Deborah Kemmerer DVM <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Good "animal communication" is no more than a deep understanding of
>behavior and body language and can be accomplished by anyone who has
>a serious interest and a moderately empathetic personality.  There's
>nothing paranormal about it.
 
I heartily agree.  I know what my ferrets think and feel and like or
dislike -- because I take the time to know my ferrets.  It's a matter of
thinking of them instead of yourself.  Humans are generally egocentric,
so it can be difficult to think in terms of what another wants or thinks
-- even another human -- after all, our frame of reference for feelings
is only ourselves.  There are most certainly people who can "communicate"
with animals better than other people can.  I don't think it's a gift,
but a personality trait.  It's called empathy.  The problem arises when
people take the "reading" to heart and allow the animal to make decisions
that it is clearly incapable of making.  Or when the anthropomorphizing
of the animal ignores its true needs based on its particular species.
(Please note: I have never had any interaction with Kim Fox -- I'm not
talking about her or anyone in particular.  I'm just babbling about what
I think on the topic.)
 
Here's my biggest concern: If people begin to think it's all right for
a ferret to decide whether to take medicine or have surgery, then won't
they be led eventually to think it is all right for the ferret to simply
refuse any veterinary care at all?  (Slippery slope, right?) If we allow
the ferret to refuse treatment, boy does that save money -- and we're
just doing it to follow the ferret's wishes -- what could be more
respectful to the animal?  Of course the ferret doesn't want to take
Flagyl (my husband said the pills even taste bad) or have surgery --
who does?  Even if you argue that the ferret is an adult (though we
always think of them as children -- and for good reason), we have an
ethical responsibility to care for them, just as we have an ethical
responsibility to care for adults humans who are, for whatever reason,
unable to care for themselves.  It is simply not ethical to allow a
ferret to make its own medical treatment decisions -- based on any kind
of communication with the ferret (regardless of whether it's "psychic"
or "empathetic").  This is not the same as helping a ferret to the Bridge
when he or she is terminal and no longer has quality of life.  I'm
talking about a ferret that's being "forced" to get ear drops for mites
or Pepto Bismol for diarrhea or surgery for adrenal disease.  (If you ask
our ferrets, Pepto Bismol is vile poison and constitutes cruel and
unusual punishment!)
 
I think I've gone on enough.  I just want to thank Dr. Kemmerer for
posting on this topic.
 
--Mary & the Fuzzies
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
Mary & The Modern Ferrets
Trixie, Koosh, & Gabby
Read my blog --
http://www.modernferretblog.com/mary
[Posted in FML issue 4081]