1

My Perception of Animals
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course
Instructor
Due Date
2

My Perception of Animals
Humans and animals interact on various levels depending on their proximity and
environment. These interactions have led to divergent perceptions of animals. Some view them
as beneficial, while others view them as lesser species that deserve little attention. The latter
category subscribes to the notion of human superiority over the animals, and their needs come
last in any event of a conflict. Those who value animals go to some extent of protecting them,
including extreme protesting against hunting or targeting animals for food. This is the premise on
which most vegetarians base their abstinence on meat, except for those that avoid meat for
medical reasons. There is no consensus amongst the human population on how to perceive the
animals. Different people have different perceptions, but most of them agree that animals are less
important than humans. This sounds very selfish, and that is where my " protest" and divergent
perception come into play. I believe that animals are as important as humans but not as equal.
I treat animals with the same respect I give to fellow humans. This should not be
misunderstood as considering animals as equal to humans. It would be ridiculous to have such a
perception since we are in numerous ways different from animals and operate on a different
wavelength. I perceive animals to be as important as humans in various aspects. I have drawn
numerous lessons from animals, as have from human beings. In this sense, I perceive animals to
have the same worth as humans. For example, I have learned about trust from an animal. A cat,
Benjamin, taught me about trust even though I struggled to learn it from humans for the previous
30 years. I had developed a sense of suspicion about everything, and I could not fully believe
everyone was what they purported to be until my paths crossed with Benjamin. My experience
with the cat initiated a sense of trust in me, which developed into believing and trusting other
people. Benjamin was critical in my journey in developing trust.
Further, this perception does not change with convenience as most people. People value
animals depending on proximity, convenience, and a role the animals can fulfill. All animals are
as important as humans regardless of their roles or convenience. Most people would love and
take care of a pet dog because it is serving their convenience. At the same time, they would be
less willing to adopt a stray dog that can have the same value as their pet dog. In this instance,
their appreciation of a dog as an animal is limited to convenience and never universal. In my
case, I would treat any cat as I would treat Benjamin since I value all animals similarly
regardless of their immediate importance to me. This perception has led to a different view of
animals and their general relationship with humans. People believe that they have a specific
purpose in life in the same way animals have a purpose and are meant to coexist with humans
mutually.
Most human’s indifferent treatment of animals is a defining characteristic of the human
race. People value animals depending on convenience and the value they obtain from the
animals, such as hunting in the case of dogs. While this is a widespread perception, I value
animals the same way I value humans. Animals are as critical to human survival as other
humans. Thus, I treat animals similarly regardless of the value I derive from them. This is a
slight deviation from the norms of most people, making my perception unique.