Your Pets Have Feelings Too

Your Pets Have Feelings Too

Samantha Flores

17 May 2021

Seeing the sadness on your pet’s face as you leave home turn into a bright and jolly expression once you come back is one of the best feelings. But have you ever wondered how they know what to feel and how they have emotions? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, emotion is defined as “a conscious mental reaction (such as anger or fear) subjectively experienced as a strong feeling usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes in the body.” [1] Does this mean that animals, including our pets, experience empathy towards others? Let’s find out!

Empathy is a common trait that people strive to possess. However, humans are not the only living things that have empathy; animals do too. According to renowned environmental writer Carl Safina, there are several types of animals that have expressed empathy towards others [2]. He gives an example of this shown by a herd of elephants to an elderly woman who was lost. She was found with a herd of elephants surrounding her to keep her away from the vicious hyenas. They kept her safe because of the empathy they had towards the woman’s condition and state at the time. This is just one instance that proves animals have empathy, which shows that they too, have emotions.

In an article written by Jessika Toothman, she states that the reason there are arguments on whether animals have a variety of emotions is due to the possibility of anthropomorphism and the difficulties that face researchers when studying the emotions of animals. Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits or emotions. She goes on by stating that the development of the range of emotions is because of the different conditions animals are in. This would mean that if an animal were in a suffocating state, their emotion would change. Those who are in support that animals have emotions say that if you were to compare the parts of the human brain that contains emotions to that of an animal brain, there would be similarities. They say that this is because the animal and human brains have many similarities with one another.

Countless studies have been made to determine whether or not animals can experience emotions. However, studying these animals has its difficulties and hardships. In an article from Phys.org, they present research conducted by Liverpool John Moores University, being led by Dr. Filippo Aureli. He explains that there is an increase of self-directed behaviors in animals when they are uneasy and worried about the environment or situation that they are in. This behavior is very similar to what humans do when they are feeling anxious. Some of the most common habits seen in people who are anxious are nail-biting, skin picking, pulling your hair, avoiding eye contact, lack of eating and these are just a few. However, in animals, they are much more subtle, such as uncertainty, social tension, and if they feel in danger. Dr. Aureli further states that by studying the emotions of animals, this research becomes a tool to better understand the emotions of human beings. These studies of animals not only help them but also the ever-changing human society.

Through the research conducted, it is not only reasonable, but it is also proven that our pets, such as dogs and cats, and the whole animal species, are capable of having emotions. So the next time you come home to see your pet's face, that joy that they feel is genuine.

References:

[1] Merriam Webster. Emotion. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emotion

[2] Perry, P., Poliza, P., Henry, P., & Kristof, P. (2019, November 08). Yes, animals think and feel. Here's how we know. Retrieved February 09, 2021, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/07/150714-animal-dog-thinking-feelings-brain-science/

[3] Toothman, J. (2010, March 22). Do animals have emotions? Retrieved February 09, 2021, from https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/animals-have-emotions.htm

[4] Staff, S. (2005, September 06). Animals and human experience the same emotions. Retrieved February 09, 2021, from https://phys.org/news/2005-09-animals-human-emotions.html