Angry at people comparing birds to other pets.

[RavensGryf]

This is one of the biggest differences I have with my father, thank Glaux I do not live with him. He and my brother however are currently caring for the second cat I am financially responsible for. She belongs to my mom, but my mother can't have her in her current living situation. So my dad is looking after her as a favor to me. But anyway, when I talk to him about getting her proper care and making sure she gets this or that he looks at me like I'm crazy. I am the same with Kaz. I say I can't live without an animal and he looks and talks at me like I'm nuts. Its hurtful. All my life that he's known me, he KNOWS I have an affinity for animals, I get along with them, I enjoy working with them. But this "Its just an animal" mindset really gears me the wrong way. Because I know what its like to have a bond with an animal, and some people count that life enrichment of so little worth. Not everyone is into pets, but they should respect those who are, just like we respect those who are not pet-people.

My elderly father too. A lot of the "it's just an animal" attitude is from the older generation. People these days are generally more open about an animal as a "member of the family", but it wasn't always that way. My dad has always "loved" his dogs, but by the lack of money he's willing to spend (even to save one of their lives) you'd think he didn't care. It always amazed me. Different generation's mindset I guess. It goes without saying not everyone in generations past felt this way with animals, but it was the accepted way to feel and how they were taught. Not sure how old your dad is, but of course even some younger people have a lower regard for animals.

 

[Falconry]

This is one of the biggest differences I have with my father, thank Glaux I do not live with him. He and my brother however are currently caring for the second cat I am financially responsible for. She belongs to my mom, but my mother can't have her in her current living situation. So my dad is looking after her as a favor to me. But anyway, when I talk to him about getting her proper care and making sure she gets this or that he looks at me like I'm crazy. I am the same with Kaz. I say I can't live without an animal and he looks and talks at me like I'm nuts. Its hurtful. All my life that he's known me, he KNOWS I have an affinity for animals, I get along with them, I enjoy working with them. But this "Its just an animal" mindset really gears me the wrong way. Because I know what its like to have a bond with an animal, and some people count that life enrichment of so little worth. Not everyone is into pets, but they should respect those who are, just like we respect those who are not pet-people.

My elderly father too. A lot of the "it's just an animal" attitude is from the older generation. People these days are generally more open about an animal as a "member of the family", but it wasn't always that way. My dad has always "loved" his dogs, but by the lack of money he's willing to spend (even to save one of their lives) you'd think he didn't care. It always amazed me. Different generation's mindset I guess. It goes without saying not everyone in generations past felt this way with animals, but it was the accepted way to feel and how they were taught. Not sure how old your dad is, but of course even some younger people have a lower regard for animals.

I agree my father was like that as well. He loved his dogs but wouldnt spend much on vet bills. The only time he spent over a hundred on vet bills was when we were kids and our cat came home with a whole in his tail. He took him to the vet because spending on an animal is better than children crying over a dead cat, I guess.

I believe the younger generations only have an appreciation and love for animals when they are raised around or have animals. My friends think I am crazy for spending hundreds on vet bills but thats probably because they are 'afraid' of or disgusted of most animals and have never had a pet.

 

[RainbowRose]

Yes my father too. My mom is very sympathetic and more in touch with emotions, she's very caring, so even if she doesn't know what it's like she still understands and believes what I tell her about my bonding with the birds. Even when I had little rodents, hamsters, gerbils, etc, back in the day. She didn't like that I was spending a lot of money on Tiki initially but then I think she realized how attached I was to him because she even offered to help me out with one last vet trip to get answers that I wanted... Obviously I never found out and I miss him a lot and I think she gets that? My older sister didn't get why I cremated him and didn't just bury him with all my other past pets. He was special to me. My dad just sees them as nice birds and that's all. I wonder if I had a larger parrot if his opinion would be different. If a large more family oriented parrot would make him develop a bond. He liked particular past birds of mine over others, but he just liked their mannerisms and how excited they would get if he put music on or talked to them, etc. It never exceeded that.