P.E.T.A.
People for The Eating of Tasty Animals
<img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
http://www.mtd.com/tasty/

You are certainly right.

I don't think I said anything like that (putting the group at risk) ; if so, please excuse my poor english.
The only hypothetical situation I mentionned where I would (maybe.... not been there ... and hope I will never be ...) hesitate, was a situation involving ONLY me and my cat.

As for being thrown away, without my PSK/supplies, I guess in such a situation, people will easily kill others to obtain what they didn't think necessary before. And I also guess I would ask myself less questions about those people than about my cat. That could even result in more meat for the group <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Anyway, I won't pursue this thread because, my english being not good enough, I don't know how to understand the begining of your post :
<img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
I just said I loved MY cat, not necessarily yours or anybody else's... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />


P.S. : I'm NOT a vegetarian, either.... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

In a Worst Case Scenario of this Sort, (Perhaps it can Indeed be Called a "Shackleton Scenario") It Comes Down to a Choice between a Valued, Beloved Relationship, and Dying over It, and Allowing yourself to Live, but at the Sacrifice of your Loved One of that Relationship!

Many People are Noble Enuff to Choose the First / Former, over the Second One / Latter.

Many are Not like Bountyhunter's Russian Groom! Some X number of People though are! (See his Post earlier in this Thread)

Just as Many a One may Not Leave their Human Loved One in such Situations!, Even at the Endangerment and Expense of their Own Lives!, -Some may Honestly Feel Such toward their Pet! / Another Animal !

I would Urge People to Put their Own Human Life First!, in such Situations, Ahead of the Animal's Life and Well Being. To the Extent that the Animal Cannot be Helped in any Way, within the Situation. Much as I too may Love my Animal! Even my Beloved Dog of my Teenage Days, -"King"! King for One would Want me to!

So if One Really and Sufficiently Feels such "Family and Such Love"!, Toward their Animal, to Sacrifice even Themself!, Then I Do Understand their Decision.

While still Preferring that Person to Put Themself / Other Humans, Ahead of that Animal in such Situations. Where All Possible and Where Need Be.

While in Many Respects Animals are Not Less than People, in Other Ways, We Are just Something Greater and More!

Do we Really Love and Value an Animal Life Form that is Somewhere Between Protozoa and Insect, -as Much as or More than our Cats or Dogs?! Of course we Simply and Typically Do Not!

Much as we Love and Value our Animals!, We Shud still Place the Greater Emphasis, Accent, and Focus, -on Saving our Own, and Other Fellow Human, Lives! In Any such Tuff and No Other Choice!, and Worst Comes to Worst!, of Situations. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]frenchy[/email]

I don't think the food supply was an issue, the issue was how much of their food they could carry with them. The ship was probably well-provisioned, they just had to abandon it and take what they could carry.

My understanding was that Shackelton felt that taking the cat along (and making sure it had enough to eat, etc.) would have endangered the survival of his men. Of course, my knowledge of this is based on the Kenneth Branagh mini-series, which is not exactly an authoritative reference.

A Cat Itself kills Other Animals for it's Food! And we're Talking about the Killing of an Animal for Food, or Not!?

Shackleton's Decision involved and concerned His Group's Food Supply,

-Even if the Deceased Cat Itself was (Respectfully and Belovedly) Not used to Augment their Food Supply in itself.

The Cat would Have Otherwise Continued to Eat some of the Group's Valuable and Limited Food Supply.

In this Sense, It's Passing Saved or at least Stretched!, the Group's Food Supply!

It was so a "Food Bearing On" Decision of Shackleton's, even if the Cat Itself was Respectfully Not eaten.

Not Eating It, -Does Not automatically Equate into Senseless, Cold Blooded killing!

I personally Think they shud Have Augmented their Food Supply even More, by using their Deceased Cat as an Additional Food Source.

It was probably a Concencus Decision, in which to Not eat It, Came Out as a Majority Decision. I wouldn't be Surprised if Shackleton Himself Put That Question to a Vote.

However Done, They Made a Wisely Neccessary Decision toward Stretching Valuable Food Supplies, but a Not Wise One, -to Not Also Make Good Food Use of the Unfortunately / Neccessarily Deceased, Cat.

From these Pressing and Sound, Neccessary Reasons which Brought the Decision and Action About, This D & A was Neither an Excuse Nor Senseless. And as to killing, it was a Killing, but Not a Senseless, Cold Blooded One. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]Craig[/email]

Hey, don't misunderstand me...
That was just "keyboard" talk....
Someone said it in an other post : nobody knows how he will behave in such a situation (if he has not already lived thru one once... and even then ... circumstances are never the same).
Maybe I won't even ask me the question.
Or maybe I will be in such a state, that the life of my cat will be more usefull to the survival of the group.... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
(and anyway, I'm much fatter than she is... more meat for the group .... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> )

Let's hope you and I are never in a survival situation together.

Agreed. Totally different times. Almost 100 years apart. They had yet to see the War to End All Wars -- which didn't.

We've seen two world wars and countless undeclared wars. And yet our generation sees dogs and cats as companion animals and not as work animals.

Oh, Don't Worry any Little Bit!, for there was No Misunderstanding from my End.

I Know and Knew Fully on how you were Speaking on Relationships, -the Nature and Value Thereof.

I was concerned a Bit as I typed, that it could Seem as if I had some Disagreement or Difference!

But there was No such. I Did Perfectly Understand What you Meant. And as we say here in America, -Where you were Coming From!

Quickly Recapping for Anyone's Benefit, I of course Basically Meant, in a Few Words,

-That if One Loves their Animal Enuff to Actually Wish to Sacrifice Themself for it!, Shud such Need Arise, -Then I Do Understand, and in a Way, Respect That.

And Others Choose the Human Life(s) in such a Situation.

This Latter, Much as I and Others Love and Value Animals!, is Where I Think in such Situations, -One Shud Put the Greater Focus!

I once again Did Understand your Meaning, and Had No Issue with It. So Please Not Concern yourself any Bit on any of That! [color:"black"] [/color] [email]frenchy[/email]

Reading through the posts it strikes me that in a lot of situations other than an icy wilderness, a cat, even your house bound moggy, is far more likely to be able to survive, than your average man. It is after all a born hunter, and has no qualms about killing birds and small rodents.
Doubtless there are exceptions to this, but thier ability to survive is not as "bred out" of them as it is for the modern day human.
What value you put on "animal" life depends on the individual. I verge on the more cold-hearted side of the fence, others may differ.
However it does seem rather strange in a forum like this to be talking about animal welfare, while we practice making snares to kill those cute little fluffy bunny rabbits, and perfect the art of tying line on barbed hooks to catch fish.