Changing & adapting our language about animals

I have written & talked about not using "it" when referring to animals, as this equates them to property. I am also thinking about what might change if we refrained from using the word "owner" and instead chose a word that more accurately describes our actual relationship, like friend, parent, guardian, caretaker, sibling, baby, companion?  There are so many options, any one that resonates will work.

I quietly took the photo above while travelling -I did not want to disturb the sweet moment between this woman and her dog companion. I love how it shows their connection. It is not a moment we would have with our "property." I don't believe anyone reading this actually thinks of their animal companion as "property." It is mainly an issue of the language being outdated, and the way to update this is to start changing it right now. It's ok if we forget sometimes, but if we make a conscious effort to use new vocabulary it will begin to usher in changes.

If we start talking and writing about them as beings instead of things, others will follow and eventually even the legal system will adapt to consider animals as sentient beings. It may not be immediate, but we can begin here. I have noticed that often friends & acquaintances will use similar word choices, it is a natural human tendency, allowing us to connect more closely. Paying attention to how we speak about our animals is a small easy first step to encourage others to feel safe doing the same.

If someone seems resistant/bothered I always believe that kindness & sweetness are the way to go. This is not about changing someone's mind, simply updating our own language to reflect our own truth. Sometimes saying they are my "furbabies" is less intimidating/confusing to someone than saying they are my kids or my children. I am so proud & grateful to be an interspecies parent and I know most of you feel the same. It's ok to scratch out "owner" when you have to fill out documents and replace it with your own word.