And People Think Animals Don't Have Feelings...Here's Proof They Do
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
October 28, 2009 6:31am CST
Many people think that animals don't have feelings..they can't "love" they can't show or feel happiness......or more important, they don't feel grief or sadness. Well here's a story that will dispel all that.
I just heard this story on the news. It takes place in the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center in Cameroon. Many of these chimpanzees are young babes from mothers who were killed from the illegal bushmeat trade of the chimpanzees. So this Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center in Cameroon became these young chimps sanctuary to live out their lives without fear. Well just recently a chimp died. The people of the sanctuary were feeling compassionate people who wanted to give the chimp a "proper" funeral. But then something unexpected happened. As the caregivers of the sanctuary were wheeling the dead body of the deceased chimp, fellow chimps of the sanctuary crowded around to watch their fellow friend and companion in the same way we as humans give tribute by a "wake" or memorial service for the dearly departed.
Here's the link to the story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6444909/Chimpanzees-grief-caught-on-camera-in-Cameroon.html#at
I repeat the link here since links don't always seem to work here anymore
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6444909/Chimpanzees-grief-caught-on-camera-in-Cameroon.html#at
I've always have loved all kinds of animals and firmly believe they have just as many feelings as we humans......how DARE we call them mere animals----they feel, they love, they grieve.
What are your feelings of animals in general? Are they merely animals to you..a species underneath you and don't feel or do you think animals sense passions, love, hate and grief just as we do??
And just think------chimps are one of the number one animal to be tested on for our human problems.....such as all diseases and products consumed by us humans. only because their DNA is similar to humans.
7 people like this
32 responses
@BarBaraPrz (45655)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
28 Oct 09
Interesting article.
Of course animals have feelings. Anyone who has lived with one can attest to that.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Oct 09
And it's amazing the different personalities of animals...I've yet had a cat that had the same personality as another
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Oct 09
I didn't know you had a puppy now..when did you get him???
@patms1 (521)
• United States
29 Oct 09
I used to get so mad when I read people saying animals can't love or have no souls until I realized how sad that was. Imagine never having known an animals love. Never being welcomed home after a real stinky day with a face full of joy at seeing you. It must be so sad having to depend just on people for love when its people that will take back any love they give if you treat them bad but an animal will forgive you every time. As for having souls, I believe animals have real souls that don't need someone to tell them good from evil. I believe animals go to heaven and I can prove it. What is heaven? A place of perfect happiness. Well to me there would be no happiness if I did not have my dogs and cats with me. If I could not see animals running free. I bet if you asked every one 99 out 100 a hundred would agree with me. I saw that picture in the papers and cried like a baby. God loves us. Thats why he gave us animals
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Oct 09
That's why I think at times I prefer animals over people...they give unconditional love and don't play mind games the way people do. And yes, when it's my time to "leave" this earth I hope to be reunited with all the pets who have been my companions over the years
@patms1 (521)
• United States
29 Oct 09
I would like to add that there is a legend that after God put Adam and Eve out of the garden He was walking near the fence and Saw someone had dug a hole. He asked an angel who was it was that was trying to sneak in. The Angle replied that no one was trying to sneak in the dogs were going out to help Adam and Eve.
2 people like this
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
29 Oct 09
Thank you! I have always believed that animals feel emotions. Just like we do.
I once had cocker spanials. The mother dog when she was in heat id put her in the basement at night and in the house in the day. When she wasnt i heat she would be out in the yard. She passed away one nite. Her son out in the yard was wailing like he never did before or after. He watched as we took her body from the basement.
I also once had a mama cat that would correct her kittens for swinging on the hanging planters.
I have seen mama cats just reach out an pull their babies close to hug them.
I once had a pomerian dogs. This one when i held or petted the others would come and sit right in front of me with her back turned to me and sneeking peeks to see if i was looking at her. She was jealous.
When they come to you looking for affection thats love.
