Thread: Just wondering how does animal abuse play out in the pokemon world?

What happens to people how beat/neglect pokemon do they get arrested or blown up?

Well, animal abuse is actually a fairly prominent theme in the Pokémon franchise. We're constantly being reminded that the evil people are those who treat Pokémon solely as tools instead of partners and will go to inhumane lengths to force the Pokémon to do their bidding, while the good people are those who develop bonds with their Pokémon and treats them with love and respect. The evil organizations like Team Rocket that treat their Pokémon inhumanely have usually been seen being sent to prison for their crimes, just as they would in real life.

If you're talking about traditional animal abuse as seen in the real world, however, I don't think that would be entirely possible seeing as though Pokémon are much more powerful creatures than real animals, so if ever a human tried to mercilessly beat a Pokémon, they'd probably be the first to regret it. As for neglect, you've seen how Ash got his Charmander. It's not a tolerated thing, but for the sake of plot, it's probably a crime that's a lot harder to report than it is in real life.

You know animal abuse in Pokemon always reminds me of the second episode where Ash got scolded at for having his Pikachu in such a bad condition. I always got mad because for one it wasn't his fault and two, what does she expect? She lives in a world where people are constantly pitting Pokemon against each other. Should she really be so outraged that a Pokemon came to her injured even in that bad a condition?

Also, is it really animal abuse? Granted I think every Pokemon has something about it that we can be related back to being an animal but... Do Pokemon like Geodude count? I mean, they are living creatures but they aren't exactly animals. Although, they are sentient creatures, as are all Pokemon, which leads to even more questions.

Like, if a Pokemon is caught does that mean they are forced to do the bidding of their trainer or do they just do so out of fairness ("you caught me so inexchange I give my loyalty")? Can a Pokemon turn on it's trainer and attack them or ignore them, if they so choose? The anime says yes, and even the games say yes to a certain extent since if the Pokemon is traded and you have not obtained enough badges. But then, is there something physical going on that lets a Pokemon resist their trainer if they are not the original or is it simply them rejecting their new owner out of loyalty to their old one?

These are the questions I ask!

Originally Posted by coolcatkim22

You know animal abuse in Pokemon always reminds me of the second episode where Ash got scolded at for having his Pikachu in such a bad condition. I always got mad because for one it wasn't his fault and two, what does she expect? She lives in a world where people are constantly pitting Pokemon against each other. Should she really be so outraged that a Pokemon came to her injured even in that bad a condition?

That is an interesting point. In a world where Pokémon battle each other, you would think that finding a trainer with a badly injured Pokémon would mean that he was just finished with a vigorous battle... however, you do have to understand that it doesn't actually show good character trait when she finds him in the water of all places, not knowing the full situation at hand.

Also, is it really animal abuse? Granted I think every Pokemon has something about it that we can be related back to being an animal but... Do Pokemon like Geodude count? I mean, they are living creatures but they aren't exactly animals. Although, they are sentient creatures, as are all Pokemon, which leads to even more questions.

I guess it depends on how loosely you define "animal," or how loosely you define "living thing," which has been subject to moral debate for centuries. I think in the Pokémon world, as long as it's a sentient creature clearly capable of feeling pain, then any sort of abuse or neglect is treated in the same manner, rather the Pokémon are animal-like (i.e. Eevee, Growlithe, Pidgey), plant-like (Oddish, Gloom, Lilligant), thing-based (Geodude, Magnemite, Vanillite), or anything in between.

Geodude actually would fall more under the animal-based category, however, because it evolves into Golem. One could assume that perhaps (though not likely) the Geodude family are all lizards of sorts protected with a rocky armor around their body, and Golem is the stage where they finally reveal themselves.

Like, if a Pokemon is caught does that mean they are forced to do the bidding of their trainer or do they just do so out of fairness ("you caught me so inexchange I give my loyalty")? Can a Pokemon turn on it's trainer and attack them or ignore them, if they so choose? The anime says yes, and even the games say yes to a certain extent since if the Pokemon is traded and you have not obtained enough badges. But then, is there something physical going on that lets a Pokemon resist their trainer if they are not the original or is it simply them rejecting their new owner out of loyalty to their old one?

Well, as you've seen, Pokémon don't always obey their trainers and often resent being caught. That being said, the importance of developing a bond and treating them with love and respect is an essential part of developing the trust and loyalty of a captured Pokémon. This can also be evidenced by the number of times Ash has left behind a Pokémon because he believed that they would live a fuller, happier life if he did so.

I suppose if it wanted to, a Pokémon could turn on and attack its trainer and then run off, assuming it can escape the range of its Pokéball, but the Pokémon universe seems to live in a bizarre world with a different set of etiquette. Battles are very important to both humans and Pokémon, and many newly-captured Pokémon probably choose to obey their new trainers because they feel they have potential for winning battles. In the real world, having two animals fight that would otherwise normally not fight is the result of forceful training, where as in the Pokémon world, they do it willingly because the system of battling is a staple of their "culture" if you will. You can sort of see what I mean if you consider the Sandile that stalks Ash's Pikachu.

I really think a full evolved pokemon wouldnt be phase by human attacks but still pokemon battles are animal abuse but who cares TEAM PLASMA

It's an interesting topic to bring this up. Pokémon abuse is not unheard of...but then the stories of Black & White came to our shores.

For reference, I'm talking about how Ghetsis was probably the most abusive of all people in a Pokémon game - not only to N, but to the Pokémon he sent to him as well. And for that matter, Kyurem under Ghetsis' control. He says it himself - that he considers it to be a tool for his disposal.