But is it stupid to treat them like humans? Edgar is just one of the celebrity pet finalists of this year's Comedy Pet Photography awards. Some think we should be more careful in the way we think about animals.
'Animals make us better people' says filmmaker
But is it stupid to treat them like humans? Edgar is just one of the celebrity pet finalists of this year's Comedy Pet Photography awards. Some think we should be more careful in the way we think about animals.
What's happening?
Dogs are loyalConstantly supporting a person or group, and not switching sides. . Cats think very highly of themselves. Owls are wiseSomeone who has a lot of knowledge and makes good decisions. . Elephants never forget.
For thousands of years, humans have talked about animals as if they think in the same way as people.
And animals can be funny, too. As shown in this year's Comedy Pet Photography Competition, we take pictures of our pets' funny moments to feel closer to them and include them in our humourThe ability to find things funny, or the things you find funny. .
We even make time to look after animals online.
On the online game Neopets, users adopt virtual pets and have to care for them. Launched in 1999, it had logged one trillion views by 2011. Now, it is returning.
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In some ways, it may sound a little strange. Can people really have strong feelings about animals that do not even exist?
Some go even further, questioning whether we are too attached even to our real-life animals. We like to think they love us as much as we love them. But experts say it is not a good idea to believe that animals have the same thoughts as humans.
Many scientists believe it stops us from understanding just how different animals are to us. One study found that children who thought of animals as like them were less likely to fear dangerous wild animals.
But others point out that a lot of the science does provide proofSomething that shows something else is true. that animals have feelings similar to ours. We know that chimpanzees can hold grudgesWhen you have bad feelings for a long time after someone has wronged you. , monkeys know how to share, and elephants grieveFeel sad about the death of someone you cared about. for their dead.
But is it stupid to treat them like humans?
Yes! We act like animals are humans because it makes us feel less alone in the universeEverything. Including all of time and space and its contents. . In reality, humans are very different to animals.
No! It is very normal to imagine that your pets have big feelings. It might even make you treat animals better. This can only be a good thing.
Keywords
Loyal - Constantly supporting a person or group, and not switching sides.
Wise - Someone who has a lot of knowledge and makes good decisions.
Humour - The ability to find things funny, or the things you find funny.
Proof - Something that shows something else is true.
Grudges - When you have bad feelings for a long time after someone has wronged you.
Grieve - Feel sad about the death of someone you cared about.
Universe - Everything. Including all of time and space and its contents.
‘Animals make us better people’ says filmmaker
Glossary
Loyal - Constantly supporting a person or group, and not switching sides.
Wise - Someone who has a lot of knowledge and makes good decisions.
Humour - The ability to find things funny, or the things you find funny.
Proof - Something that shows something else is true.
Grudges - When you have bad feelings for a long time after someone has wronged you.
Grieve - Feel sad about the death of someone you cared about.
Universe - Everything. Including all of time and space and its contents.