Flies and ants found in the house are executed without a second thought. Outside I leave insects alone unless its wasps or black widows against the house or in the crawlspace. Then they die. I justify this by the fact that they would happily kill me just for existing. Kill or be killed and all that.
I used to fish but haven’t done so in years. Reason: I’m too lazy and would rather spend my money on a nice deli salmon than the tackle, rod, and licenses needed to maybe catch something. Same for hunting: I’m too cheap and lazy to hunt (plus, I refuse to have firearms in the house). I have no moral objection to hunting or fishing. Indeed, it’s likely more humane than factory farming.
Any evidence of mice or rats in the house means a trip to the hardware store for snap traps. They carry disease and I don’t feel like getting a PICC line for industrial strength antibiotics to fight some exotic infection. Although with a dog and two indoor cats, we don’t have mice. We did catch a rat in the garage though, which was disgusting.
Lab animals: I’m an English teacher, not a research science guy. Killing and dissecting animals would be pointless for me. Now, if I was a research science guy and killing and disecting animals was a necessary part of my research then yes, I’d do it. Medical breakthroughs have to come from somewhere. But otherwise, no. I do not support the idea that middle-school kids need dissect frogs or pig fetuses or worms. The knowledge obtained is minimal and doesn’t justify killing an animal.
I would not pay a trapper to trap any animal that I know would be killed. Relocated, yes. In fact I myself have done that very thing with weasels, racoons, possums, and skunks. (Fun fact: raw skunk spray when applied at point-blank range actually smells like garlic – very strong, garlic, to be sure, but garlic nonetheless. It’s only when it gets diluted a bit that it develops it’s characteristic reek.)
I have a freezer full of beef, pork, and poultry, all procured from the local Safeway. So yes, I approve of meat raised soley for my consumption. Although as noted I’d be more comfortable eating wild game or pasture-raised animals. But that stuff is too spendy for me.
Do I approve of hunting for food/skins? Thats two seperate questions. Yes I approve of hunting for food. Hunting just for the skins? Fuck that shit. It should be (and I believe in most jurisdictions in the U.S., it is) a crime. Same with hunting just for sport. Or hunting endangered species without a valid (i.e., life-or-death survival) reason.
I would have serious qualms about eating any meat not usually found in my local grocery store, with the exception of bear and venison – I’ve eaten both of those and enjoy them. Don’t ask me why but the thought of eating horse or dog or cat or kangaroo or alligator or whatever makes my skin crawl. We’ve been socially conditioned that those critters aren’t food.
Interstingly enough I’ve eaten goat meat and found it delectable. But I can’t bring myself to do it again: something about eating goat just rubs me the wrong way. Like I said, I can’t explain it.
FTR in my life I have deliberately killed a small number of feral cats, a raccoon, and a beaver. All a result of said animals causing damage to livestock or commercial crops or them being found on my property after being significantly injured. I had state Fish & Game licenses for the raccoon and beaver, but obviously not the cats. One of them was a kitten and was dispatched due to it apparently having somehow suffered a spinal injury (couldn’t move its rear legs), and that one still haunts me – it didn’t die instantly like it should’ve. I can see no situation where I will ever choose to kill an animal with a firearm again. The only exception that I can think of is a self-defense situation during a backcountry hike or camping trip. But since I no longer own or possess firearms such an encounter will likely never arise and I won’t put myself in those situations regardless.
