help people and animals as well, evaluate certain situations and experiences. Feeling feelings therefore also provides a evolutionary advantage.
Is there a danger? Fear, for example, makes us more likely to avoid something. Is it fun? The feeling of happiness makes us long for a repeat performance. And so on.
Whether we are already looking forward to the next episode of our new favorite series - or whether your dog is already looking forward to tomorrow's walk. Humans and animals tick in the same way.
This is not surprising, because ultimately man is also an animal by definition. Biologically speaking, we are mammals that belong to the great ape family. This is another reason why we have Humans have so much in common with animals.
"It is the typical human vanity and impertinence of man to call an animal stupid just because his human mind is not sufficient to understand it."
Mark Twain (more at Animal welfare quotes)
Who owns a pet have long known that animals can show feelings and be emotional. That's why we in Germany are rightly quick to get angry about the fact that there are people who eat dogs or cats.
Cows, pigs and chickens are not typical pets in Germanywhich is why many people in this country find it easier to eat them.
But in principle, all animals (and humans) are the same. Whether cow, dog, pig, cat, parrot or chicken. What remains is the question: Why do we value some animals differently from other animals?
This so-called Speciesism can be attributed above all to our Habits which we are often taught in childhood. We have to break out of them if we no longer want animals to die for our taste buds or because of cultural traditions.
I can only warmly recommend the Book "Eating Animals" by Jonathan Safran Foer* to the heart.
Good to know: Feelings are different from emotions. While Feelings from within arise are Emotions always reactions which are triggered by own perception or thoughts.
Animals have feelings! What we should and should not do
Most people are aware that animals have feelings. Nevertheless, we often behave anything but human, compassionate and merciful.
Here I would like to give you some examples for human deeds and show what each one of us can do. do something for the welfare of animals in everyday life can.
Human crimes against animals
There are so many acts that can be categorized as "human crimes against animals" that I can't even list them all here.
But sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees. To understand, what we do to living beings who mean us no harmhere are some examples that cast doubt on our sanity:
- Factory farming: In Germany alone, around 760 million animals die every year.1
- Chick Shredding: Since January 1, 2022, the Chick killing banned in Germany. But until then, around 45 million male chicks gassed or shredded.2
- Whale battles in the Faroe Islands: Whales faithfully follow their leader and do not leave the side of injured animals. On the Faroe Islands, this is their undoing, because the Whale slaughters are celebrated there like a folk festival.
- Ortholan food in France: In France, ortholans are considered a delicacy. Bizarrely, they are locked in a dark room for 2 weeks with their heads bandaged. Almost starved to death, they are then drowned in wine, which is said to taste particularly good.3
- Yulin Dog Meat Festival: During the Chinese festival alone, 10,000 dogs are eaten. As many as 10-20 million dogs are eaten in China throughout the year.4
- Animals for laboratory experiments: In 2022, a total of 4,207,231 animals were "consumed" and mostly killed in German laboratories. These included monkeys, cats, fish, dogs, mice and rats.5
- …
These are crimes against animals - regardless of whether the acts are already prohibited by law or not. None of this is morally justifiable. There is no good way to do such bad things.
This is what you can do for animals every day
As I said, most of us know that animals have feelings. Nevertheless, they often unconsciously and indirectly for animal suffering.
Here are some things you can implement in everyday lifeto protect animals from emotional or physical suffering:
- No more eating meat: Avoiding animal meat saves many animals unnecessary suffering and emotional stress. You are also supporting the fight against climate change, the Deforestation and also counteract the species extinction against. You can find tips for the changeover at Become a vegetarian.
- Vegan living: An even clearer step is to avoid all animal products. Replace cow's milk with oat milk, for example. You can find out more about this at Tips for a vegan lifestyle. I can also recommend the Online course "Going vegan made easy "*.
- Reduce food waste: Millions of chickens, pigs, cattle and other farm animals die for nothing in Germany every year because we throw food away. So if you eat animal products, value them. More at Reduce food waste.
- Help injured animals: For example, if you have a Injured deer or a see a flightless birdthen report it to your local animal welfare organization.
- Do without fur: Do not buy clothes made of animal material. For example, do without Fur with your winter coat. Find out more at Recognize real fur.
- Avoid animal souvenirs: Never buy souvenirs made of ivory or rare horn. This is an important part of the sustainable travel. You can also find out more about this at sustainable souvenirs.
Tip: Just take a look animal welfare blog here at CareElite. The inspirational Animal welfare quotes an added value for you!
-
Cookbook Vegan cliché goodbye!20 € -
Eat animals13 € -
Vegan is nonsense!24 €
Donations to animal welfare organizations
And of course you can also Support animal welfare organizations financially. Here are highly recommended places to go:
- PETA: For example, the organization advocates that animals no longer be used for food, clothing, entertainment or Animal testing used or exploited. Click here for the website.
- FOUR PAWS: The foundation fights to save animals in need and initiates educational campaigns for more conscious consumption. Click here for the website.
- Sea Shepherd e.V.: The association is primarily committed to the preservation of marine ecosystems. Click here for the website.
- Deutscher Tierschutzbund e.V.: The association fights for species-appropriate husbandry of animals and organizes, for example, educational lectures. Click here for the website.
Animals have feelings, just like us humans.
