Meet the animals we call our companions

_Elsa_

‘By most estimates, we’ve been living in close proximity to companion animals for tens of thousands of years. Cats, dogs, and other companion animals share our homes, and often our broader environments, and exist in a very special category: unlike farmed animals, whom we breed simply to consume, and research animals, whom we “sacrifice” to solve human problems, companion animals are part of our families.

Chances are, you have already met many companion animals in your day-to-day life. If recent statistics are any indication, chances are good that you’ve even lived with one or many over the course of your life. With that kind of experience, you likely already know about the enjoyable playfulness of dogs, or the compelling aloofness of cats. If you’ve experienced life with companion animals, you already know they’re capable of thinking, feeling, and suffering just like we are.

While you may have someone in your life who identifies more as a “cat person” or a “dog person,” on a fundamental level, it’s difficult to find people who actively dislike companion animals like cats or dogs. Still, there are many issues surrounding companion animals – everything from controversies over emotional support animals to differing opinions on breeding – that spark very strong feelings among animal advocates and the general public.

BREEDING AND SHELTERS - Many people live with companion animals that they’ve rescued or adopted, but one of the most ethically fraught aspects of our relationship is in the realm of breeding. Before they find loving forever homes, some companions begin their lives at breeding operations, which can range from smaller operations to larger scale “puppy mills.”  Virtually everywhere in the world, we have a “surplus” of companion animals who have no homes. By some estimates, about 80% of dogs and cats that are euthanized in shelters are healthy and otherwise adoptable. Many shelters struggle to keep up with the number of animals that need space, and the animals themselves can linger for a long time in shelters depending on the circumstances.

IN OUR HOMES - In the U.S., there are a staggering 84.6 million households that give homes to companion species, the vast majority of whom are dogs and cats. The types of people who live with companion animals are as varied as you can imagine. What’s more, the internet has changed how we live with and interact with our companions: from Instagram influencer dogs to endless cat memes, it’s a brave new world for companion animals, and human influence plays a major part.

ON THE STREETS AND IN THE WILD - Whatever the law says, however, ultimately we humans are the ones who control what goes on in our homes. By most measures, we care greatly about companion animals’ quality of life, and often consider them to be part of our families. One study found that 95% of companion animal guardians say they would never give up their companion animals regardless of the circumstances. Unfortunately, whether they are lost, abandoned, or born in the wild, companion species sometimes find themselves without human support.  

Many areas in the world don’t have extensive networks of animal shelters or rescue groups to deal with free-roaming companion animals, and instead those animals roam the streets, or build colonies in the wild. Stray or feral cats and dogs may not be a serious issue where you live, but globally, the scale of the problem is impossible to ignore.’ (Source)

Let’s continue - What is habitat destruction?

Start at the beginning - What is an ecosystem?