I would like to say that I abhor how animals are filmed in human attires and wielding firearms on You Tube and other video hosting websites. They were turned into freaks, for goodness sake! It has to be said they never evolved to learn how to build our kinds of tools for whatever purpose. They were never meant to emulate humans because they are built in such a way that makes the image of them performing like humans awkward at the very least.

We are violating animal rights by doing this and being rather arrogant in our implied assumption that human culture is so superior to animals, they have to publically adopt it for comic effect or because it's better if they do.

I don't agree, but I don't find it particularly entertaining either.

Humans can be spectacularly cruel to other species. Hopefully, one day, we'll get our payback.

teaching them tricks is cruelty now? granted, it's corny as hell... but some people just think it's cute, along the lines of teaching our dogs to roll over for a treat...

If it's not hurting them
I taught my dog to dance..is that wrong? He likes to dance to Wednesday 13

I think teaching a dog tricks.and dancing and doing the course they run and go up and down things and through things,I cant remember the name for that , anyway It's fun for the dogs, thats not cruel.
Thats playing and the dogs love it.We have a place here in Lapeer. and the dogs have such a great time.

My dogs are very happy to do stupid things for me, my cat, not so much.

I think its very entertaining....But then again, I dont have a soul.

Animals have tricks of their own trade and can be entertaining in their own distinct ways. Rolling over and dancing are acceptable habits to teach animals because many have their own kinds of dance or physical feats. In that regard it's an interspecies practice we can share with them.

I need to point out that teaching squirrels for example how to use weapons would be dangerous as they would abuse their knowledge, not having any concept of a conscience. They would set up land mines near trees or guard posts and open fire on any intruder, not necessarily to kill them, but hurting them pretty badly. How would we prosecute squirrels, since they don't conform to human intelligence?

"doing the course they run and go up and down things and through things"

Agility Course

haha GO SQUIRRELS!!!!

We'd have to take a number of squirrels out of their natural habitat and selectively breed them to evolve into more humanoid creatures. Such a process would take a long time and if their natural abilities remained intact, they'd be even more of a threat. Imagine a squirrel empire or something like that.

You don't get out much, do you?