Taming an animal is often seen as a gesture of affection. But this millennia-old practice deprives animals of their wild life and weakens biodiversity. Cats, dogs, reptiles, or big cats: behind domestication lies a form of silent abuse, with major impacts on nature and the environment.
For thousands of years, humans have attempted to control nature. Among their preferred targets are animals: cats, dogs, rodents, reptiles, and even large felines and elephants in circuses. Domestication, often perceived as an act of affection or companionship, is in reality a form of structural abuse that deprives animals of their wild life, their environment, and their true nature.
Domestication is not a trivial practice. As researchers at the
National Museum of Natural History point out, it involves controlling the animals’ reproductive cycles and making them dependent on humans—a process that, for species such as dogs or cats, has lasted for millennia. While the history of domestication may have originated in mutual cooperation—exchanging protection and resources between humans and animals—modern domestication, particularly in the West, often amounts to exploitation of living beings, frequently to the detriment of both the animal and the ecosystem.
Even domesticated animals we consider harmless retain strong natural instincts. Cats, for instance, are innate hunters. A study conducted in France between 2015 and 2022 showed that domestic cats kill large numbers of small mammals and birds, increasing pressure on already vulnerable populations. On some islands, such as
Kerguelen or in
New Zealand, the introduction of cats by humans has been devastating for endemic wildlife. Dogs also retain their predatory instincts. Even when leashed, they can disturb wildlife, cause stress, or even kill animals, indirectly contributing to the decline of local species. These examples demonstrate that domestication does not eliminate an animal’s innate nature; it constrains it.
The phenomenon extends beyond predators. Owning domestic animals represents a major environmental impact. Food, accessories, care, transportation, and the production of goods for these animals consume vast resources and generate considerable greenhouse gas emissions. Owning a medium-sized dog is equivalent, in terms of environmental impact, to driving an SUV. Multiply this by the millions of pets worldwide—63 million in France alone—and the effect on ecosystems becomes colossal. In seeking to satisfy an emotional desire, humans inadvertently contribute to the destruction of biodiversity. [
1]
It is crucial to distinguish taming from domestication. Wild animals that are tamed, whether born in captivity or not, remain wild. Elephants, big cats, or circus bears have never been domesticated [
2]. Forcing them to live by human rules, perform tricks, or entertain, constitutes a clear form of abuse. Their hunting instincts, need for freedom, and innate behaviors remain intact, and imposing an artificial life on them causes stress, aggression, and behavioral disorders.
Even in truly domesticated animals, domestication often entails genetic and behavioral impoverishment compared to their wild ancestors. Dogs all descend from gray wolves, and today’s cats come from the African wildcat, but selective breeding has reduced their genetic diversity, and thus their autonomy and natural abilities [
3]. By depriving an animal of its wild life, we reduce it to an object of emotional or utilitarian consumption.
All domestic cats today, around the world, descend from the African wildcat (Felis lybica), whose domesticated lineages in the Levant and North Africa interbred over millennia. © EcoView – stock.adobe.com
This human history, stretching over thousands of years, has gradually led to a stage where domestication has become a cultural norm, almost invisible. But its consequences are heavy: animal suffering, destruction of biodiversity, ecological imbalances, and massive environmental impacts. As highlighted by studies on
cats and
dogs in various regions, protecting domestic animals and protecting nature can conflict [
4]. The problem is that modern domestication, by ignoring these balances, constitutes a silent form of violence.
The solution? Leave animals in peace. Stop confusing affection with possession. Promote respectful coexistence with wild species, preserve their natural habitats, and accept that some animals are not meant to live with us. The best way to protect biodiversity is to respect wild nature—not to domesticate it.
In short, domestication is not just a historical or cultural practice: it is a form of structural abuse that, under the guise of companionship, deprives animals of their own existence and endangers global biodiversity. For both animals and ecosystems, it is high time to recognize that their freedom is worth more than our desire for control.
| 
| 
| 
| 
Comment
Reply