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CareLab Pet Project

Home The Roger Mudd Center for Ethics Programs and Events 2022-2023: Beneficence: Practicing an Ethics of Care CareLab Pet Project
Mudd Center

CareLab Pet Project

Mudd Center Partnership with the University Museums and Library

Exhibition in Leyburn Library opens November 1, 2022

CareLab events are designed to personalize our exploration of beneficence. If we aspire to practice an ethics of care, how can we learn to manifest this value in our thoughts and actions?

Caring well for others can be challenging. How do we, and how should we, actually practice sensitive and responsive care? The CareLab Pet Project will allow us to share what we have learned about care from beloved companion animals.

Participants are invited to submit an image of their pet and respond, in a few words, to one of these prompts:

  • What has your relationship with your pet taught you about caring well for yourself or others?
  • How has your pet taught you to care for someone else on their terms?

Pet Project entries will be exhibited, without identifying information about the participant, in online, social media, and in-person formats.

Our growing online CareLab Pet Project community is presented below. View the images to read how each person-pet relationship has informed someone’s understanding or practice of care. Also watch for #petprojectwlu posts on Instagram and Facebook (@wlu.museums). A large-scale Pet Project exhibition will open on the main floor of Leyburn Library on November 1, 2022.

The CareLab Pet Project is a complement to the Museum Menagerie exhibition, a whimsical look at works of art that depict animals, presented in the Watson Galleries during the Fall Term of 2022.

Our community discussion of care and pets will continue with a CareLab event led by Dr. Megan Mueller titled Compassion and Connection across Species: The Psychology of Human-Animal Relationships (Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at 5:00 pm in Northen Auditorium).

