Have you spun your pet in a circle to the tune of Taylor Swift’s “August”? Sadly, the seemingly harmless video development could also be hurting fur infants all over the place.
Notable furry buddies like Doug the Pug, Smudge Lord, and Venus the Two Face Cat are proof that cute pets are probably helpful within the quest for social media fame. Achieving the notoriety of Doug the Pug is not straightforward, nevertheless. Still, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok customers across the globe gleefully function their pets frequently for a handful of views and likes.
And whereas most social media traits involving pets are innocent (we love the Level Up TikTok problem), others put animals in uncomfortable, complicated, and probably disturbing conditions.
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A summer time 2023 TikTok problem entails a monitor by 12-time Grammy-winning artist Taylor Swift, the closest four-legged buddy, and a few spinning.
Admittedly, a number of the trending pet mother or father POV TikToks are cute, some are humorous, and a few are aesthetically pleasing (assume cottagecore cat picnics). However, some animal rights activists have argued that mentioned “August” development does extra hurt than good.
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A questionable Tiktok development entails spinning pets round to Taylor Swift’s music “August.”
In quick, persons are lifting their pets and spinning them in circles as Taylor Swift’s Folklore music “August” performs. Considering Miss Swift is a proud cat mother (shoutout to Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button), a number of of the movies function felines, however dogs, turtles, and pigs have been spun round to the tune as effectively.
Many of us pet mother and father have absolutely made our fur infants barely uncomfortable for a second or two for the sake of an image. If you have ever put a Christmas sweater or a pair of groovy shades in your unsuspecting canine, what we’re speaking about (and sure, we’re certain Bark Twain bought loads of treats to make up for the festive horrors).
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But relating to the “August” development — which sees creators spontaneously raise their pets from beneath their arms, maintain them outward, and twirl — the discomfort could also be anxiety-inducing.
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Some animal rights activists consider the “August” development is merciless and unethical.
“At no level ought to an animal intentionally be put able to really feel worry, anxiousness, frustration or expertise ache for the good thing about human leisure,” he mentioned. “Cats particularly will expertise excessive stress by being swung or spun round and it might even trigger them bodily hurt. … In the movies highlighted, the cats are exhibiting clear indicators of misery.”
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He continued, recognizing that TikTok customers are unaware that their pets are afraid.
“It’s clear from the language that the house owners don’t perceive that animals don’t really feel and behave the identical manner people do and this undercuts the misery that the cats are experiencing.”
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“It isn’t okay to abuse an animal for the sake of some likes and follows on social media. If you need to present your pet on social media, it is best to solely movie them partaking in pure behaviors,” the spokesperson defined.
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We do not need to communicate for loopy cat woman Taylor Swift — who has donated to cat rescues like Beth’s Furry Friends (owned by Beth and Howard Stern) — however she’d probably desire the “August” development to showcase movies of individuals gently petting their kitties and hand-feeding them Temptations. For her, it might be sufficient.
