We touch our pets all the time without consent. We grab them, hold them down while we cut their nails, pick them up to pet them, reach into their beds and hideaways to tickle them, etc. Many animal-care books advise taming small pets by forcibly holding them, even if they are afraid. Veterinarians teach people how to force-feed medicine to their pets.
We do things to animals that would be inexcusable if done to a child, with the only justification being that they can't talk or be reasoned with.
And this does have a negative effect on many animals. My Guinea pig became afraid of being handled after I had to soak her infected toe for a week. My rat would wash his fur every time I touched him unexpectedly.
So, uh, the title. Do animals have the right to not be touched if they don't want it? Are there some situations where it's ok, and other situations where it isn't?
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/p4z22u/do_pets_have_the_right_to_bodily_autonomy/
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