We don't allow animals to wander or live in public areas - is it good or bad?

Question

by confining them to restricted areas or shelters and only allowing them to be kept as pets, aren't we over-protecting them and not allowing them to experience the whole world around them? If we have so much open space to explore, shouldn't those poor animals be given that much space as well?

Answer 1

The domesticated animals that we keep as pets have been removed from their natural environments.  They have been selectively bred and in some cases have lost a lot of their more adaptive traits for living in the wild.  Think about how well a yorkie would do, or a Chinese crested.  They're simply not set up to roam free and explore.

Our world is not a safe place for pets, there are cars and predators and dangerous chemicals.  There are so many ways that they can be injured and no way to teach them to avoid what is dangerous.  I always feel like attaching a note to my neighbour's cat's collar that says: "Your cat is not as car smart as you think, she ran in front of my car again"

My pets have a wonderful world that they get to explore.  They get to play with new and exciting toys, run around the apartment and snuggle with their humans.  They have companions and plenty of loving attention.  They are safe from predators, many diseases, poisons and sadistic humans.

I'm reasonably certain that by bird, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits would be very scared if given the option to roam free.  My asthmatic cat began to wheeze on the two occasions I tried him outside on a lead.  Another of my cats is absolutely terrified of the outdoors, he won't even go on the balcony.  He was so traumatized during his time as a stray that he has some compulsive anxiety issues.

Essentially, we have to take our role as a caretaker very seriously.  To me, this means protecting my pets from harm.  It also means that I need to provide them with enough fun, excitement, and stimulation to keep them happy.  

Answer 2

Humans are at the top of the food chain. They want to control all things around them including the animals. I guess it depends on what kinds of animals you are talking about. Are you talking about dogs and cats? Wild animals will wonder into urban areas but they are wild and are afraid of humans because being around them isn't their normal habitat. I wouldn't so we are over-protecting them, we are protecting ourselves from them and what they may do if we are around them. ie, bite or attack, care diseases, etc.  

Answer 3

Sure let em run free and wild.

  They can get munched by cars and splattered by trucks. They can eat rodents full of poison, chew grass treated with pesticides and chase each other down and kill them. Nasty kids can shoot BB's at them and persons into devil worshipping would have a field day!

  In an ideal world yes, that would be nice. The sad fact is that the great wide world is full of nasty, deadly things. We can shield our pets from this and let them enjoy the great world by walking them on leashes and taking them to dog parks and modifying our yards to keep our kitties safe.  This is how we show love and compassion.

On a side note, how long do you think it would take for kitties to outnumber people in some areas if we didnt spay or neuter them and just let them run free?!