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Group of Moms Is Trying to Get People to Stop Saying ‘Fur Babies’

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My wife and I have pets and we’ve been known to occasionally utter the phrase “fur baby.” It’s a common name to call one’s pets and it’s usually a cat or dog. The endearment implies that the person thinks their beloved pets are like their children or babies. Some animal lovers even buy things for their pets that normally only are used by human children, such as clothing or strollers. However, some moms are saying that it’s unfair to compare animals to humans and they want people to stop using the term. They say it’s unfair to compare animals to human babies, and that’s partly true.

The moms seem to be offended that when you have a “fur baby,” you can still go out to dinner, leaving your “baby” at home alone. You can also sleep through the night without being awakened by a screaming “baby,” they say. Whoever thought that up apparently has never had a lonely puppy before. Frankly, I’m all about “live and let live,” and think these folks should mind their own business. But what if we play devil’s advocate and point out that there’s another reason to stop using the term “fur baby”? A dog trainer named Melanie explained that she’s not in love with the moniker, either, although it doesn’t bother her.

Here’s why. She said that she doesn’t want kittens and puppies being compared to human babies because it does a great injustice to the animals for not accepting them as they are. It’s almost as if being “just a dog” isn’t good enough. A social worker named Phillip Tedeschi works for the Institute for Human-Animal Connection, and he totally agrees. He doesn’t like the term “fur baby” because he is concerned that it encourages people to treat their animals in ways that aren’t natural for them, thereby setting up an expectation that is unhealthy for the pets.

Again, people can do what they want, but it’s an interesting debate.

Image: Pixabay