W&L’s Growing Pet Project Community

Lily
Lily has taught me to care for someone else on their terms through her sometimes indignant attitude. She doesn’t like being told when to go outside or sit but rather follows her own desires. Once I accept a more carefree attitude, she obeys me.
cat
My cat, who was once a stray, reminded me that both people and animals must adjust to new circumstances at the rate that is best for them. Sometimes all a person needs is to be shown compassion and kindness while they grow at their own rate.
Marty
Marty has taught me that care is constant and evolving, and often there’s no “easy way out.”
Fate has helped me learn to take things slow. He became overwhelmed easily when I rush his training, so I backed off. We have so much more fun when I put aside our schedule and take things at his pace.
Hamlet and Petunia
Hamlet and Petunia have taught me the importance of patience. Much like humans, they prefer to do things at their own speed and in their specific way.
Charmie
We adopted Charmie from the local SPCA and came to realize she had traits that had to do with her rather long time spent in the shelter, as well as her genetic makeup. We try to keep this in mind as we live with her somewhat compulsive, worried self.
Jack
Jack taught me that maintaining absolute dignity is not always worth more than expression of your authentic self.
Dog
That unconditional love does not mean that you won’t get bitten every once in a while.
Chicken and cat
Chicken, in the joy she seemed to find in the company of us and our cats, reminded me how important connection with others can be, both in caring for others and caring for oneself.
Molly
Molly doesn’t want affection in the form of cuddles and kisses so we’ve learned to show our love to her in the ways she most appreciates – daily walks with plenty of time to sniff all the things, patience as she writhes in the grass, and early morning back scratches.
Cat on a ladder
Playing on someone else’s terms can make them happy but also you too. So even when you think you don’t want to play with the toy bird on the end of a piece of yarn, you both are happier because you did.
Kasai
My dog, Kasai, enjoys waking up early and playing ball. Playing ball is her favorite activity, so I try getting up early to do that for her (even though I’m definitely not a morning person). Essentially, Kasai has taught me that caring for others is adapting your own activities to make them happy/fit their needs.
Jolene
Jolene has taught me the importance of self-care. Taking a moment to relax, meditate, and soak in my surroundings. Sometimes doing “nothing” is healthy!
Monty
I adopted my cat, Monty, at a difficult time in my life. He taught me that caring for someone else can also help reinforce the importance of caring for yourself - that you should be as kind to yourself as you are to others. He also constantly teaches me about the small joys in life, like play and curiosity. As most cats do, he’s also taught be about boundaries (i.e., when to leave him alone!).
dog on leash
My dog has shown me that giving love and affection can never be a bad thing. Even on the worst days some puppy love, or human love, makes me feel a little better.
Violet and Bluebell
Violet and Bluebell surely know how to relax. They remind me that it’s okay to sit and take time for myself.
Pup
My beautiful pup has taught me that my experience in the world is enormously improved by living in the moment, being absolutely present, never holding grudges, expecting the best of others not the worst, savoring treats, and not being afraid to jump for joy. I’m still working on taking more naps.
cat sleeping
My relationship with my cat has taught me about carving out consistent time to care for myself and others. Even if I am stressed or have a deadline upcoming, he reminds me (usually by meowing, occasionally with a swipe) that we need time to play and enjoy each other’s company.
Ella
My dog, Ella, is afraid of thunderstorms and, in her own way, asks me to help her feel safe and protected. Ella has taught me that there is beauty and strength in not only knowing what you need to feel better, but also being brave enough to ask for help.
Mick
Mick went missing recently & taught the entire family just how much he meant to us, & how empty we felt when he wasn’t there. We didn’t know if he was safe. Mick taught us it takes the entire community reaching out to help him find his way back home. Amazing caring, loving friends, family, neighbors, & strangers spreading the word, working together, communicating. Micks experience bonded us more with neighbors we didn’t know well.
white cat
Caring for my overweight and somewhat fickle kitty taught me that effective care requires compromise. While I’m strict with what must be done, I welcome suggestions for specifically how. Baths come with small treats and head scratches; weight loss comes with her diet and the blue feather wand she loves.
Fiona
Our creaky old Fiona teaches us that you can enjoy the outdoors without always being on the move.
Zeke
People say cats can’t love. But love is an emotion without a singular definition. Zeke taught me about love, care, and communication. Listening to the his meows, body language, activity levels, I understand his needs. He can also sense my mood. He is there for me and I am there for him when he is hungry or scared. If that is not the basis of love, I do not know what is.
cat
Our socialized feral outdoor cat has taught us that care isn’t all or nothing. Providing a little food each day and a safe place to rest is enough.
three dogs
Sometimes when you care for someone, you’re just there for them. You can’t fix what’s wrong, you can’t change their pain, but you can be there as a comforting presence. I don’t think anything embodies that more than my three dogs. They are always there to make me smile, regardless of what else may be going on in life. They don’t judge or give advice, they are just there to love me as I am.
Litlith
Lilith is incredibly sweet, but I’ve learned that if she doesn’t want to hang out she will do everything in her power to be alone. I used to be disappointed by this. Now, I just think, “maybe later!” and leave her be. Pets have boundaries to respect just like humans.
Isabella and Obi
My dogs Isabella and Obi have taught me that caring well for others means truly listening to them, either through their words and actions, to discover how to best help them. And, often, caring well is simply providing social support, whether that’s a hug or pup snuggles on the couch.
cat
The lesson from my cat is that inevitably there’s something in the world that makes you do foolish things, like catnip.
Ellie Mae
Ellie Mae has taught my family that in order to care for someone, you should try and understand their perspective and how they communicate. Ellie enjoys going outside and affection, something she requests through whining and politely nudging, which we now understand as her way of asking for love.
Midge
Midge has taught me that caring for myself is very important, because I cannot fully care for others if I am not 100%. She has shown that taking a break to enjoy the outdoors is also important in life.
Flurry
Flurry is a particularly non-demanding pup. He has taught me to be more patient when trying to figure out what (non-demanding) family and friends want and need.
Buddy
Buddy has taught me that self-control is important (he does not control himself) and also to love myself whether I have it or not (he is full of love).
Banan
Banan has shown me the importance of showing love. You should show love to those you know and deeply care about, even those you don’t. Everyone could use some.
Theo
Theo has taught me to think of care in terms of touch and to communicate love without words.
Scout
Hard-earned trust is possibly the most exquisite kind.
Moli and Olive
Learning Moli and Olive’s habits, and needs is an ongoing project. They force me to reckon with the fact that their reactions, moods, and actions are heavily influenced by how they are physically feeling. This is a great reminder for all my interactions!
Orwell
Anyone who has met my cat Orwell would say he’s hard to love. And that was before his diabetes diagnosis. Now there’s regular vet bills, 2x daily shots, and limits to my travel and social life. But it’s all worth it when he crawls under my arm to sleep for the night!
Dog
My pet taught me the comfort of another’s presence, regardless of any verbal communication. When I wouldn’t feel well he’d pick up on it almost immediately and lay down next to me until I’d sleep. That helped me understand that just being there in itself is a form of comfort and reassurance.
Nitra
The dogs in my life have taught me to take moments to connect with another being, on their terms, fully & deeply.
Peaches
Peaches taught me to listen not necessarily with my ears. Peaches had “failed” in two placement attempts for “being ornery.” She was anxious, shy, cute. I talked with her conversationally about what I asked of her. “You’re not allowed on that chair. Jump on other furniture all you like.” She never jumped on “that chair” again! I would watch her. She watched me. I listen to her. She listens to me: Since Dec 10, 2015.
Ayachan
Ayachan came into our lives during Covid when we had just lost our dear friend Aoba. She taught us to slow down, take joy in drinking tea together on the deck no matter how cold the weather, be less self-absorbed in our own troubles, and to, always, always think outside the box, or in this case, outside the cage! Life never quite goes as planned.
Chairman Meow
My wonderful Chairman Meow has thought me so much about unconditional love and the simple value of company. He is such a love bug - I can clip his claws and torture him one minute, and the next he’s snuggling right back up against me. He doesn’t always need pets or attention, but he does always want to be close to someone. There truly is something just incredibly valuable in sitting together instead of alone.

Mudd Center

The Mudd Center

  • 91´«Ă˝
    209 Mattingly House
    Lexington, VA 24450

Melissa R. Kerin

Director

Daniel Ranweiler

Postdoctoral Fellow

Kate Saacke

Senior Program Coordinator