Ownership vs Guardianship
Tuesday March 16, 2004
What's really wrong with owning pet cats? While I agree with the basic philosophy behind IDA's "They are not our property...We are not their owners" campaign, in my opinion, semantics is not the way to tackle issues of core responsibility.
The AVMA last year came out with an official policy on the semantics of ownership vs guardianship:
The American Veterinary Medical Association promotes the optimal health and well-being of animals. Further, the AVMA recognizes the role of responsible owners in providing for their animals' care. Any change in terminology describing the relationship between animals and owners does not strengthen this relationship and may, in fact, diminish it. Such changes in terminology may decrease the ability of veterinarians to provide services and, ultimately, result in animal suffering.
This puts a different spin on the debate, one of legality. Can a vet legally treat an animal without consent of its owner? Certainly they do in emergencies, but it's something to think about.
Join the Discussion
The AVMA last year came out with an official policy on the semantics of ownership vs guardianship:
The American Veterinary Medical Association promotes the optimal health and well-being of animals. Further, the AVMA recognizes the role of responsible owners in providing for their animals' care. Any change in terminology describing the relationship between animals and owners does not strengthen this relationship and may, in fact, diminish it. Such changes in terminology may decrease the ability of veterinarians to provide services and, ultimately, result in animal suffering.
This puts a different spin on the debate, one of legality. Can a vet legally treat an animal without consent of its owner? Certainly they do in emergencies, but it's something to think about.
Join the Discussion
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