I would also point out that many domesticated animals that are pets DO have independent personalities and do not live totally on instinct. Anyone who’s owned more than one dog, cat, rabbit, etc realizes they have their own unique personalities.
And if we do decide to buy a pet, we do have responsibilities to provide adequate care, shelter and food for that animal, as it is 100% dependent on us for their needs.
This whole attitude of “it’s lesser life (because it’s not made in the image of God), therefore we can disregard it, treat it badly without much worry” is not a proper Christian stewardship mindset. For those that possess this mindset it is very telling of their own morality. If you’re weaker or lesser in their eyes, you are going to be treated worse, and that’s fair to them. The danger is having this mindset for anything and anyone that person deems to be lesser than themselves. Why do we treat it more poorly just because it’s lesser than you?
God loves the animals He creates. Wild and those that become our pets or service animals. Often He compares how he feels towards us with references to parent animals taking care of their offspring. In 2 Samuel when David is confronted by Samuel for getting Uriah killed to be with his wife, Samuel talks about a story of the rich and poor man, and the poor man having a little lamb he loved so much he held it at the table and let it eat off his plate and drink from is cup, raising it as if it was like a daughter to him. The rich man has a guest and instead of killing his own lamb, he takes the poor man’s lamb and kills it, at which point David gets furious at the rich man (not knowing he’s the rich man in the metaphor) and calls for the rich man’s blood.
I really am disappointed at the logic in these statements as being so cold and indifferent and un-stewardly in their nature. But this is what we see from churches today.
Indeed, many competent and experienced trainers of dogs and other animals are very wary of, and strong in their admonitions against anthropomorphism, or ascribing human thoughts and emotions onto animals...not from a religious or theological perspective, but from a practical and biological standpoint. To read human attributes onto a dog, for example, will inevitably result in a misinterpretation of the dog's motives, instincts and drives, and ultimately, can be very psychologically unhealthy for the animal.
Thanks for including rabbits! :-)
Amen.
“It is the Prudent man that careth for his beasts,
But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel”
Proverbs 12:10
The Father considers kindness to animals to be wisdom, and cruelty to be WICKEDNESS.
When we are Followers of Jesus, and Children of God, we are also called to be Good Stewards of His Creation.