Reproducing Companion Animals
Reproducing Companion Animals
Breeding companion animals as well as allowing them to reproduce is controversial. In this chapter three kinds of argument for an alternative course of action are presented, namely preventing companion animals from reproducing, usually by sterilization. These are anti-natalist arguments, abolitionist arguments, and harm prevention arguments. The anti-natalist and abolitionist arguments are categorically opposed to all breeding of companion animals. The harm prevention argument, on the other hand, is a conditional one, according to which people should desist from breeding companion animals until such time as the demand for such animals exceeds the number of these animals already in existence. However, given how many unwanted animals there currently are, people are nowhere near that point. Thus, all three arguments converge on the conclusion that reproducing companion animals is wrong. The case against breeding companion animals is significantly overdetermined.
Keywords: breeding, sterilization, anti-natalism, abolitionism, harm prevention, companion animal
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