The AbolitionistApproach, a blog by Gary Francione, Board of Governors Distinguished Professor of Law at Rutgers University School of Law, makes for fascinating reading, even though I don’t always see eye-to-eye on his posts. He takes a hardline approach, albeit a hypothetical one, on animal rights, and he avidly preaches and practices veganism. (Let me first go on record that I am not a vegan, yet. Veganism is another hardline regimen that I can’t fathom committing to, while vegetarianism and pescetarianism appeal to me both morally and sociopolitically.)
But Francione’s approach to animal rights calls for the end to the domestication of dogs, which he wrote about here. Francione calls domesticated animals “neither a real nor full part of our world or of the nonhuman world. They exist forever in a netherworld of vulnerability, dependent on us for everything and at risk of harm from an environment that they do not really understand. We have bred them to be compliant and servile . . . We may make them happy in one sense, but the relationship can never be “natural” or “normal.”
HUMAN-DOG CONUNDRUM
He also notes he has five rescue dogs himself and encourages others to adopt dogs who are in dire need of homes. Even so, Francione states: “We regard the dogs who live with us as refugees of sorts, and although we enjoy caring for them, it is clear that humans have no business continuing to bring these creatures into a world in which they simply do not fit.”
My issue with Francione’s opinion on animal domestication is particularly with respect to dogs. I don’t feel that dogs have been “acted upon” by humans; rather I believe that dogs and humans have “interacted” over centuries. I think there was, and is, a two-way communication and understanding between humans and dogs that makes them our oldest and most cherished domesticated animals. They are no more trained to be compliant and servile than are our children. They are, however, trained how to behave within a social group that includes humans. They hold a place there, the same as the rest of us, and they derive benefits from it. Like humans, they understand pack (family) membership and they trust it. I won’t go as far as to say loyalty, which is an abstraction. But certainly they feel attachment.
And that is why you will see families sentimentally including photos of their dogs in their portraits. Why they are written about in literature, sung about in songs, and featured in art—including some of the oldest cave paintings known to man.
Again, I understand that Francione is talking hypothetically, and I agree on many counts. I think abusive breeders should be stopped; I don’t believe in using dogs for cosmetics testing either. But I do see the benefit in training dogs for scent testing, however, given their highly-developed sense of smell, or as guide dogs to help the blind.
REALITY CHECK
If we can move beyond the hypothetical for a moment, I’ve seen packs of feral dogs in Indonesia where I spent one summer. Likely, these were abandoned dogs that formed packs and now breed and live on their own. Many of them live in and around towns and cities and roam the streets in groups, picking through garbage, killing rats, carrying mites and mange, licking their open sores. They move about through humanity but they do not trust humans, and they steer clear and keep to themselves. Un-domesticating dogs might sound righteous to some, but practically speaking, what would urban wild dogs look like?
And if not urban, where would undomesticated dogs reside? How long would it take them to regain their full natural instincts that derive from their wolf ancestors?
One thing is for sure: Francione ends by sharing with us that his five dogs are vegan just like him. Talk about domestication …
Look anywhere in the wild: you won’t likely find wolves eating vegetables.
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Wow, what an interesting argument! I've never heard of vegan dogs before…
His whole argument is really fascinating, isn't it, Shana? To stop domesticating all animals… stop breeding them, eating them. It would make for an interesting world indeed but I really am fond of the dog-human bond and without domestication, dogs would not trust us (and would probably even attack us once their instincts returned.)
It's such an interesting debate, wow. There really are degrees to everything, especially veganism! I've heard of people like this Francione, they believe in total animal liberation. I understand their point, as you do Janet, however I don't think there is any need for it. I doubt many dog breeds nowadays, especially smaller breeds, would fare very well on their own. That being said, I don't agree with breeding dogs when so many are in shelters in need of a good home. I think dogs as pets do extraordinary things for people and enrich lives in a myriad of ways. As far as a dog being vegan, while unusual, it is possible! Dogs are omnivorous, they can thrive on a diet with or without meat. I would never deprive my dog of meat, his kibble has some salmon in it I think, but he also loves cucumbers, sweet potato, and rice. There are a bunch of different foods that are safe and healthy for dogs to eat. However, my dog is not a picky eater and will gobble up just about anything that falls on the floor! Cats are the true carnivores, and can not survive without eating meat.
Thanks for your insight Sarah. I assume dogs can survive on a vegan diet because Francione's dogs do it. However, if those dogs were to be undomesticated, they would not choose to eat vegetables if there was a bird or small rodent nearby. I really found Francione's posts about animals fascinating. You should check some of them out! He is really into veganism too.