I don't have any problems with dogs being used for peaceful purposes that do not harm them. I think therapy dogs are a wonderful idea, as are guide dogs for the blind, deaf, etc.
I myself have three dogs, and in differing ways each of them wants to perform work of some sort. The Shetland sheep dog wants a herd of baah baahs right here, right now--I do not think our little family with its assorted odd ball characters, cats and vehicles that he likes to circle really fit the bill for him. Our Shih Tzu is a great watch dog, and wants to know everything that is going on in our neighborhood so she can send out the alarm if all is not right. Of course she has to sit on the kitchen table to see out the window to do that! While our golden retriever was not adopted by a hunting family, and so has no exposure to retrieving actual dead ducks, he certainly plays for hours with his succession of identical toy stuffed mallard ducks that squeak (until he pulls their stuffing out and we buy him a new one). I also understand that dogs enjoy feeling mentally challenged, and like to work for their food.
HOWEVER, animals (all other kinds of animals, like dolphins, too, of course) that are trained to be war dogs just fall into another category for me. I believe that dogs in their hearts are very loving and kind--much more so than some humans. I think it is deliberate or benign VERY bad training, conditioning or abuse that makes dogs mean. I think it is horribly stressful to dogs--who basically would like to be petted if raised well--to be trained to snarl and threaten and attack humans, who they have seen as leaders of their pack for thousands of years. Unless the humans are trying to do them harm, of course. I think it is horribly inhumane to ask dogs to do these things, because dogs have huge hearts for their size, and because it almost always puts them at risk and shortens their lives.
Now I know you are one of the most compassionate women who walks the earth, Rambi, especially towards children and animals. So I guess it is hard for me to understand why we disagree about this subject. Probably it has to do with the fact that once I stopped eating animals I stopped believing that we have any right to benefit from them, and I know that it an conceptual transformation in looking at their role that a lot of very good people do not take, for whatever reason. I have not quite decided what I think about police dogs--I realize most of them perform a very valuable service. It just destroys me when one of them is shot in the line of duty, though, because unlike humans, they did not make a conscious career choice to be in law enforcement. On the other hand, I know they are usually very well cared for and are doing something very important. Some of our golden's sisters have gone into drug sniffing jobs--usually these jobs are not too dangerous, and the dogs seem to enjoy the challenge. But again, whenever a drug sniffing dog dies in the line of duty I am very, very sad.
If you or anyone else is interested, here is a very long but fascinating report on the use of animals in war. Again, very, very sad:
gseweb.harvard.edu |
