I Don't Care What They Say on the Left Coast - My Dog is My Property You may have read the story: An "Animal Regulation Department" in Los Angeles now refers to pet owners as "guardians." (http://www.valleypetnews.com/lapn_guardians.htm) Apparently, this was started by the organization "In Defense of Animals," whose pamphlet "From Bondage to Freedom" contains the following passage: "Like all liberation movements, the Animal Protection Movement seeks justice and compassion for individuals who are abused, oppressed, exploited and killed.  Because the root of virtually all animal abuse and exploitation can be directly linked to the universal status of animals as property, it is essential that we elevate the status of animals beyond that of just personal property.  By disavowing the concept and accompanying language of animal ownership, we can reconstruct the social and legal relationship between humans and animals.  As our societal perceptions of animals change, the legislatures and courts will recognize our obligation to protect animals, not as someone’s personal property, but as conscious beings with feelings and interests of their own.”  So, animals are now "individuals" with the same rights as humans? When did this happen? I guess that when I was in elementary school, they forgot to teach us about the Declaration of Animal Independence penned by Thomas Jefferdog. Don't get me wrong. I love animals. My dog eats better than I do. However, it only takes a little common sense to realize that animals do not have the same rights as our children. Animals are property. I bought my dog, and I could sell her. Try to do that with a child, and it will be a long time before you will see the outside of a prison. That's the way it should be. Animals do not have the capability for reason that makes man the high lifeform that he is (well, most men, anyway). Animals will never get to the point where they can even do basic algerbra. They die from easily curable diseases in the wild because they don't know how to build hospitals. My fear is that this "guardianship" issue is just one more example of a frightening movement to eliminate the rights of man for the "rights" of Nature.