COMPANION ANIMALS:
RESPONSIBILITIES, CARE, AND RIGHTS
A SYNOPSIS
By Dr. Michael W. Fox
Many illnesses and behavioral problems in dogs, cats and other companion animals can be prevented, and others
cured by their caretakers/guardians adhering to five basic principles. These principles combine to make a simple formula to
help insure animals health and overall well being:
Right Understanding and Relationship + Right Breeding/Genetics + Right Nutrition + Right Environment + Right
Holistic Veterinary Care. = Animal Health and Well-being.
It is every person's responsibility as an animal lover and care-provider to recognize the importance of these
principles as basic animal rights for several reasons. These include the prevention and alleviation of much animal suffering;
and reduced veterinary and other related costs associated with many animal health and behavioral problems, if not most, and
even having to euthanize the animal or put her/him up for adoption.
These principles bring out the best qualities in people as caregivers by enhancing the human-non-human animal
bond, and in those animals under their care in terms of quality of life and relational/emotional experience. They also provide
an ethical compass of responsibility and compassion to advance the moral/character development of children, who, in learning
by example how to respect and care for other animals, enhance their self-esteem and self-worth through loving service, and
in the process refine their ability to empathize with other sentient beings.
As animals have served and benefited us for millennia and continue to do so in myriad ways, so we benefit the
more we serve and help them as our wards, companions, healers, teachers, patients and friends---all of whom are related to
us, but are more ancient, if not wiser than we. The bond that people have with the animals in their lives must become a boundless
circle of compassion, expanding to encompass all living beings, domestic and wild, captive and free, if we are to justify
keeping any animal as a as domesticated companion beyond our selfish needs.
