Shifting Times for Animal Companions
08/24/09 15:45
Michael Vick as bellwether? A dog abuser with star quality, a man who paid a heavy debt for badly mistreating pit bulls. Engaged in the illegal business of first making dogs fight one another whether they wanted to or not, then inhumanely killing the ones who didn’t stand up well in fights. A man who says he cried while serving time in federal prison, remembering those dogs. A man whose tattered career in pro-football is now getting back on track through a new contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. A city with a reputation regarding dog fights.
Switching gears but you’ll see why in a bit.
The Albuquerque Journal for August 23, 2009 tells a bleak story about animal shelters here in the state of New Mexico. This is not unusual, so it serves as an example for my point. “According to surveys of New Mexico shelters, approximately 133,000 animals enter our shelters, and of those 67,000 animals are euthanized” -- presumably in a year, though the article by Patricia Feeser, DVM doesn’t specify. I don’t have statistics to compare these sad numbers with data from the few years just before the country’s economy stumbled and fell. Still this information is particularly hard to take when one considers the long-standing dedication of Albuquerque’s mayor, Martin Chavez, and state rescue organizations to making Albuquerque’s animal shelters no-kill facilities. The East and West-side shelters are the largest in the state.
How many of these animals wound up in the shelters this past year because of mortgage foreclosures, job layoffs and other distressing events spawned by economic issues? How many were surrendered to shelters, how many were left in deserted homes to either starve or claw their way out to an uncertain future? How many were turned loose?
Nobody took any pleasure in letting go of their pets. Months or weeks later, hearts still ache because of it.
New Mexico was the next-to-last US state to ban cock fights several years back. Dog fighting has always had a large following in this region.
I’m not comparing the thinking of a formerly well-heeled American football player with a penchant for dog fights to folks beleaguered by debt and job losses. This is a time for stepping up awareness of all our interactions with pet animals. Many of us are watching Michael Vick to see what he does vis-a-vis dogs. He might have his remorse. It is known that those who “had to walk away” have theirs.
Baha’u’llah, Founder of the Baha’i Faith, states that
“Out of the wastes of nothingness, with the clay of My command I made thee to appear, and have ordained for thy training every atom in existence and the essence of all created things.”
“All created things” specifically includes pet animals. Ordained for our training. You can make of that phrase what you will depending upon who you are, but you can’t set aside the placing of responsibility onto human shoulders. What comes to my mind in considering the misery which people sometimes inflict not only upon dependent animals, but also -- to anyone with a sense of shame and a conscience -- upon themselves, is this:
--We need to care for pet animals responsibly.
-- We must be aware that animal bodies feel everything exactly as human bodies do. Hunger, thirst, fatigue, wounds and other injuries.
-- Animals have some emotions, too. Fear is a big one.
-- As responsible animal keepers who do not wish to inflict unnecessary suffering we need to limit their breeding. If we don’t have good homes lined up for the puppies, kittens, foals, etc. then we should not permit pet animals to breed. Period.
-- We owe it to fellow creatures to prevent them from coming to harm through blood-lust sports such as dog fighting. Since Michael Vick’s conviction and 23 months of imprisonment dog fighting has gone below the radar all across the USA. Right now a chosen venue for this horrible thing is inside semi trucks barreling along the highways. Any weekend, with absolute certainty, in some areas there are dog fights taking place at secret locations. The state of Missouri comes straight to mind here. Plus over the highways, with sophisticated cellular and satellite connections enabling people to watch the bloody action and place their bets accordingly.
-- Educate people who don’t know how to properly care for dogs, cats and other creatures they may want to adopt. Education includes understanding costs and time demands involved, the need for veterinary care and regular exercise. It includes guiding people not ever to buy companion animals from pet shops, and thus support the cruel puppy-mill industry. Animal shelters are overflowing with great dogs and cats; those who want purebreds should seek reputable breeders.
