Humanos e não-humanos : o aprendizado de novas sensibilidades e responsabilidades em nossas relações de estimação

Abstract

Education and culture are processes that are inherent to and influence one another, and changes in our society require a continuous renewal of knowledge and (re) adaptation to a world in constant transformation. In urban western society, profound changes in our relations with non-human animals have occurred, especially with our pets. Pets have occupied an increasing space in the homes and lives of their fellow humans. As of the twentieth century, the intense relationship and the growing affection with certain species, such as dogs and cats, have blurred the boundaries of humanity and animality, as they were given status of family members, giving rise to issues related to the formation of a new culture and morality towards these nonhuman animals. These relationships entail new sensibilities and responsibilities, directed before only (or mainly) at beings of our own species. Thus, the project aims to explore the relationships between humans and their pets; in this case, dogs and cats in multi-species families, taking in account the implied educational dimension where these human and non humans relations are objects of various pedagogical devices that operate in the formation of a sensitivity, an ethics and a morality directed specifically to regulate these relationships. We believe that studies that aim to understand the implications of human-animal relationship are critical for educators to understand these attitudes shifts in our contemporary society, posing special relevance in the educational field also by its influence in the formation (and maintenance) of the pedagogical relationship between teacher and student (who may be part of a multispecies family). The research will rely on a qualitative approach using participant observation techniques and semi-structured interviews, in addition to the literature. In order to observe the relationship of multi-species families, we chose a veterinary hospital where between pet owners and their animals that are hospitalized interact. The observations were the first contact with families who were subsequently selected for interviews. In addition, the context of the veterinary hospital, with animals for the most part ill and undergoing medical treatment, also shows the sensitivity of humans towards their companions, since these are generally in a state of poor health or stressed, and in some cases, ultimately die (with intervention of euthanasia or not).