Brazil May Nix Human Names for Pets

In other words, Brazil wants to make it illegal to name your pets with human names. Which I would think they would want a corresponding law to make it illegal to name humans after pets, but the article did not mention it anywhere.

The article itself is very confusing, probably because the sponsor of the bills is crazy. At first the article leads you to believe that the law is to protect the children.

"Federal congressman Reinaldo Santos e Silva proposed the law after psychologists suggested that some children may get depressed when they learn they share their first name with someone's pet, Damarias Alves, a spokeswoman for Silva, said last week.
"Names have importance," said Alves. The congressman "wants to challenge people's assumptions that it's acceptable to give animals human names," she said. "

Then at the end it says, "He's [Reinaldo Santos e Silva] proposed many laws to protect wildlife in Brazil, but this is the only one that has ever gotten any attention," Alves said."

How does this law protect "wildlife"?

The commentors of the local news show mentioned that they also wanted a law to protect the mental health of their pets by making it illegal to name humans after pets.

When I named my dog after my deadbeat uncle, I only meant that gesture in the up most respect.

Suggestions for you next pet name - Reinaldo Santos e Silva.

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