--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I recently asked a veterinarian friend…" description: "\"“I recently asked a veterinarian friend how he thought about our relationship to companion animals. “They are slaves—chattel slaves,” he said breezily...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/jessica-pierce-35764_friendship_i-recently-asked-a-veterinarian-friend-h_2085023.jpg" --- # I recently asked a veterinarian friend how he thought… ![“I recently asked a veterinarian friend how he thought about our relationship to companion animals. “They are slaves—chattel slaves,” he said breezily. I was astonished and irked by the nonchalance of his proclamation. But as I thought about it afterward, the reason his statement bothered me so…” quote by Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/jessica-pierce-35764_friendship_i-recently-asked-a-veterinarian-friend-h_2085023.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/jessica-pierce-35764_friendship_i-recently-asked-a-veterinarian-friend-h_2085023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/jessica-pierce-35764_friendship_i-recently-asked-a-veterinarian-friend-h_2085023.jpg) > ““I recently asked a veterinarian friend how he thought about our relationship to companion animals. “They are slaves—chattel slaves,” he said breezily. I was astonished and irked by the nonchalance of his proclamation. But as I thought about it afterward, the reason his statement bothered me so much was that he had touched a nerve—had captured something I find uncomfortable about our relationship to pets. They are here to serve us.”” [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the uncomfortable truth that many view pets as property serving human needs, prompting ethical reflection on animal rights. **In simple terms:** Pets are often treated as property for human benefit. Key Takeaway Reevaluate how we treat companion animals. Themes animal rights ethics human‑animal relationship Mood thoughtful concerned Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - pet ownership - legislation - animal welfare advocacy - personal reflection Key Concepts commodification sentience moral responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing pets as sentient beings change our responsibilities? - What obligations arise from the companionship we cherish? A Different Perspective The view may overlook the mutual emotional bonds and benefits humans receive from pets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Pets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pets/) ## Related quotes > [I kept myself in shape, and the stuff they were doing in the South, I wouldn't go for. They wanted to whip me on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rocky-johnson/i-kept-myself-in-shape-and-the-stuff-they-were-doing-in-the-south-i/) [Rocky Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rocky-johnson/) > [“In a Fisherian world, animals are slaves to evolutionary fashion, evolving extravagant and arbitrary displays and tastes that are all "meaningless"; they do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-prum/in-a-fisherian-world-animals-are-slaves-to-evolutionary-fashion/) [Richard O. Prum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-prum/) > [“A slave was cheaper than a mule. Slavery, despicable topic, rarely appeared in poetry or onstage or in the paintings that decorated urns and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/a-slave-was-cheaper-than-a-mule-slavery-despicable-topic-rarely/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Animals, whom we have made our slaves, we do not like to consider our equal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/animals-whom-we-have-made-our-slaves-we-do-not-like-to-consider-our/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [“Animals are not genderless objects. “He” and “she” are vast improvements over “it.” “Who” is more fitting than “that” or “which.” (So, it isn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/animals-are-not-genderless-objects-he-and-she-are-vast-improvements/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“I’m focusing here on dogs because this is where almost all of the research and exposés lead us. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/yet-still-beneath-all-the-marketing-and-social-construction-of/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“There is a tendency to oversimplify the issue of spay/neuter and to promote the essential benefits without recognizing that our animals do suffer some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/there-is-a-tendency-to-oversimplify-the-issue-of-spay-neuter-and-to/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“Emotional attachments to and functions of animals in human families are highly variable — and not always positive. Some family pets are surrogate children,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/emotional-attachments-to-and-functions-of-animals-in-human-families/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“If you balk at the idea that dogs could be bred like pigs, I’m sorry to disabuse you. Dogs and pigs alike are treated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/if-you-balk-at-the-idea-that-dogs-could-be-bred-like-pigs-i-m-sorry/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“I know that market value is a repulsive accounting of somebody’s worth, and many of us would be unable to put a monetary value…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/i-know-that-market-value-is-a-repulsive-accounting-of-somebody-s/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“A common misconception is that pets have easy lives. They don’t have to do any work to find food and shelter or to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/a-common-misconception-is-that-pets-have-easy-lives-they-don-t-have/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) ## More by Jessica Pierce > [“Yet still, beneath all the marketing and social construction of attitudes and desires and shopping habits, there is a deep yearning for connection. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/yet-still-beneath-all-the-marketing-and-social-construction-of/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“There is a tendency to oversimplify the issue of spay/neuter and to promote the essential benefits without recognizing that our animals do suffer some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/there-is-a-tendency-to-oversimplify-the-issue-of-spay-neuter-and-to/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“A common misconception is that pets have easy lives. They don’t have to do any work to find food and shelter or to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/a-common-misconception-is-that-pets-have-easy-lives-they-don-t-have/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“I know that market value is a repulsive accounting of somebody’s worth, and many of us would be unable to put a monetary value…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/i-know-that-market-value-is-a-repulsive-accounting-of-somebody-s/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“If you balk at the idea that dogs could be bred like pigs, I’m sorry to disabuse you. Dogs and pigs alike are treated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/if-you-balk-at-the-idea-that-dogs-could-be-bred-like-pigs-i-m-sorry/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“Emotional attachments to and functions of animals in human families are highly variable — and not always positive. Some family pets are surrogate children,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/emotional-attachments-to-and-functions-of-animals-in-human-families/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“Often we jump to the conclusion that a dog or cat who doesn’t like to be petted is cranky or unfriendly, but this isn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/often-we-jump-to-the-conclusion-that-a-dog-or-cat-who-doesn-t-like-to/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“Some of this diversity in animal feeling is surely related to enculturation (we in the United States tend to love dogs and be disgusted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/some-of-this-diversity-in-animal-feeling-is-surely-related-to/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“Massive round-ups of strays have been replaced by daily intake and elimination, the large crate full of dead dogs replaced by a steady trickle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/massive-round-ups-of-strays-have-been-replaced-by-daily-intake-and/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“I’m focusing here on dogs because this is where almost all of the research and exposés lead us. But of course puppies aren’t the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/i-m-focusing-here-on-dogs-because-this-is-where-almost-all-of-the/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“Animals are not genderless objects. “He” and “she” are vast improvements over “it.” “Who” is more fitting than “that” or “which.” (So, it isn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/animals-are-not-genderless-objects-he-and-she-are-vast-improvements/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) > [“Pets are not eaten (usually), but they feed our souls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pierce/pets-are-not-eaten-usually-but-they-feed-our-souls/) [Jessica Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) [Explore all 13 Jessica Pierce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pierce/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. 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He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. 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The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I recently asked a veterinarian friend how he thought about our relationship to companion animals. “They are slaves—chattel slaves,” he said breezily. I was astonished and irked by the nonchalance of his proclamation. But as I thought about it afterward, the reason his statement bothered me so much was that he had touched a nerve—had captured something I find uncomfortable about our relationship to pets. 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