Alt.usenet.kooks is right. The PETA whackjob can't even post under
his/her own name - has to hide under anonymity. I'd be embarrassed to
put my name on this collection of bull****, too.

Gee, I wonder who did this "research"? Any animal rescue worker will
tell you that the life of a feral dog or cat is short and miserable,
unless they are being cared for with feeding, basic vet care, and TNR.

Barf. Oh, and plonk.

Joyce



In rec.pets.cats.anecdotes Anonymous wrote:
(AP Newswire Story #29837461 7/31/07)
wrote in message;

Recent research has shown that the average lifespan of domesticated animals
are up to 6 years less than those of their feral counterparts. The findings
of this research highlight the hypocrisy and selfishness and ego of pet
owners - that these so-called animal lovers brutally and callously cut short
the lives of their four-legged companions. Keep them in cages, in their own
urine and poop, on a diet of shameless poor quality pet food that consists
almost entirely on corn.

Adequacy.org spoke to the scientist behind the research and asked, what can
be done to rectify this widespread and socially acceptable form of
barbarism?

The findings of this research, published in the June issue of the Journal of
the American Association of Veterinary Science and Associated Professions,
are an unequivocal condemnation of pet owners, where Ego is fed by complete
control and subsurbavance of a small helpless animal. The facts, presented
below, make chilling reading. For example, the average lifespan of a
domesticated dog is four years less than that of a similar dog living in
the wild.

Species Domesticated Lifespan (years) Feral Lifespan (years)
Cat 9 19
Dog 6 16
Fish 2 6
Hamster 1 2
Horse 21 29
Rabbit 4 12

Comparative Lifespans of Domesticated and Feral Animals

Dr. Victor O'Neill, the author of this work and a veterinary surgeon for
over 25 years, explained that several factors are responsible for
foreshortening the lives of domesticated animals.

"Firstly, animals reared in a domestic environment are not exposed to the
same pathogens during infancy as wild animals. Therefore, the immune
systems of domesticated animals do not develop properly, which leads to a
reduced resistance to disease in adulthood."

"However, the main reason for these disturbing findings is that animals do
not adapt to domestic life. Animals are simply unhappy when sharing a
habitat with humans. Humans attempt to impose their value system upon
animals and then punish the animals should they transgress this arbitrary
set of rules of which they have no comprehension. These animals, enslaved
by human tyrants, eventually lose the will to live, which results in their
premature deaths."

Following the publication of his research, O'Neill has formed a pressure
group to lobby for a change in the law, outlawing pet ownership. In the
short term, O'Neill believes that a change in people's attitudes is
necessary.

"Currently, pet ownership is seen as a harmless hobby and people are
dependant on their companion animals. However, this research has shown that
pet ownership is anything but harmless. Animals are traumatized as they are
not in their natural setting, and caged up. People need to realize that it
is a cruel institution that must be stopped." "Also animals, pets, crap all
over the place and pollute our streams, our water, our front lawn, they poop
inside our houses on the rugs, they are unsanitary spreader of diseases and
germs."

"There are many parallels between pet ownership and the practice of black
slavery that was widespread in the United States of America during the early
part of the last century. Nowadays, the ownership of slaves is socially
unacceptable and is rightly acknowledged as a barbaric practice. Pet
ownership is exactly the same. Pets are fed a mixture of corn, ash, and
waste products. I hope that people will come to realize that keeping
domesticated animals is morally indefensible and that society will
ostracize pet owners."

However, O'Neill's viewpoint has been controversial and unpopular in some
areas of the USA.

"I have received innumerable death threats from pet owners. On one occasion
my eight year-old daughter was kidnapped and physically assaulted by an
enraged pet owner. Animal lovers are notorious for their emotional
instability and they rely on their pet animals as a substitute for normal
human relationships. My proposals to remove their emotional safety net are
anathema to them and it is hardly surprising to see such an irrational
reaction."

It is truly inspiring to meet a man such as O'Neill who is willing to risk
his personal safety in the fight for a righteous cause. It is indisputable
that pet ownership is a vile practice. Humanity will only ever be able to
consider itself an advanced civilization when it outlaws this cruel
institution and treats the lesser species with proper respect.

Each Dog and Cat eats more food per day than the average person in
Bangladesh or India. People are starving to death because rich owners have
to have their Ego stabilized by total control and use of poor animals.
Shameful.

Dr. D. Danube


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