I had a tough discussion a few years ago about whether we were animal owners or guardians. During a networking event, I was harshly schooled by a lawyer who asserted that people own animals. She pointed out that the law considers animals as goods, property, possessions. Living, breathing beings, but still property.
In our conversation, I explained how I connect telepathically with animals. From that, people are clearer about their animal’s point of view. In a way, I give the animal a voice in their relationship. Which opens possibilities for improving the relationship and even the animal’s physical health.
I was shocked by her vehemence that listening to their preferences was wrong; they were property.
Legally, this lawyer was correct – we own our animals.
The Cornell Law School, defines legal ownership as “the legal right to use, possess, and give away a thing. Ownership can be tangible such as personal property and land, or it can be of intangible things such as intellectual property rights.”
But it sure doesn’t come close to describing the relationship most of us have with our animals.
Owner or guardian? I choose “guardian”
I use the word guardian, which more accurately describes my relationship with my animals. Guardians care for and make good decisions for their animals. They want the best for them.
These days, most of us unabashedly declare that our animals are part of the family. Some of us even have grand-dogs and grand-cats.
We love them, and maybe feel a soul connection with them. We find a way to delight in their peculiarities. Feeling their love for us never gets old. We look for ways to help them with anxiety and aggressiveness. And when they start to decline physically, we feel deeply upset and do what we can to keep them healthy.
So, on a relationship level, we do NOT treat them as property. To us, they are living, breathing non-human beings. With their own personalities, preferences and peculiarities. That’s why I use “guardian” rather than “owner.”
What words do you use to describe your relationship?
Read my blog, From Animal Master to Animal Mentor
Owning our animals as property sounds like slavery to me, When certain people decided they could own other individuals. Animal Guardian Is a respectful term and I think it reflects how we should be thinking now. Hopefully as humans awareness grows and deepens we can choose respectful terms for our relationships. In my opinion a person does not need to believe in Animal Communication to use the term animal guardian. Love is love and the term Animal Guardian shows our love and respect for animals.
I would say both- ownership and guardian are relevant. Legally the word ownership makes us responsible for an animal’s well being. And in many cases a legal umbrella is a good thing. Aside from the legal responsibility, the core relationship to me is mutual guardianship between animal and human.
I agree with Clara. You cannot own a living being. The native Americans understood that and took it further to believing you could not own the land, sky, sea, lakes, etc.
They are not property; they are family. They are companions, and we are their guardians.