Pampered prisoners?

Like many people across the world, Josh Gabbatiss is passionate about animals. After 21 years, he has just finished a project he started aged nine: an encyclopaediaA book, in alphabetical order, giving information on many topics. of every living creature.

In the UK, 52% of adults own a pet.¹ In China, there are 251 million pets.²

But Troy Vettese, an environmental historian, believes we are harming these animals. Here are seven of his claims in an article for the Guardian.

Yes: Animals are meant to live in the wild with their own kind. Keeping them in cages is particularly cruel. The enormous global trade is often immoral and a terrible waste of resources.

No: Vettese's arguments are mainly about irresponsible pet owners and breeders. As long as animals are bought from a respectable source, and given proper care, there is nothing wrong with owning them.  

Or... It is better for dogs and cats to live as pets than in the wild, where they struggle to survive and pose a greater threat to other species. The average feral cat kills 130 birds a year.