Can You Really Trust Someone Who Hates Animals?

A dear friend of mine was going to come to my house a couple of years ago.  We were so excited. The conversation went like this.

Me : “Oh my god, let’s watch a fun comedy, get some finger food; bring your CDs, I don’t have any good ones..”

Friend: “Should I invite Sarah over as well? We could have a pyjama party…”

Me : “For sure! Wow, I haven’t had a sleepover since I was twelve. How fun is this?”

Friend: “OK, that’s it, let’s make it on Saturday.  7 pm?”

Me : “Yay! See you then…”

Friend : “Oh, by the way, make sure your dogs stay outside.  You know how much I hate animals.”

Deafening silence.

A few moments later,

Me: “Hold up, hold up, hold up. ” (OK so I never said ‘Hold up’…I don’t talk like that, but cool people in movies always talk that way, so let’s just pretend I said that).

Me : “What do you mean you hate animals?”

Friend: “I just hate animals. Especially dogs. They’re dirty, they slobber and they just demand too much attention and love.”

Suffice to say that the event was cancelled.  I politely called Friend a few days later and said something had come up.

My point is, I find it very hard to trust someone who hates animals.  It’s like saying you hate all babies.  Or you hate all old people.  You’re saying you hate something which is unable to survive without you. You hate something that is innocent and whose only crime is to love you unconditionally.  You hate something that obeys your commands (most of the time).

If you hate something that’s so good to you, how will you tolerate my many imperfections? How will you handle it when my house is dirty? Or when I need your love and attention?

And how can you assume that the dogs must be ousted out of the house because we have the pleasure of your company? The dogs are my family, day in and day out.  You’re a one-time visitor.  What sort of friend would I be to you, if I could turn my back on my dogs in the blink of an eye?

I understand a fear of animals if people have had unpleasant experiences, such as being bitten by a dog as a child.  But hating a fellow creature just for the sake of hating it? I think it says a lot about someone’s character.

Am I being too harsh? Are you able to welcome people into your home if you know they hate animals? 

http://humanrescuesdog.com/someone-who-hates-animals/