How you value your life.....a discussion

I just got back from a really nice Christmas dinner with my family. Everything was humming along just fine until my niece asked me a question. She's 22 and has travelled the globe and is very up on current events and very intelligent. We were talking about the difference between Pet Parents and Pet Owners. (They have two cats BTW)

She said "If you had a choice of having a broken leg or seeing one of your pets die, which would you choose?"

I replied that it's an unfair question because no one would ever be in a situation that they would have a choice. She rephrased the question.

"Would you risk your life and run across the path of an oncoming car to save your cat's life?" Without hesitation I said "Absolutely!"

She then said "So your pet's life is worth more than yours?" I said that our lives were just as important but I would without a doubt choose to risk death in order to save the life of one of my pets. She said she didn't understand that logic.

When I told her that Max and Speckles were my children, she again said she just didn't understand.

Folks....this is why I don't talk about my relationship with my pets to anyone except you. I value my life but not as much as I value the lives of my pets. Am I wrong??:confused:

No, you are not wrong. Everyone in life has different passions. You and I are passionate about our animals, and their worth :)

I did put Bassett's life before mine. I had no money and I basically ate rice or Kraft Dinner for a month in order to make her ok, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I would do it for Tilly and Nutmeg too. I would live in my car, if I had to.

I don't question my passion, and I would never question yours. Don't feel bad.. if you had to break your leg to save your cat, you know I would be there in a heartbeat to take care of YOU both! :)

I honestly would do the same thing Slick. About the only thing I wouldn't do is put my skinkids behind my pets *Just a value thing with me* Then again Im the type of person who would take my pets into concideration when making any type of dicision. If an action is going to damage both of us I will usually take actions that is the least harmful (preferably no harm at all will come to my pet) for my pet, even if it bites me in the butt later! *I almost lost my housing because I refused to give a dog up. She is now my moms pup and is doing really well lol*

I love my cats (and my other critters too). I am thier provider and as such I have a great responseability to them. I feel like I have entered a contract with them, and I wouldn't ever want to let them down.

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Originally posted by slick

"Would you risk your life and run across the path of an oncoming car to save your cat's life?" Without hesitation I said "Absolutely!"

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Without hesitation!

One evening we were walking the dogs, and our neighbor's have a small grey dog that they never have on a leash...she just runs around in the yard. As we were wlaking by, she ran into the street to come visit our dogs. A car came speeding down the street. Her mom started screaming for her to come, and she just stood in the middle. I stood in the middle of the road
1. because she was so small the driver could easily not see her 2. because I would rather be hit then witness an animal being hit.
This wasn't my pet, just a dog that I know by name only. I can't say I valued her life more then my own, but certainly not any less.

My dogs are may babies and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for them. That is the difference imo between pet parents, pet lovers, true pet people, and people who merely have pets.

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"Would you risk your life and run across the path of an oncoming car to save your cat's life?"

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I am attempting to picture this event inside my head, and I must honestly say that I might not. (I am REALLY afraid of pain). But then again, the REAL situation might feel differently at the time.

My pets are very important to me. I think of their well-being by constant vet care, the right foods, and enough comforts for them to be happy. I love them unconditionally (even when they are bad) and I can't ever picture myself voluntarily ever giving one of them up. I spend countless dollars on them even before I buy the new winter coat that I desperately need, but would I go into serious debt for them? ......probably not.

Does this make me a pet owner instead of a pet parent? I don't know. All I know is that sometimes you need to be realistic and not optimistic.

But slick, you are NOT wrong! And I admire people who value their animals 100% over themselves. Maybe I am just not that good of a person.

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"Would you risk your life and run across the path of an oncoming car to save your cat's life?" Without hesitation I said "Absolutely!"

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Most definitly! My Dogs are my life without them i would not be here so i owe it to them and would protect them in any situation.

Slick i dont think you are wrong {{Hugs}}.

DJF said it best, I have a contract with my furkids and I've never broken a contract, or my word. They have saved me many times, I would not hesitate.. nor have I.. to save them.

