Do animal lovers think poorly of non animal lovers? I think animal lovers are caring compassionate people and I respect them very much I happen not to want pets, I don't stop on the street to pet dogs or watch cat videos, it's just not my thing. I prefer not to touch animals. I don't dislike animals I'm just indifferent. I wonder if animal lovers think strangely of that.
There are always people who think badly of anyone with different likes and values, but those people are not the majority. Most people understand or at least appreciate that personal interests, talents, and value systems come in infinite variety.
My husband is much less animal-loving than I, and that doesn't at all make him a bad person.
Not at all. Do parents think childless (by choice) people are evil? Sometimes... But that isn't the point.
I don't care about babies at all. When my sister in law had a new baby, I figured I squarely fell into the dog lover category when I was more interested in her dogs than my new niece. For some, animals are not an interest. For others, it is kids. For others, it could be something totally different.
So I'd say that no, animal lovers don't think poorly of non animal lovers. And even if you do love animals, that doesn't mean you have pets either.
I don't think they are bad people. I'm a huge animal lover, but I don't like kids. Parents often like to make it out that I am a bad person because I don't find their kid adorable.
I am a passionate animal lover and I don't judge people at all. I completely understand that animals are just not for everyone.
I chose not to have kids. It isn't that I don't like kids; I just felt that my personal circumstances would not be good for children. There are also genetic issues in my family that frankly scared me for future generations. Some people in my life think that I am a terrible selfish person. But each of us has the right and the responsibility to choose the life that we want.
I feel that people are going to judge but what I have tried to do is to detach from those judgments. I deliberately try to not base any of my feelings or decisions on what others think.
Last edited by doingmybest; 03-20-2014 at 04:56 PM.
Like many others, I love animals. But I think that whether a person is an animal lover or not says almost nothing about their character or personality (apart from that fact that they... you know, love animals or don't). I've met awesome people who aren't animal lovers and I've met rotten people who are. Everyone has their own preferences and it doesn't always equate with the kind of person they are.
Do animal lovers think poorly of non animal lovers? I think animal lovers are caring compassionate people and I respect them very much I happen not to want pets, I don't stop on the street to pet dogs or watch cat videos, it's just not my thing. I prefer not to touch animals. I don't dislike animals I'm just indifferent. I wonder if animal lovers think strangely of that.
One thing though. If non-animal people come to my house and act jerky or make a fuss because there IS dog fur on pretty much everything (not excessive, but you know, dogs shed) or because my dogs come over and politely check the person out and solicit a pet (my dogs don't jump or bark, well almost never bark. But they don't jump.)...then I don't like them. My dogs live here, you do not. I don't come to your house and when your kid with sticky fingers or boogery nose comes to hold my hand, touch me or any of the other things kids do, act like a jerk. I go along with it because they are kids and it's their house.
So, long story short, my house is an animal friendly place. Don't come if it bothers you. I won't allow my dogs to molest you all night while you visit, but neither will I deny them the opportunity to meet and check out the new person in THEIR home. I think that's fair.
Plenty of animal lovers are jerks and plenty of people who do not have pets or don't even care for being around animals are perfectly lovely people. Not caring for being around animals does not mean anything other than you didn't grow up around them, you have allergies, you don't care for the noise, the dirt, you have a fear, any one of countless reasons.
Pets aren't for everyone. And being an animal lover doesn't mean you're wonderful, either. In my younger days I rather stupidly thought that a man who is kind to animals would automatically make a loving spouse and husband -- WRONG.
Oh, and I always warn people in advance that I have cats, including people who have to work to do or meter readers or something like that. I've known a few people who had pretty bad cat allergies and they suffered wickedly.
I volunteer at shelters and support animal welfare laws so I LOVE animals.
And I have lived in several states that have almost no animal cruelty laws and you should see what people do to "beloved" pets just because they either no longer want them or didn't want to do the work that goes along with it.
So, basically what I am saying is that the title of "animal lover" is meaningless and you seem like a lovely person here!
I don't think that non-animal lovers are bad people. I know that isn't true. And, I recognize that some people have allergies or other health problems that make interacting with animals not good for them.
