08/02/2026
Animals experience joy, fear, and devotion no differently than we do. To continue labeling them as "pets" is to ignore their unique, sovereign lives and treat them as commodities.
As we become a more enlightened and humane society, it’s time to retire the word "pet"—a term that often diminishes sentient beings to mere objects of entertainment or human utility. To truly evolve, we must shift our language from ownership to guardianship.
Only when we stop seeing them as "pets" will we stop asking what they can provide for us, and instead fully commit to caring for them as the sentient kin they truly are. They are sovereign lives. They deserve to be loved in the ways they need—not just the ways that suit us.
While gifting a pet to a child brings joy, parents need to assess if their child is ready to take on pet caring responsibilities. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.