Christina Galbraith - virtue with animals

 When thinking about virtue and the ways in which we practice it, I consider how humans extend virtue (or don't) to animals. I feel that humans can become so caught up in productivity and tools that we forget that extrahumans still have inherent value and worth beyond their usefulness to humans.To practice our own virtue I think we need to consider the virtue of other creatures. Ways in which we can do this is by respecting the space of wild animals and not barging in on their territory. A way in which we humans feel a further divide from the natural world is no longer understanding how it communicates. We use our level of intelligence as a measure to evaluate other animals without realize that while they may not be able to build a rocket, many species organize themselves into complex social networks and are astute hunters. Something that always grinds my gears is to see pet owners who absolutely do not understand how their pets communicate. For example, many dogs bark at people passing by their house and are scolded for making noise when they are merely protecting their territory and pack. Many dog owners see this behavior as bothersome and yell at their dogs or even muzzle them. By not allowing a dog to do what comes naturally humans are not recognizing the virtue of these animals and what nature has evolved them to be.