What are the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church’s beliefs on pet ownership?

Following recent media coverage, the issue of pet ownership has become the subject of many questions directed towards the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church and our members. Sadly, this media coverage has focused on attention-grabbing headlines with little regard to the truth of the matter concerning Brethren beliefs on pets and animals.

The reality is straightforward. Pet ownership is uncommon for members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church because we prioritise family life, faith, and worship and abstain from anything that would come between us and our link with God. That stance has existed for many years and was not recently introduced.

Like many faith-based communities, the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church community has been upholding their beliefs for decades. Understanding the context behind these beliefs and way of life provides a more balanced picture of faith than headlines or online conjecture.

For those who belong to the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, many of our everyday choices and decisions are made in line with our beliefs and a desire to live in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Bible.

It is also a common practice in the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church community to invite other Church members into your home for meals or longer visits. Families are often hosting and entertaining other church members in their homes, including families who are visiting from interstate or overseas, and families who have young children. Having a wide range of visitors into your home frequently means it is simply not practical to have pets because it may cause unexpected issues.

Why don’t Plymouth Brethren Christian Church members have pets?

Pet ownership is uncommon among families in the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, and very few families choose to keep household pets such as dogs and cats.

This reflects a long-standing approach based on Brethren beliefs, which places family life, worship, and a relationship with God at the centre of daily life for Church members.

Recent reporting, including by The Age and Sydney Morning Herald in Australia and the Daily Mail in the UK, has prompted questions about whether the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Exclusive Brethren, has recently imposed a ban on pets, with some false headlines even describing a “purge” or “cull”.

Those claims are untrue and distressing.

Firstly, any guidance issued by the Church leadership to parishioners is not new, or a recent directive – it is based on a long-standing principle that has guided the Brethren community and the wider Brethren movement for many years, reflecting our established Brethren rules.

Secondly, as Christians, we find all forms of animal cruelty abhorrent, and we believe all God’s creatures should be treated with care and respect.

Do Plymouth Brethren Christian Church members own animals?

Yes, some members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church do have animals, although pet ownership is uncommon among families.

The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (often referred to simply as the Brethren, and sometimes mistakenly as the Exclusive Brethren) is a global fellowship of around 55,000 churchgoers, and individual circumstances vary across families and communities. While Brethren households do not typically have pets, a small number of members do keep animals. Additionally, many of our members may own or run farms or similar agricultural businesses which may involve owning, caring for, or breeding animals. Some Brethren families may keep rabbits or poultry; others may have cattle or horses.

Pet ownership does not determine someone’s place within the Church community. The Church’s position is not that animals have no value, or that pets should be treated without care. It is about how members choose to order their lives around faith, worship, and family, reflecting core Brethren beliefs.

Why don’t many Plymouth Brethren families keep pets?

The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church is a global Christian community, and our members seek to live according to the teachings of the Bible.

We place emphasis on prioritising family life, faith, and worship. Pet ownership is uncommon because many families choose to avoid anything that could distract from those priorities, aligning with Brethren beliefs and Brethren rules.

This is not a recent development and is not a new directive, but a long-standing principle that has guided the Brethren community and the broader Brethren movement for many years.

This is not unusual in communities of faith. Many religious traditions have different views on household pets like dogs and cats, while still recognising the importance of treating animals with care and respect.

Did the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church order a pet purge or cull?

The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church would never encourage animal cruelty or abandonment. Media reports suggesting otherwise are untrue and based on hearsay and inaccuracies regarding a supposed pet purge or cull. The Church publicly rejected those claims.

We would expect any Brethren family to act appropriately and do no harm to animals. We encourage anyone rehoming an animal to do so with care, through trusted local contacts or recognised animal welfare organisations.

The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church has made clear that animal cruelty has no place in its community – or in any community.

Animal cruelty is rightly against the law in most jurisdictions and should be reported to the authorities. We would encourage anyone with concerns about the welfare of an animal to contact the appropriate authorities in their area.

Do Plymouth Brethren Christian Church families keep livestock or other animals?

There are more than 55,000 members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church living in 19 different countries across the globe. Some live in cities, others live in rural areas. Their livelihoods vary greatly as well. Some parishioners are employed in farming and agriculture and may keep animals. Brethren families may own and operate farms with extensive livestock such as cattle and sheep, others may breed and sell domestic animals, others may keep chickens or ducks for eggs.

Brethren members who work with livestock or keep animals for agricultural purposes would still prioritise their faith and family life above all other commitments, in line with Brethren beliefs.