The Ethics of Pets
A Life Without Living
We're a curious bunch, us humans. We're fascinated by our fellow animals to such a point that we want to imprison them for our own amusement. An exotic bird or fish will be our servant. Its job will be to look pleasing to our eye; to radiate its beauty upon us and bring us joy and therapy. Its payment will be a steady supply of manufactured and processed food.
And so the creature will be condemned to live out its entire mundane existence, not as a sentient being, but as an ornamental object; a piece of living art, trapped in an unnatural and restrictive world. A life of constant boredom.
But there is plenty of consolation. It will never starve, never encounter a dangerous preditor and never succumb to nature's harsh elements. Perhaps our pets should be grateful.