Your niece obviously doesn't know animal love. I would risk my life also. They are worth that and so much more. I feel bad for your niece because she is really missing out on something special.

I would risk my life for Ally and Connor - no question. But DJF said it best......

I have gone into debt for Cubby, I had to barrow money that I didn't have and I knew I wouldn't be able to pay it back for a while because of his food and vet treatment. I know it didn't cost that much but at the time it cost us alot more than what we had. Thank god I was working and could get food at my work. I would bring food home for hubby that week just so we could get by. I love Cubby more than anything in this world. Same with Gracie. Although Gracie is a new comer to the house hold, she is still loved more than anything.

Hubby always told me that if he has to spend more than 500$ on a *CAT* he would just have to put it to sleep. His values are changing more and more every day. He now believes that Cubby deserves the best life we can give him. I explained to him that if he made me choose between him and Cubby I would take Cubby. Cubby wouldn't be the one to make me choose, he wouldn't understand what's going on if I had to give him up. I am the only mother he knows. He is my child, I tell him that his Grandma is going to come see him. Along with Gracie. They know we love them.

Gracie is a daddy's girl so much so, that Corey slept in the living room on an air bed last night just so Gracie didn't have to sleep in her cage on Christmas. Everyone in my family knows my pets are my children. All of my friends know they are my children. If any one talks bad about them I take it very personal. It's like telling me that I failed as a mother because they don't like my cat because he has an attitude or what ever it may be that they are complaining about. I refuse to lock my pets up when people come over that don't like them. That gives me even more reason to leave them out of their cage or room. If you don't like my cat or my dog then stay the hell out of my house.

If someone is allergic to my cat then yes he does go into the bedroom. As soon as they leave he gets let out and he gets treats for being such a good boy. I feed my animals before I buy food for my self. We are here to protect them and give them everything they need and want. Who is to judge how much we spend on our animals? I am not here to judge and no else is either. That is God's job to judge us!

Sorry this is so long. I am a true animal lover and I can't live with out them. :( :o

I think I'd run out in front of a moving car for any pet - mine or not. Just as I'd run to save any human. I think its a trait commonly known as compassion for other living creatures.

I agree with you and have a hard time seeing your neice's side. In an event such as seeing a car barreling down on another life, you react instinctively... to save their life without considering the impact on yours. Just think that if you stood there and did nothing, and then stood there watching the animal (or human) being crushed to death. THAT would be worse for me than suffering a broken leg. My leg would heal, but the squished life wouldn't. There's no question what I'd do!

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My leg would heal, but the squished life wouldn't. There's no question what I'd do!

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Thats how i look at it aswell Kim ;).

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Originally posted by jenluckenbach
I am attempting to picture this event inside my head, and I must honestly say that I might not. (I am REALLY afraid of pain). But then again, the REAL situation might feel differently at the time.

My pets are very important to me. I think of their well-being by constant vet care, the right foods, and enough comforts for them to be happy. I love them unconditionally (even when they are bad) and I can't ever picture myself voluntarily ever giving one of them up. I spend countless dollars on them even before I buy the new winter coat that I desperately need, but would I go into serious debt for them? ......probably not.

Does this make me a pet owner instead of a pet parent? I don't know. All I know is that sometimes you need to be realistic and not optimistic.

But slick, you are NOT wrong! And I admire people who value their animals 100% over themselves. Maybe I am just not that good of a person.

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I agree with this. I do love my pets very much, and have made many, many sacrifices for their well-being. But would I die for them? No, I would not. I would not leave my child an orphan and my family distraught to save the life of one of my pets.

Being 22 you have a different view of life.


you stop asking questions like that when you get to 25.








;)

Slick, without hesitation, I would run in the street to save any of my kitties. My logic is that the driver probably would not be able to see my cat, but they would see me..........waving, screaming etc. and hopefully slow down.

I feel sorry for your niece too.........I hope that some day she will have a bond with an animal and come to understand what you are talking about.

Richard, I don't think it has anything to do with age, but experience............let's get together and get that girl a pet:D