So you value the life of an animal that humans have listed as a 'pest' less than, say, an animal that you perceive as a pet and think is cute and fluffy? What exactly is the difference, apart from the fact they reproduce so quickly that humans think they need to 'control' them? And in different countries different animals are pests. Go to Australia and they'll encourage you to kill rabbits as they are pests over there. Come to the UK and grey squirrells are pests. In fact, if you catch a grey squirrell it's illegal to let it go without killing it, that's how much they're a pest here.


I never said I encourage my dogs to be cruel and again, a dog killing an animal and people thinkin it's cruel and people happily eating McDonalds (for example, I would never accuse you of doing such a thing without knowing it though) just confuse me personally.

My dog, mini pinscher, originates from Germany the breed was developed and used as a barnyard ratter, controlling the rodent population in the stables.

I think the 'rat catching and killing' gene is somewhat diluted in Bella - however not a bug, fly or any other crawling or flying insect manages to escape her notice. In fact I have never been so relaxed about having all my doors and windows open here all year with her around. Even if she doesn't manage to catch whatever it is that's come in she will be sure to draw my attention to it - even a tiny silverfish in the bathroom.

did I ever say that?
I just said, that it is allowed to kill mice
I didn't say, that I will kill them
actually only lately I salved a baby mouse who fell into a soak bucket <-? of the calves in the milk room
that poor thing was totally frazzled, wet and freezing

I googled for how I can help it and was surprised myself how many actually does care even for wild mice

so I got it fit again and ready for to let free
well, now it lives far high up in the North of Germany, as of course, I had to bring it with me in the truck at work
just let it run at one of those Autobahn park places

must be great for mice
no cats, no foxes, no birds of prey will hunt for them there
loads of food, thrown away of the passing travellers
and no one cares if they are there or not
that shows the loads of mouse holes there in the ground

however

but if you wanna know, heartless and ice cold I'm killing without batting an eyelash EVERY!!! fly who does annoy me!!!




oh and I already heard about those grey squirrells, they are Americans, right?
and they are a danger for the natives
you can read that?
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/wissen/gr...n/6489632.html

so of course you need to protect your own wildlife
but your dog wouldn't care if it's a native squirrell or a grey one
who it's going to kill

The German Animal Welfare Act is some of the strictest legislation in the world and affords animals far-reaching protection. According to the law they are fellow creatures.

In Germany, animal welfare is a national policy objective that has been enshrined in the Basic Law for the last ten years. The BMELV builds on this constitutional objective when shaping new policies. For the Federal Government, the principle focus is on animal health and animal welfare in conjunction with the highest possible product and production standards, thereby ensuring both human and animal safety – from domestic pets to agricultural livestock, from laboratory animals in research to animals that perform at the circus.

When I worked at ICI Agrochemicals and they were trialling pesticides for crops or growth enhancement stuff Germany was the country where the regulations governing safety that had to be adhered to were the strictest. For instance any substance sprayed on farm crops had to be tested for in forest land in a wide area (miles) around and not just tested for in wild boar or goats roaming but in their offspring years later.

The history of the Animal Welfare Laws in Germany is quite interesting. Wiki provides a lot of info on it.

Excuse me, but I never said you specifically allowed your dogs to torture and kill wildlife. But I truly think that pets should be severely discouraged from chasing and hurt wildlife.

When I saw Jade grab the possum, I rushed to her as fast as I could, trying to save the poor thing. I couldn't, but I also could NEVER just stand there and WATCH my dog kill, terrorize, or maim a wild animal like shown in the video I posted.

Also, I don't eat at McDonalds, but even if I did... being blind or ignorant about something you're doing is different from seeing and knowing and STILL actively doing something.

While I understand that dogs are natural predators, I think it's wrong to stand and watch your dog or any dog hurt or maim something. I'd always try my hardest to break anything up or save an animal from being maimed.

Dogs in nature fight all the time too, and if your dog started fighting with another dog, you'd try and break it up. EVEN if your dog was not likely to be harmed (Lab mauling a Chihuahua) you'd try and break it up. Why not do the same with wildlife? It's defenseless, I think it's right to try and help it...

Hey Tangutica
thank you very much for that input!
not once I had knew about that exactly

maybe for that I have this strong attitude
but I also feel like that
I would not need laws for to treat or respect animals as I do
(except flies!!! ...or tics, lice or aphids etc etc )

but even I like spiders as they are helping me to reduce the ones I don't like!

I really appreciate your attitude

Malpeki - I draw the line at SPIDERS! Having been bitten by the Brown Recluse spider in January this year and lucky to still have all the fingers on my right hand!

Not just the worst spider in Cyprus but, apparently, one of the worst in the world! Spiders are a big NO NO for me (not that I thought they were cut and cuddly before I got bit!)

If you google 'brown recluse spider bite' you will understand!

of course I meant I only like spiders who are living here

would not like to meet one of your brown recluse spiders nor a black widow!

here the most poisonous spider is the cross spider
but they cannot do harm to you really
I really like them, they are beautiful I think
and even, when I had to move one (for not to hoover it or so) I never got bitten, they are not aggressive, just shy
but if you would get bitten, mostly they cannot get through your skin, only maybe at very thin, soft parts of skin of your body
but the poison is less dangerous like that of a bee or wasp
so nothing to worry about
even not for allergy sufferer of those poisons as it's a different composition of there poison

and if you can see the beauty of them, you will lose your fears of it

but now, I think we went very off topic here




...and Tangutica fine that you still have all your fingers at your hand
hopefully no one of those monsters will bite you again !