Companion Animal Lexicon

Animal Collecting

See "Animal Hoarding."

Animal Hoarding

Also known as animal collecting, this is a psychological illness known as an obsessive compulsive disorder. Animal hoarders keep a large number of animals in a situation of neglect. They can’t stop thinking about the animals in which they keep, yet they are unable to adequately care for them. No certain number of animals qualifies a particular person to be considered a animal hoarder; it is the circumstance in which the animals are kept that is the distinguishing criterion. The ASPCA defines it as such “A person could keep 40 cats in an apartment, and keep them clean and healthy and not be a hoarder. But if one neglects to care for the animals and his or her environment, and is in extreme denial about the situation, that person is a hoarder.” In some states hoarding can be a crime depending on the level of neglect perpetrated upon the animals involved. However, because hoarding is a mental affliction there is a near 100 percent rate of recidivism even after treatment and/or incarceration. [55]

Buncher

This is a person who gathers dogs from any place they are available and sells them to laboratories for research or to other bunchers and various other types of distributors. Some of the dogs are collected from articles found in newspapers such as those reading “free to a good home” other dogs are victims of companion animal theft. [16]

Companion Animal

This is simply a term to reclassify those who were originally considered “pets.” To call another sentient being a “pet” is to reduce it to a mere thing - to an object named after an activity; petting. Just as a hunter may say, “look at my kill” when referring to a animal that has recently been shot, humans reduce the animals they live with to mere results of an action. The animal rights position realizes that such denigration is not only unnecessary, but inaccurate. Because we share our lives and experiences together both humans and animals are companions. Our companions are also sometimes referred to as co-habitants.

Declawing

Process by where a cat’s claws are removed along with some of her bone structure so as to prevent re-growth. This procedure is preformed with a laser. [65] Generally this procedure is not considered compassionate among the animal rights community. Some veterinarians will not perform this surgery.

Puppy Mill

This is a facility where puppies are born and raised under less than desirable conditions. Many puppy mills have small cages with unsanitary conditions for expecting mothers and puppies alike. The primary concern of a puppy mill is the production of puppies so as to maximize profit. Puppy mills have been documented neglecting sanitary and medical concerns in order to increase profits. The females are impregnated every heat cycle and are disposed of after they can no longer give birth to live puppies. [17]

Tendonectomy

This procedure involves cutting a cat’s tendons responsible for controlling claw movement. A cat still keeps its claws, but will be forever unable to use them. Like declawing, they are totally defenseless after a tendonectomy. Because cats are unable to knead their claws after this procedure their claws must be clipped regularly. [65] Generally this procedure is not considered compassionate among the animal rights community. Some veterinarians will not perform this surgery.

Go to Works Cited

|  |  | 
|  |  |  | 

Posted/Updated: 1/04/03