In case there are any remaining doubts that animal welfare has been hijacked by the hard left;
The editors of a new Journal of Animal Ethics (JAE) published this month by the University of Illinois Press say derogatory words like “pests” and “vermin” should be dropped altogether and “pets” replaced by “companion animals”, while “wild animals” should be termed “free living or free ranging animals”.
“Despite its prevalence, “pets” is surely a derogatory term both of the animals concerned and their human carers. Again the word “owners”, whilst technically correct in law, harks back to a previous age when animals were regarded as just that: property, machines or things to use without moral constraint … In addition, we invite authors to use the words “free-living”, “free-ranging” or “free-roaming” rather than “wild animals”… For most, “wildness” is synonymous with uncivilized, unrestrained, barbarous existence. There is an obvious prejudgment here that should be avoided.”
Check, double check, and triple check just who is running your local SPCA or humane society before donating so much as a nickel to them. Pay close attention to the language they use. There are hard core animal rights activists at work in even small town, rural animal shelters.
Some of those who solicit your money to “help animals” have, as their end game, the removal of your right to own one.