Yesterday, we shared a post about the moral descent of dog ownership based on a short article by Angela Gilbert. We prefaced it by recounting the opinion of a friend deeply concerned about future of dog ownership in a world impacted by groups like HSUS or PETA. One of this friend’s greatest fears: That the day would come when owning a dog would be viewed with same attitude as if one owned a human being.  We asked if this could happen.

With this post, we wonder aloud if videos like the one below don’t actually contribute to a future as dreaded by our friend.  That the “protagonist ” in the eleven minute video is a mixed breed is beside the point, even on a site that celebrates purebred dogs. The video is engaging, if not amusing, but it’s apt to make at least some of us feel guilty if we recognize ourselves in any of the scenarios presented from the dog’s point of view. And that’s the concern. The narration of the “canine protagonist” suggests he has existential thoughts with the same observations, concerns, joys and worries as a human being. If that’s the case, then claiming ownership of a dog by using putting a leash on him, or having him wear dog tags identifying him as our property, would feel as morally reprehensible as doing to the same to a person. Guilt can persuade individuals of the craziest things. If you don’t believe that the day could ever come when owning a dog would carry a stigma, ask yourself if, say, twenty years ago, you ever saw coming the day when society would vilify a person who bought their dog from a breeder instead of adopting one from a shelter.

The French poet, Charles Baudelaire, one wrote that the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he didn’t exist. Since the animal rights movement has expressed objection to “man’s dominion over animals,” its greatest trick would be to convince the world that it is ethically wrong to own an animal because it has equal footing to people. Videos like the one that follows are seductive because they make it so believable that dogs react to situations the way we do, and therefore, should have the same rights as we do. In a world in which many individuals prize emotions over common sense or logic, this is risky business.

Do dogs feel loneliness, anger, fear and joy? We believe that they do. As far as we know, however, they don’t agonize over ethical dilemmas, experience regret, ruminate over how much better it was before the new baby/dog/cat arrived, or worry about the finality of their lives. They are absolutely entitled to companionship and a life free of suffering, something that caring and responsible human companions give them – but this is animal welfare, not animal rights.

As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and for those of us who love dogs, hell would be life without the companionship of dogs. The video makes us want to hug our beloved dogs ever tighter, and in that regard, it’s a good thing. But how does it play with the pet owner who treats their dog like a real child?  As crazy as it sounds, is it worth asking if videos like the one below help or hurt us in the effort to retain the right to own our dogs?