Do you say "animal control" or "animal care and control"? "Housebroken" or "housetrained"? "Unwanted" or "homeless"?  The debate over whether to call pet owners "guardians" is only one in a long history of semantic squabbles in the animal protection movement.  But are they really just squabbles, or do our arguments over language accelerate progress toward a more humane world?

Fifty years ago, the main purpose of a "pound" was to impound strays, just as the main point of having a dogcatcher was to ensure that no rabid or vicious dogs were roaming free.  Now, as municipal and private shelters have vastly expanded the scope of their goals and programs, our language is expanding to keep up with us.

Gradually, we've managed to almost erase terms like "dogcatcher" from common usage; even 20 years ago, this human word flowed easily not only from the mouths of the public and the media, but also from our own lips.  Now the "dogcatchers" of yore have become "animal control officers."

Are your dogs housebroken or housetrained?

House-training focuses on the learning side of this accomplishment - a cooperative effort on the part of the human teacher and the learning animal.  Housebroken, on the other hand, implies first that the process is rough and cruel, and second that the animal has been broken in order to fit into the household - neither of which is true.

Do you care for unwanted or homeless animals?

Unwanted implies that the animals will never be wanted, and that no one wants the millions of animals who don't have homes, when in fact many adopters would love to make these animals part of their families.  Except in very specific situations (such as to say, "That spaniel was unwanted by that person"), homeless is a more truthful description.

Do you house your animals in cages or kennels?

This one is tricky; depending on what your housing facility actually looks like, it may be more accurate to call the units cages . But if you work hard to ensure the greatest comfort level possible for your animals, and you want to refocus your potential adopters' attention on the high-quality care you provide, it's worthwhile to consider changing to the kinder, gentler kennels.  Some shelters use other friendly terms like condos or rooms.

Do you practice early-age, juvenile, or paediatric spay/neuter?

You may not be practicing any of them, but if your organization seeks to sterilise its animals at a young age, it may be better to refer to this as paediatric or juvenile spay/neuter.  While the difference is subtle, early-age spay/neuter contains a slight implication that the shelter is performing surgeries early; that is, before it is healthy or otherwise appropriate.  The veterinary community largely supports sterilisation at a young age, and when you sterilize animals over eight weeks of age, it is not too "early" to do so.

Do you help feral or free-roaming cats?

Feral cats are animals who have either never been socialised, or who've escaped from domestication and become wild, whereas free-roaming cats are domestic, stray, or wild cats who live outside for any reason.  The groups can overlap, but if you're speaking specifically of undomesticated, unsocialised animals, it's correct to call them feral.  If you're speaking of outdoor cats as a whole, free-roaming is more accurate.

Do you have pets or companion animals?

This is another tricky term:  The idea behind the term is to encourage people to see their animals as friends and companions, and not as objects that are owned.  The term has not been completely successful; while some folks have started using it, many mistakenly believe that the term companion animals applies to therapy or guide dogs.

Do you care for unwanted or homeless animals?

You care for homeless animals. Unwanted implies that the animals will never be wanted, and that no one wants the millions of animals who don't have homes, when in fact many adopters would love to make these animals part of their families.  Except in very specific situations (such as to say, "That spaniel was unwanted by that person"), homeless is a more truthful description.

In the end, the debate over language and terminology is about self-determination, and how to best express the goals and ideals of the humane movement. "I think we get hung up on language and labels," says Smith, "but that's where a societal movement begins to impact an individual." If we speak justly, it is easier to act justly, to build just and humane communities, and to encourage others to do the same. Our community is based on shared compassion; it requires a language of compassion to communicate its intent.

Source:  Animalsheltering.org