The Depth of Animal Emotions

On January 14, we adopted a new dog. He was found tied to a tree a week earlier and brought to the veterinary clinic where my husband works. There he waited for his family to retrieve him. No one came, which meant, at week’s end, he needed a new home. About a year old, dirty, thin and matted, Henry Hershel (as we’re calling him) joined our crew of two dogs and a cat. He wasted no time in endearing himself to us and seemed very happy to join our family. Because I work at home, I’m with the animals most of the time. Henry Hershel is now always by my side, curled in a ball by my feet at my desk when I work, hovering by me when I make dinner and under the table when we eat.

After my husband neutered him and Henry Herschel had to rest after surgery, I left him in the office with the Institute for Humane Education’s office manager, Amy Morley, when I took the other dogs for a hike. Since we share the same building, it didn’t seem like it would be stressful for him to be with Amy, whom he clearly liked from the moment he met her. But while he may have liked Amy, Henry Hershel had bonded so strongly with us that he cried when I was gone, seemingly inconsolable for the few hours I was away.

A week after we adopted him, we went out for a couple of hours, leaving all the dogs at home, and my husband set up his computer to videotape our living room in our absence. Given Henry Hershel’s sadness when we left him with Amy, we wondered how he’d do when left in the house with the other dogs. Stealth videotaping seemed like a good way to find out. When we returned there was nothing amiss. The dogs all greeted us happily, and there were no chewed pillows or furniture, and no accidents on the floor. Nothing would indicate that Henry Hershel had been at all upset by our absence. But then we watched the video. Henry Hershel cried plaintively when we were gone, settling down for a while only to howl after 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes, and so on. Here’s a one minute clip of him with our dog Elsie in the background

It’s amazing to me that there are people who believe that animals don’t feel. Henry Hershel shows every sign of feeling as deeply, if not more deeply, than humans. Whether what he was feeling during our absence was sorrow, fear, loneliness, yearning, anxiety, longing, worry, loss, or some combination of these or other emotions, I cannot be sure, but he is certainly feeling something. His utter delight upon our return offers a glimpse into his other, more positive feelings. Like us, his spectrum of emotions is wide.

So I ask myself: What are our obligations and responsibilities to other animals, whether dogs, or other mammals like pigs, rabbits or rats, or birds like parrots or chickens, who are able to suffer, delight, bond, love, fear and experience a range of other emotions in varying degrees? And I always come back to this: To the best of our abilities, I believe that we ought to cause the least amount of suffering we possibly can to all sentient beings, human and nonhuman. If we don’t have to kill or cause harm, I believe we ought not to. If we can bring happiness, I believe we ought to do so to the best of our ability. This, to me, is an inevitable extension of the golden rule to do unto others as we would have them do unto us, and an essential element of the MOGO principle to do the most good and the least harm to others.

I hope that Henry Hershel will soon come to realize that we will always come home after a few hours; that he needn’t worry or mourn. We won’t be tying him up to any trees. We won’t abandon him. We’ll love him with all our hearts for the rest of his life.

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Zoe Weil is the president of the Institute for Humane Education, which offers the only graduate programs in comprehensive humane education, as well as online courses, workshops, and dynamic resources. She is the author of Nautilus silver medal winner Most Good, Least Harm: A Simple Principle for a Better World and Meaningful Life; Above All, Be Kind; The Power and Promise of Humane Education, and Moonbeam gold medal winner Claude and Medea, about middle school students who become activists. She has given a TEDx talk on humane education and blogs. Join her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @ZoeWeil.

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Image copyight Zoe Weil.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Manuela B.

11:24AM PST on Feb 16, 2012

of course they have feelings.... only an idiot would think they don't.

send a green star

Tammy B.

5:22PM PST on Feb 15, 2012

For years my brother had this cat that would bite you for touching him and escape outside every chance he got. Despite all this I fell in-love with his cat and on many occasions I asked my brother if I could take him. Finally one day my brother agreed when his wife, who hates animals, told him to get rid of the cat. For the first week it took some time for him to adjust and soon his aggressive behavior began to diminish. He would let you hold him and actually pet him longer then a minute. However, the crowning achievement was when he ran outside one day while we were bringing in groceries. I started to yell at my husband to grab him when suddenly the cat stopped halfway down the stairs. Hesitated for a little more then 2 seconds, turned, and darted back into the house. Since then he has never tried to escape again, he moves to which ever room we are occupying, even if that rooms the bathroom, and ever day that I come home from work he is at the top of the stairs waiting for me. I really love that cat!

Debbie C.

6:07AM PST on Feb 15, 2012

We adopted a cat about a year ago who came from a man who worked a lot of hours and was hardly ever home. 4 months after we got him, we went on vacation for 9 days. He wouldn't let us out of his sight when we got home.
Then 3 days after we got home, we had a death in the family and had to go to Chicago for 8 days. By the time we got home, he wanted to be held at all times.
I think he felt like we were going to be gone all the time like his previous owner was.
We have 4 other cats to entertain him, but when we do go out, he has to be the first to greet us and be held when we get back. I guess he feels abandoned - he doesn't know that we would never do that to him.
I am so glad Henry Hershel has found a loving, forever home thanks to Zoe and her husband.

Sarah M.

8:18AM PST on Feb 13, 2012

Thank you. I don't understand how anyone can think that animals don't feel the same spectrum of emotions as humans. Despite all the "advances" of the human race, an astounding amount of people have become incredibly cold and apathetic. It is frankly rather frightening to see the cruelty that far too many humans treat other animals with in this day and age (humans, pets, farm animals, and all creatures alike). This is a significant reason for which I find animals much easier to love and forge a deep connection with than humans. I am so glad that I am one of the empathetic and loving humans still in existence.

Jackie A.

2:02AM PST on Feb 13, 2012

Lovely story, thanks for sharing :-)

Margie B.

9:56PM PST on Feb 8, 2012

Wonderful story - I would think little Henry will soon figure out that you will be returning home. He's a smart guy...

SeattleAnn S.

5:55PM PST on Feb 7, 2012

Most likely, different animals have the same feelings and emotions even if they don't express them just like different people.

Robby C.

7:40PM PST on Feb 6, 2012

Excellent story. I wish more humans would realize that non-human animals have emotions & are just as important to this earth as we are. Thanks for saving Henry!

Debbie L.

2:46PM PST on Feb 6, 2012

Good story. I don't know why people say animals have no emotions. Even if you can't scientifically prove it, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. That's how science works. You have to believe to be able to find something.

Jelca B.

4:33PM PST on Feb 5, 2012

great, a good job. Just be patient and you'll find him learning to trust in your return. The negative memmory will survive a long time as with humans the impact is much higher when they get hurt than when they are happy.