There is a reason why wild animals should not be reared in the domestic home environment. Their dharma is different. We cannot expect them to completely conform to our expectations. The only place that they should be reared is in the zoo besides the wilderness and animal care centres.

Similarly domestic animals and farm animals have their own dharma and should be treated as such. In the past dogs used to be kept in kennels outside the house or if it is a farm environment, they are expected to be kept in kennels located appropriately. Similarly, pigs are to be kept in a pigsty, horses in stables and cows in the shed and so on and so forth.

Some of these animals (especially some animals like pigs and certain type of birds like the ducks/crows), are extraordinarily intelligent. That is exactly the reason why when the humans get too close to them on a continued daily basis, they will start expecting equity and equality!

Unlike humans, who, with their inquisitive advanced intelligence, have come to doubt even simple but profound proverbs like – “Where there is will, there is way”, these animals/birds are instinctively tuned to such beliefs. In some homes, the bonds between these animals are so strong (it goes to the extent that the human considers these ‘cute/adorable’ animals as their sons/daughters) that these animals/birds would want to take birth in the human’s family and be even more closer!

We all know from the ancient knowledge that in the cycle of birth-life-death, there is a certain ascendence path and certain descendance path among the species.

Please refer to my other blog - https://www.mayoan.com/post/66-my-perspective-on-the-reincarnation-process .

Close associations like mentioned above, between the humans and animals/birds leads to shorting of such paths. If the humans know this, they may not like to call these animals as sons/daughters and be in a closer than normal relationship and similarly if the animals/birds sense that the humans do not want them to be born inside their families, their nature may change subtly and abruptly! Either way it is lose-lose to both animals/birds and their human hosts.

Hence some DOs are:

• Keep the animals in the respective shelters and do not give free access to all the rooms of the house. (especially kids rooms/host’s bedrooms etc., should be inaccessible to the animals/birds)

• Do not make them crave for more attention by keeping the loving/affectionate gestures between human family members in their plain sight – may be not more than necessary. Sometimes these animals/birds are possessive.

• Do not indulge in intimate acts with your human partners right before their eyes. Similarly avoid watching the animals in mating session. Do not touch their privates during the act of bathing them.

• Animals that are reared for special needs like guide-dogs etc., can also be carefully controlled and deployed in the home environments keeping in mind all the above points. If there is only one human dependent in the house, then the rules for keeping the guide-dogs (or other similar animals) can be a bit more liberal.

• If you need them for mental comfort, consider leaving them in a nearby animal care and then take time to visit them regularly besides supporting them with finance. You may want to take them for a walk too on an occasional or regular basis.

And some DONTs are:

• Do not keep them deprived of their mating needs

• Do not allow them to lick your faces/hands etc., Even if they lick, wash the hands at a later point of time or wear gloves. (Please see the reference below on the dog saliva). Not just the sthula form but the sukshma form of these fluids may not be acceptable too.

• Do not share the same food plates and even dish washers!

• Do not share your beds/blankets/warm-clothes with them

• Do not allow them inside the washrooms and toilets when you are using them. Do not appear in a naked/semi-naked manner before the pets.

• If possible do not eat before them. Do not share food time. They may resent if the contents are different or your food is more "yummy". Avoid doing things like eating "fish fry" before a live fish tank !! (Considering a different context altogether, even butchers should keep the culling place far away from their live stock)

By the way, the fourth place, besides the animal care centres, zoos and wilderness where both some wild animals (if law permits and because there is no wilderness matching the animals natural dwelling in the home country) and domestic animals/birds can be kept and reared are the matts, ashrams, abbeys, monasteries, priories, friaries and hermitages with appropriate trained personal to take care of them.

Please always keep a respectful distance from your pets!

References:

https://biologyinsights.com/is-dog-saliva-cleaner-than-human-saliva/

Hari Om!

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