Response: Missing Out?

In response to Chris's post "Is 'Owning' a Pet Ethical?" (February 15, 2012):

While many clear-cut cases of pet mistreatment exist, I do not think there is a problem with the concept of merely owning a pet, so long as one treats the pet well.  It may seem wrong to remove an animal from its natural environment, but consider: is the animal actually missing out on anything by becoming a pet?  In many cases, no.  There are some theories that the first domestic dogs were wild dogs which actually chose to spend time with and work alongside humans, because of the many benefits that this offered.  In the wild, most animals have short, difficult lives, and in many cases domesticating them does not appear to deprive them of many enjoyable activities.

The point about birds and fish being able to survive in the wild is quite valid, and I think that many birds do indeed miss out on a great deal by being domesticated.  However, I don't think that the problem is that they could survive in the wild and pet owners deprive them of that life; instead, I think the problem is that the pet owners do not provide substitutes for the activities they could engage in if they lived in wild environments.  Fish have very limited cognitive abilities - while it is true that many humans would go mad if confined to a small glass bowl, that is because humans require a great deal of stimulation.  Fish typically do not.  The average fish requires no more stimulation than a sparsely decorated bowl can provide.  Birds are much more intelligent, and those birds which have their wings clipped, are ignored and neglected, or are confined to small cages at all times are, I think, being mistreated; however, birds which can fly around their owners' houses, get frequent attention, and only live in a cage at night (when they would sleep in the wild anyway) are living lives which are at least as nice as most of them would have in the wild.  Basically, deciding to own a pet means assuming a responsibility to that animal to give it a life at least as nice as what it would live if it were undomesticated.