That said, I remember many years ago a guy asking me out on a date who had told me he didn't like cats. I turned him down and he asked why. I forthrightly told him that since he didn't like cats there was no future in any possible relationship since having pets is important to me. So, while I wasn't saying he was a bad person, I also knew we were different enough in something important to me that I didn't want to pursue a dating relationship.
I think everyone has made very good points. I don't consider myself an animal lover (and for other reasons, I hate that phrase though its a common one). I do have fish, and they are lovely, but that's it. I don't have any cats or dogs, I don't want any. I find they are not worth the responsibility...like a child that never grows up, fur, mess etc...but I do enjoy them. When someone else has a cat or dog (though I am mildly allergic to cats) I enjoy them, pet them, and really do think they are cute. But its nice when the visit is over, to leave and not be stuck with the pet. I also do not have patience for people's pets that are poorly trained, barking excessively, jumping on people, pulling and yanking while the owner is "walking" them, and trying to come up to every person on the street. Its not that I hate the dog (never saw a cat on a leash lol) but I think it makes me think the owner it not in control so that dog cannot be trusted since it believes it is in charge over the owner...
However I would never hurt an animal unless it was aggressive towards me or my kids. I also would go out of my way to help one, even if that was just calling someone for a hurt animal.
I also don't put animals above people...well, most people...some rotten people do not deserve to be placed above some of the sweet pets out there!
So to answer your question, no I don't non animal lovers are bad people. But I would be a wary if someone when out of their way to hurt animals, or did not feel any emotion about seeing an injured animal (or thought it was funny or something else).
Not at all! It doesn't bother me if people don't like animals, even though I love them. Well, I mostly love cats. I don't think being a good or bad person is related to how much you love animals (though, if someone is cruel to animals, that's another subject and that tells me everything about a person's character).
I have a home full of pets and rescued critters, but I can't recall ever thinking badly of someone who didn't share my passion. I tend to steer clear of people who brag about being cruel to animals or deliberately neglect them, but that's a very different "animal", pardon the pun.
It's interesting how many people brought up kids in this thread- and that was one of my first thoughts too. I guess because a lot of people in our culture feel like their pets are part of the family. Like the kid thing, I respect folks who decide that they're not up for the responsibility of a pet and can be honest about that. I don't see it as a moral issue, just a personal preference.
If people don't love, like or otherwise have fond feelings towards animals I could care less. It's a preference and I'm fairly liberal in regards to other people's preferences.
What I have a problem with is people who intentionally mistreat animals. Of course, people who love animals more than me would probably argue with my definition of what mistreating animals actually means.
Thanks for chiming in. I'm very afraid of all dogs ever since our family dog turned on me when I was younger. I didn't get bitten but the ferocity with which he tried to attack me is unforgettable and I have a difficult time trusting even the sweetest smallest doggies. I'm not a cold hearted person but I prefer not to touch dogs and squirm around if they try to sniff me. I do my best to stay away from homes with dogs, it's not worth the panic and discomfort.
It is interesting that people brought up children. Before I had a child I wasn't a kid person either, I was rather indifferent so I find it understandable when someone can't muster up the same level of enthusiasm I have for my own kid's antics. But I have found that when it comes to children people can be fiercely mean for one reason or the other. What I'm more surprised at is the level of animosity from other Moms. I refrain from ever complaining about lack of sleep or terrible twos scenarios with other Moms because inevitably they pull the "You only have ONE child" card, while they have two or more kids and they can get very condescending on me. I can't tell you how many times I've been put down by the "I'm more of a Mom than you because I have more kids than you" mentality.
Anyway, a very good friend of mine had to put her doggie to sleep a couple of days ago because he had an aggressive form of cancer and she's devastated by it. And I am incredibly sad for her. I try to reach out to her but I feel terribly self conscious because I was always afraid of her dog and wouldn't pet him while I was over there, it wasn't a personal thing I'm just generally afraid of all dogs. Anyway, I don't want her to think I'm a phony for trying to sympathize with her so I was just hoping to get some reinforcement that I'm not an actual bad person for not having/wanting pets.
Are non-animal lovers bad people?
