no more pets

[Garson O'Toole]

David Barnhart wrote
> I just saw a little story on CNN about the political incorrectness of the
> term _pet_ meaning an animal kept as a companion.

There is a short video segment available at the CNN website that might
contain the material that David Barnhart viewed. Below is a link:

Is the word 'pet' politically incorrect?
Added On May 10, 2011
Some animal rights activists want to replace the term "pet" with
"animal companion." CBC's Colleen Jones reports.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2011/05/09/dnt.pet.politically.incorrect.CBC
Shortened link
http://goo.gl/RkwUS

The report refers to the Journal of Animal Ethics as the source of the
following suggestions: Replace "pet" with "animal companion." Call a
raccoon dining from the garbage can of a house a "free living animal"
and not a "pest." Replace "wildlife" with "free range" or "free
living."

Garson

On Tue, May 10, 2011 at 7:03 AM, Jonathan Lighter
<wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: no more pets
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> PETA has been plumping for "companion animal," as the "correct" term for any
> pet, for many years.
>
> JL
>
> On Tue, May 10, 2011 at 12:34 AM, victor steinbok <aardvark66 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       victor steinbok <aardvark66 at GMAIL.COM>
>> Subject:      Re: no more pets
>>
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> I see... but you may continue to refer to your sex slaves as your "pets".
>>
>> Actually, "companion animal" is quite distinct from "pet". The ideas is
>> that
>> these animals perform either a therapeutic or assisting function, e.g.,
>> "guide dogs" for the blind. I am not sure that this is where the CNN story
>> was going--but if they weren't aiming there, they are idiots.
>>
>> VS-)
>>
>> On Mon, May 9, 2011 at 11:27 PM, David Barnhart <dbarnhart at highlands.com
>> >wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > I just saw a little story on CNN about the political incorrectness of the
>> > term _pet_ meaning an animal kept as a companion.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > My cat is still the family pet.  We didn't get her at a _pet shop_.  We
>> do
>> > not engage a _pet sitter_ to do _pet sitting_ who would keep her bowl
>> full
>> > of _pet food_.  She does not seem to need _pet therapy_ at the direction
>> of
>> > a _pet therapist_.  Nor will she go to a _pet cemetery_.  Nor would we
>> > replace her with a _pet rock_.  Somehow _companion_ doesn't seem to fit
>> as
>> > neatly.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > DKB
>> >
>> >
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
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