To be part of the solution visit Pet Abuse. Please go there to see opportunities which might be just right for your energy and commitment. There is a wealth of information including laws on animal cruelty, humane education and animal adoption.
Come on, Michael Vick -- let's see you put a wag in a lot of tails for a change.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." ~Edmund Burke
Switching gears but you’ll see why in a bit.
The Albuquerque Journal for August 23, 2009 tells a bleak story about animal shelters here in the state of New Mexico. This is not unusual, so it serves as an example for my point. “According to surveys of New Mexico shelters, approximately 133,000 animals enter our shelters, and of those 67,000 animals are euthanized” -- presumably in a year, though the article by Patricia Feeser, DVM doesn’t specify. I don’t have statistics to compare these sad numbers with data from the few years just before the country’s economy stumbled and fell. Still this information is particularly hard to take when one considers the long-standing dedication of Albuquerque’s mayor, Martin Chavez, and state rescue organizations to making Albuquerque’s animal shelters no-kill facilities. The East and West-side shelters are the largest in the state.
How many of these animals wound up in the shelters this past year because of mortgage foreclosures, job layoffs and other distressing events spawned by economic issues? How many were surrendered to shelters, how many were left in deserted homes to either starve or claw their way out to an uncertain future? How many were turned loose?
Nobody took any pleasure in letting go of their pets. Months or weeks later, hearts still ache because of it.
New Mexico was the next-to-last US state to ban cock fights several years back. Dog fighting has always had a large following in this region.
I’m not comparing the thinking of a formerly well-heeled American football player with a penchant for dog fights to folks beleaguered by debt and job losses. This is a time for stepping up awareness of all our interactions with pet animals. Many of us are watching Michael Vick to see what he does vis-a-vis dogs. He might have his remorse. It is known that those who “had to walk away” have theirs.
Baha’u’llah, Founder of the Baha’i Faith, states that
“Out of the wastes of nothingness, with the clay of My command I made thee to appear, and have ordained for thy training every atom in existence and the essence of all created things.”
“All created things” specifically includes pet animals. Ordained for our training. You can make of that phrase what you will depending upon who you are, but you can’t set aside the placing of responsibility onto human shoulders. What comes to my mind in considering the misery which people sometimes inflict not only upon dependent animals, but also -- to anyone with a sense of shame and a conscience -- upon themselves, is this:
--We need to care for pet animals responsibly.
-- We must be aware that animal bodies feel everything exactly as human bodies do. Hunger, thirst, fatigue, wounds and other injuries.
-- Animals have some emotions, too. Fear is a big one.
-- As responsible animal keepers who do not wish to inflict unnecessary suffering we need to limit their breeding. If we don’t have good homes lined up for the puppies, kittens, foals, etc. then we should not permit pet animals to breed. Period.
-- We owe it to fellow creatures to prevent them from coming to harm through blood-lust sports such as dog fighting. Since Michael Vick’s conviction and 23 months of imprisonment dog fighting has gone below the radar all across the USA. Right now a chosen venue for this horrible thing is inside semi trucks barreling along the highways. Any weekend, with absolute certainty, in some areas there are dog fights taking place at secret locations. The state of Missouri comes straight to mind here. Plus over the highways, with sophisticated cellular and satellite connections enabling people to watch the bloody action and place their bets accordingly.
-- Educate people who don’t know how to properly care for dogs, cats and other creatures they may want to adopt. Education includes understanding costs and time demands involved, the need for veterinary care and regular exercise. It includes guiding people not ever to buy companion animals from pet shops, and thus support the cruel puppy-mill industry. Animal shelters are overflowing with great dogs and cats; those who want purebreds should seek reputable breeders.
To be part of the solution visit Pet Abuse. Please go there to see opportunities which might be just right for your energy and commitment. There is a wealth of information including laws on animal cruelty, humane education and animal adoption.
Come on, Michael Vick -- let's see you put a wag in a lot of tails for a change.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." ~Edmund Burke