A perverse form of love

Although we all acknowledge what pets do for us, we seldom think about what we are actually doing to them. When you start looking below the surface, when you finally see the big picture, you come to realize that over-all, pets are not so fortunate, indeed no more fortunate than the other animals that we use for food, clothing and to test beauty products, or those that we hunt for pleasure. This link is more difficult to make because the exploitation of pets operates perversely under the covert of good intentions. Precisely because of this, it is much more cruel by its hypocrisy and sophistication than the more obvious forms.

Our love for animals is a very selfish affair limited to the passions and interests they arouse. Even the humanitarian and the other animal defense groups profit from the exploitation of animals in their own subtle way.

A dog on a leash, a bird in a cage and a fish in a tank reflect the same greed, emptiness, boredom, self-centeredness and neurotic need for self-gratification that mark our relationship with our world; they are of apiece with the other problems that beset modern society: pollution, climactic chaos, the contamination of our food chain, the exhaustion of our natural resources, the breakdown of our social fabric, war, drugs, violence and a growing gap between the rich and the poor.

We use high sounding words like compassion, humanism, altruism, activism, care, love, they just serve as a verbal smokescreen that hides our tendency to treat not just animals, but other people and nature itself as mere merchandise, as objects of pleasure, comfort and satisfaction.

In his book, Dominance and Affection: The Making of pets, Yale University professor Yi-Fu Tuan writes: ''Affection is not the opposite of dominance: rather it is dominance's anodyne, it is dominance with a human face. Dominance may be cruel and exploitative, with no hint of affection in it. What it produces is a victim. On the other hand dominance may be combined with affection, and what it produces is the pet.

Once you see the underlying truth, it is hard to continue to be a part of the system. The continuation of this whole relationship with pets is possible only if reality remains carefully hidden. It is false to think - as the industry and most vets would want us to think - that pets are often treated as well as our children, if not better.

Technologically, we have come a long way, but as far as our behavior is concerned, we are still very primitive. Until we change our values radically there is no hope for animals. The animal condition depends on the human condition, and that's where we need to concentrate our efforts.

Fortunately, many people are trying, in their own measure, in their own personal lives, to change their ways. Change has to come from individuals, and not from the top down. It has to be the result of a deep understanding of the issues at stake. It cannot be imposed by rules and laws. And it's no good to wait around for somebody else to do something about it.

Even the activists who belong to groups like the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), AVAR (Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights) and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) want to fix things only around the edges, not fundamentally. They typically own more animals than do most people, and have too much at stake to admit their own need to exploit animals and to sacrifice their reputation as great people endowed with superior human qualities.

Instead of relying on others, ask yourself, rather, what you can do for animals. Start by getting to know yourself a little better. Ask yourself what draws you to pets. Ask yourself if there is any love in possessing an animal solely for your pleasure and comfort. Because what we really need is a little more genuine love and tenderness and a little less affection.

I still have a cat - she's 15 now - but when she dies I will never have a pet again. I have come to appreciate going out in nature and watching wild animals, without interference, upon a chance encounter.

Animals honour us only when they are truly free.