What If We Started Treating Humans the Way We Treat Dogs?
In my family, pets are our children, if not more highly regarded than children. For most in my family, our animals were found on the streets or in a shelter and adopted into a loving home. Most in the family say that we would not buy our own children, so why buy a dog? Well, one member of my family did, and his child is loved and adored by all regardless of the fact that she was bred and bought. She also gets along well with her rescued “relatives.”
I started thinking about how humans are involved in overall future and evolution of dogs. We purposely spay and neuter dogs to prevent overpopulation, we breed purebreds for profit and millions a year are killed in shelters. I have no answer to this ongoing dilemma, but it did get me thinking about the idea, what if we treated each other the way we treat dogs and are we already headed in that direction?
Parents are turning to genetic engineers to create perfect babies and paying a lot to do so. Children born into neglected or unwanted homes get put up for adoption (not even going to touch the abortion issue here) and most end up going from one foster home to the next. Thankfully, no children are being “put down” but in some ways they are being discarded by society, left to fend for themselves and without a loving home.
Is society starting to control how our species is evolving? Paying a price for the “perfect, wanted” ones and disregarding the rest. It disgusts me even just thinking about it. Does anyone have a good answer?