‘Pet’ Is a Derogatory Word According to PETA Founder

You can now add another word to the list of words you are no longer allowed to say. Have you referred to your dog, cat, bird, or hamster as your “pet” before? Sorry to say, this is a derogatory word and is now offensive to Fido and Boots.

Ingrid Newkirk, the founder of PETA, recently told a British news outlet that “pet” is a derogatory term. She told Metro, “Animals are not pets – they are not your cheap burglar alarm, or something which allows you to go out for a walk.“

She went on to compare the word ”pet” to calling a woman “honey” or “sweetie,” saying those words make a woman feel less than. Newkirk stated, “[Animals] are not ours as decorations or toys, they are living beings.”

Newkirk suggested that people should call them companions rather than pets. She told the news outlet that our overall language needs to be changed when talking about animals.

Source: Fox 8