2 people like this
@noguilt93 (52)
• India
28 Oct 09
Really nice discussion. We humans have NO right to call them mere animals. In this present day and age, sadly, they seem more "human" than we do. We kill, maim, rape, bribe and pollute. Animals kill out of necessity not greed like humans. The emotions animals show are true, pure emotions unlike how most humans fake emotions just to use somebody. The story you posted was really very touching. Dogs, cats, ferrets whatever pets we have only animal lovers can truly explain the multitude of emotions these animals display. Love, sadness, happiness even jealousy are all emotions attributed only to humans but animals feel all this too.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Oct 09
How true and couldn't have said it better myself. I've always trusted animals more than people
1 person likes this
@RacinJason (8)
• United States
30 Oct 09
although this is a well put conparison, i would say a couple of things are not totally true. 1. cows are one the largest producers of methane gas and makes them huge "polluters" 2. there are many animals that kill for sport and for the simple pleasure of.."killing" Have you never seen animals "fighting" just to mate? Our cats kill mice, lizards, frogs, not to eat, just to catch and kill. We shouldn't call an animal an animal? i think it is better said we are more like animals than human!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Oct 09
Hiya RacinJason
You bring up some good points...but we humans also kill animals for fun or sport, and also kill animals just to wear their fur and not to eat
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
29 Oct 09
Pye, they have more feeling and emotions than we can ever imagine.
The picture of chimpanzee is so moving, yes they sense love and grieve.
Many years ago my best friends golden retriever helped to rescue new born kitten by giving the kitten massage with his tongue. How did he knew what to do?
My cat Munia likes to place her paw gently on my face at least once a day...how she knows to hide her nails and touch my face with the feather touch?
Why my older dog Misia likes to keep her head on my chest the way babies do?
And why my younger dog Maja is moving her head with understanding when watching movies about other animals?
And for all those years I have pets it always amazed me that they managed to learned human language when I am not able to understand theirs......
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
30 Oct 09
yes, I wish to understand all kinds for meaws and all kinds of barks....
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Oct 09
Yes Pola I've always sensed that our furbabies understand us better than we can understand them which can be heartbreaking at times. What I mean by that, animals can't tell us if they feel sick and we don't know if there is a problem until it becomes very obvious
@Ravenladyj (22904)
• United States
28 Oct 09
I've never understood why some ppl think animals dont have feelings or worse yet believe animals are INCAPABLE of having and showing feelings/emotions...they do it all the time..Sure they can't verbalize the way we do but they arent PEOPLE..they still have voices and languages...they show their feelings also in action....
and just to test something in regards to the link think....I'm gonna repost the link http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6444909/Chimpanzees-grief-caught-on-camera-in-Cameroon.html#at to see what happens..
2 people like this
@Ravenladyj (22904)
• United States
28 Oct 09
Hhhmm seems that links work when they are within a sentence...Go fig..
2 people like this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
29 Oct 09
I saw the video of this yesterday on the Today Show and what made it more poignant was the fact that she (the gorilla) had acted as a mother most of the other gorillas when they came as babies scared and alone to the sanctuary. It was truly sad to watch the video.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Oct 09
I'll have to see if I can find that video, probably on the Today show website
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
29 Oct 09
Yup, I do believe this very much, even before. I certainly think animals have feelings and they are special creations just like us, but in a different way. The only difference is they can't think like us, but the feelings; compassion and all are the same. Animals even protect their young; and there have been lots of documentaries on this which really touch my heart. Good discussion here, Pye, thanks for sharing them.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Oct 09
I'm always amazed in a way of how animals will even take care of the young of another species...I've seen countless videos of a mother dog taking care of newborn kittens, a panther taking care of a baby monkey, and the list goes on. Wouldn't it be great if people got along as well despite their differences?
1 person likes this
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
28 Oct 09
Isn’t that just fantastic? I am so glad you shared this with us. I have always known that animals have feelings and are very much capable of love. A lot of my friends call me eccentric because of the relationship I have with all my animals and laugh at my ‘nutty’ behaviour towards my pets; they don’t appreciate that the bond we share is not a figment of my imagination. Animals are living, breathing creatures that feel pain, sadness and love just like we do; of that I’m sure.
2 people like this
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
29 Oct 09
Oh yes, I like animals a lot better than a lot of people...
2 people like this
@msinfo79 (324)
• United States
28 Oct 09
I love all animals. I know for a fact animals have feelings my dog cried and howled when she lost all her babies but 1. I can't believe how stupid people could be to think that they are the only ones capable of feelings.
