Expressions of speciesism: the effects of keeping companion animals on animal abuse, animal trafficking and species decline

Abstract

Humans’ contact with other animals is chiefly organised around humans’ own consumption and ‘needs’. This article begins with an aspect of the human—non-human animal relationship that is connected to animals as social, not material beings -‘pet-keeping’. Over the past few years the pet industry has expanded enormously. I discuss how the keeping of companion animals can be understood, and the consequences for the animals involved; this practice leaves an increasing number vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, not the least dogs—the most common companion animal. The market for companion animals worldwide is fed by breeding, but also by the abduction of animals and birds from their habitats. Keeping companion animals contributes greatly to the endangerment of many species, parrots in particular. Therefore the focus of this paper especially concerns parrots and the consequences they and their species suffer from being abducted, trafficked and traded, whether the trade is criminalized or not. I will discuss implications of the CITES convention, whether it serves to legitimate rather than protect animals from trade, trafficking and suffering.