Animals are sentient, emotional creatures. Every animal stirs up fears, fears pain, feels joy and shows love and affection. We know that. Unfortunately, not everyone answers the initial question of this article with YES these days.
That we humans nevertheless something as cruel as Chick ShreddingThe way we practice whale slaughter, tail and beak clipping, live skinning, and even hunting for the horns of endangered animals will make future generations look upon us with disgust.
"As long as we humans believe that animals do not feel, animals must feel that humans do not think."
Unknown
We must define the relationship between humans and animals in a contemporary way. We must not treat animals like objects. Not by producers in meat production, not by us as consumers at the dinner table and, of course, not by us as pet owners.
Do you have any questions about this admittedly emotional article or suggestions that you would like to share? Then feel free to write me a comment.
Stay animal-friendly,
PS: Not only large animals need your help, but also small ones. What you can do against insect mortality you can now find out in the linked article. Alternatively, take a look at the Wildlife Blog Germany around. My brother Stephan shows emotional short films about Germany's wild animals there.
References:
- Albert Schweitzer Stiftung: Slaughter figures down again in 2021, available at https://albert-schweitzer-stiftung.de/aktuell/schlachtzahlen-2021-erneut-gesunken. [24.10.2024]. ↩︎
- N. v. d. Weiden; MDR: Tierschutz-Gesetz - Schicksal vieler männlicher Küken trotz "Schredderverbot" unklar (Status: 09.04.2023), available at https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/deutschland/ostern-kueken-schreddern-hohe-preise-100.html. [24.10.2024]. ↩︎
- NABU - Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V.: Is the Ortolan flying off the menu? https://www.nabu.de/news/2017/09/23197.html. [24.10.2024]. ↩︎
- Partei Mensch Umwelt Tierschutz: Hunde-Schlachtfest Yulin mahnt (as at: 02.07.2019), available at https://www.tierschutzpartei.de/hunde-schlachtfest-yulin-mahnt. [24.10.2024]. ↩︎
- Deutscher Tierschutzbund e.V.: You should know these figures on animal experiments, available at https://www.tierschutzbund.de/tiere-themen/tierversuche/statistik-zu-tierversuchen. [24.10.2024]. ↩︎
Dear Christoph,
I have read this article with interest. In many respects I agree with you; I would also like to avoid any unnecessary suffering for people and animals. I also think that everyone should live consciously and do what they can within their means. And I also try to do that.
But this:
"Animals are sentient, emotional creatures. Everyone must understand that. But unfortunately not everyone answers the initial question with YES. Every animal stirs up fears, fears pain, feels joy and shows compassion. We know that. That we nevertheless practice something as cruel as chick shredding, whale slaughter, tail and beak clipping, live skinning, or even hunting for the horns of endangered animals will make future generations look upon us with disgust."
is simply not true. First of all, what is this "WE"? I have never done all the things described, nor do I advocate that anyone should do them. Shall future generations look at me with disgust? But probably not on you, although you write "WE", thanks to this web page. Are you still well???
On topic. MOST animals do not know empathy; this is a rarely observed phenomenon of higher mammal species like whales, apes and elephants. Even for animals emotionally close to us like pigs, cattle, horses, dogs, cats, all birds (including extremely intelligent species like crow birds and some parrots) such is unlikely or demonstrably absent. The care instinct may seem similar in humanized terms, but should not be confused with it,
EVERY ANIMAL fears pain and feels pleasure? Certainly not. Also this applies probably only to highly developed animals. Surely every animate being has some reward system and a self-preservation instinct, but does that deserve the same respect and consideration as the emotions mentioned? I think not.
Even fish - after all, specially protected as vertebrates - are so primitive according to the current state of knowledge that any such attribution is ridiculous. And all invertebrates, perhaps with the exception of octopuses and squid, but especially insects, are actually so callous that they could also be classified as bio-robots. There is nothing of feeling, joy, fear of pain or even compassion, merely primitive instincts.
What I want to say: we absolutely have to make gradations. Insects as food, for example, I find a very interesting way, even if I personally am still subject to the exclusively European food taboo (everywhere else they were and are eaten). But if a mealworm is now to be attributed the same "feelings" as a pig or cattle, it is really tight.... In your opinion, are there actually indications that e.g. insects feel like "all animals" according to your statement?
Especially since plants also feel attacks, defend themselves, communicate with their environment. Where does it stop then? Even caries bacteria want to live, I'm sure. I kill presumably a few million or billions of them every day.
And even viruses, which are actually not life at all, at least according to the current view, seem to be eager to have offspring. Do we - polemically asked - now also have to lament the suffering caused by our avoidance strategies? Or is there still something that we can do as humans in our survival-necessary interest?
Love greetings
Ronald
Hello Ronald,
thank you very much for your message! In order:
By "WE" I mean the last generations. It is not about individuals like you and me. It's about humanity as a whole - and all the generations that have participated in these atrocities. And that includes me - until I understood how cruel factory farming is, for example.
Of course, in this post I'm talking about the animals we intentionally exploit every day for our benefit. Apart from that have also insects seem to have something like pain sensation.
Plants do not have a central nervous system - animals do. There is definitely a limit. But I can also understand that gradations make sense in this topic. But as I said, my point is to make it clear that the animals we exploit are sentient beings.
Many greetings
Christoph
Comments are closed.