@msinfo79 (324)
• United States
1 Nov 09
the puppies were sick from birth, she squished 2 and out of 8 only 1 survived. it was a hard labor and it was her first and only litter. tuti the mother lived to be 15 before dying of cancer and milagro the daughter lived to be 12 before dying of the same cause. I miss them very much.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Oct 09
My belief no one should harm any animal since they do feel pain
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Oct 09
I agree that anyone that thinks animals don't have emotions is wrong as well
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
28 Oct 09
Sure, anyone who lives with animals in whatever capacity knows that they have feelings just as much as we do. I've seen many times and in many ways my cats demonstrate that they can and do have feelings.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Oct 09
If you're like me you've probably had cats all your life and I certainly do sense them having feelings
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
28 Oct 09
Oh they have feelings! And they are so smart. My last dog....Reggie also had an attitude. He was never my dog until the later years of his life....I was his caretaker but he like humans took me for granted...but the kids....well when my son would leave the house he would go to the dining room window and cry....when my son still lived here....when my son would be gone for too long a time Reggie would pee in his shoes....a reminder that he didn't like being ignored. When my mother was dying of cancer I took vacation and went home to take care of her...One day dad and I had to run get meds for her and we left her with my son and Reggie....well she had a neighbor she never liked....after we left the neighbor tried to get into the house to see mom....but Reggie wouldn't let her! My mother got such a charge out of it....after she passed and we went home he spent the first hour looking for her....then he would lay by her chair....he would walk through the house.....then lay back down by her chair....they love....and need to be loved.....they understand what we are saying....and they comprehend grief. I can't ever say the an animial is just an animal.....they have hearts just like we do.
2 people like this
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
28 Oct 09
Hi pye,
How woderful and sad is that? I always have more respect for animals more so than to humans and I do know that they have feelings just like humans the only thing they can't do is talk, een my cats shows their feeling towards me and I can understand them.
Bright Blessings.
Tamara
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Oct 09
LOL--I wonder what our cats would say if they could talk?
@zhangfzoe (432)
• China
29 Oct 09
I think anmimal have feelings, too. Though there's barrier in language communitation, we can guess what they want to express through their facial expression and body actions. When they are in anger and in pain , it is very apprant to be found out. For chimps and white mouse, they are the common test object for medical research. Without them, the achievements in medicine can not be so much and so quickly.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Oct 09
I really am very against animal testing since I find it cruel and unnecessary. For over twenty years there have been successful alternative means to test medicines and products without using animals...so why are animals still used and inflicted so much pain?
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
28 Oct 09
Hi pyewacket,
That is a moving story. I have always believed that animals have feelings and not only Chimpanzees but all other God given creature under the Sun has them including the Plants and things.
My Husband when he was in the Army he had to look after the Mules like the other Soldiers and he has told me numerous stories about them and how they react to certain people. This proves that they have feelings.
He has told me quite a few stories so I won´t list them here.
But yes all animals have feelings all of them.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Oct 09
Yes animals can also sense when you are an animal lover in general and when a person isn't...Take my two cats for instance. They sense that my super doesn't care for pets and if he comes into the apt. to repair something, they hide
@marcelinka (113)
• Chile
29 Oct 09
i get very upset if people tell me something like that... i love and respect animals, and i hate people who abandon them or kill them just because they feel like.
my mom told me once "never trust in people who do not like animals or little children"... and it`s true... if u do not have the feeling to love at least one of them then i`m so sorry 4 u.
any way it`s good and fair to say... u may not like all the animals, u may not like any animal at all... but if u respect them anyway, then u have my respect too.
My dogs have their own character... i have the baby one, and the rebel one... terrible!!! but i love them and they love my little girl...
Just think about this.. if u treat bad a person he/she might accept that for a while, but sooner or later they will leave u... but if u get upset with ur dog once, twice... it will always look at u looking for a "good girl/boy". they love u no matter what.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Oct 09
I don't trust people either that don't like animals and I hate it when people have the idea that it's "just" an animal. I sometimes think animals have MORE feelings and compassion than people do.
