The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to other creatures; but the fact that he can DO wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creature that cannot.
~ Mark Twain
Animal Welfare
April 18, 2011
Simple Statement of the Day
April 14, 2011
Simple Statement of the Day
Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way.
~ John Muir
March 30, 2011
Simple Statement of the Day
What nature delivers to us is never stale. Because what nature creates has eternity in it.
~ Isaac Bashevis Singer
March 24, 2011
Simple Statement of the Day
Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye — it also includes the inner pictures of the soul.
~ Edvard Munch
March 23, 2011
Power of the Pooch
With so many military returning from active duty, both have seemed to acquire a need for each other. In All Animals, the bi-monthly HSUS publication, a recent article moved me almost to tears while at the same time provided much awareness for our hapless pets here in the U.S. and admiration for our troops abroad.
The article focused on our military personnel returned from duty, many times multiple tours, suffering from PTSD, harsh physical ailments from IED's, witnessing deaths of friend and foe first hand, as well as so many other atrocities. This has left many a soldier broken and bewildered as to how to acclimate back into society.
Enter side stage, the hapless pooch. Therapy dogs, some rescue / some bred for this very act, to assist in the re-engagement of these brave men and women back into the throws of daily living. The article went into extreme detail of how these dogs pull these soldiers out of the depths of despair and back into the circle of society, family and friends. One particular example was that of a soldier who returned from multiple tours, with permanent physical ailments and substantial mental/emotional issues to deal with. In group therapy sessions the man was a shell of his former self; not willing to talk or listen...until a therapy dog entered the scene. Time after time, during the session, the pooch would insist upon attention from this particular soldier. The dog would nudge him on the right, the man would turn away. The dog would nudge him on the left, the man would turn away. Finally, the dog had enough, and put his face directly in the face of the soldier. The soldier looked into the face of this pooch and finally broke through with a smile.
This is just one of the many amazing stories that can be told of animals and their ability to not judge and just be there as a companion, friend, and sometimes, life-saver. Albeit a pharmaceutical company’s nightmare, no drugs, just compassion...it's a wonder that more programs like this aren't avidly running around the country.
I found it fascinating that these men and women, who have served and were helped by these incredible creatures, are now also perpetuating the string of assistance by enlisting themselves as trainers for shelter dogs to find forever homes. This is a prime example of courageous people returning from active duty to active everyday life back home. It is almost one hand helping the other. It is putting together wounded soldiers/veterans with shelter dogs in an effort to expand this fantastic program and help thousands of others in need; two-legged and four-legged alike.
Amazing how the power of the pooch prevails!
Simple Statement of the Day
Mankind's true moral test, its fundamental test (which lies deeply buried from view), consists of its attitude towards those who are at its mercy: animals. And in this respect mankind has suffered a fundamental debacle, a debacle so fundamental that all others stem from it.
~ Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being
March 16, 2011
April Brings Earth Day Into Focus
With the upcoming month of April approaching quickly, so does Earth Day and the HSUS's promotion of Animal Cruelty Prevention Month. These two concepts heavily coincided for me as I was reading the most current issue (March/April) of the HSUS magazine, 'All Animals'. As I flipped through the pages, it became inherently apparent to me the connection with us, the world we live, and the delicate balance by which our environment survives every day.
Via a multitude of articles based upon that same delicate balance, it was shown time and time again how we have not and if we do not preserve this wonderful world of ours, the landscape will forever change never to return. For anyone who believes that extinction is not a form of animal cruelty (i.e. - starvation due to climate changes, senseless hunting to brink of extinction, and oceanic changes diminishing food supply) think again. Going to the grocery store is a simple task but foraging for food has become dire for many creatures. The HSUS issue touched upon the extinction of dozens of creatures, ocean habitats, and climate changes threatening our very existence. We may not worry now with the adage, "I'll be dead before I seen things like that" but guess what...your children won't...and their children won't. What would it be like to grow up in a world without natural ocean habitats abundant?
Two decades ago, people bristled at the audacious thought of living in a world without polar bears, with melting icecaps, and coral reefs becoming extinct. And surprisingly enough, in this day and era of people living longer, you may just get to see these horrific events occur. The face of climate change threatens to diminish such animals as polar bear, walruses, monk seals, and certain shark species just to name a few ocean creatures. With respect to land lovers, koala's, the arctic fox, wolverines, and bison all stand to perish or diminish into such drastically small numbers that any effort to save them would be difficult at best. Just one look at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is the size of Texas one realizes that it is definitely not one of the 7 great wonders of the world to behold. The site of it would make almost any human being blanch at its imposing expansiveness.
Yet with all this real information at our fingertips, we continue to support factory farming, the purchase of plastic bottles for water, dismiss massive food recalls as an inconvenience, and not once do we scream at the top of our lungs to the government to "Take a Stand" and "Make It Stop". People think the government won't do anything. Perhaps not yet they won't. But when millions upon millions of people stop buying plastic water bottles, spend an extra $1.00 a week on non-factory/organic farm raised meat, and buy more local fruits and vegetables, industries would come to a crashing halt and suddenly say, "What is happening here?”
It may sound crazy, but one small change every 6 months has an enormous impact locally, globally, and spherically.
March 11, 2011
Simple Statement of the Day
Animals are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time.
~ Henry Beston, American Author, also known as "The Vagabond of the Dunes" (1888-1968)
March 01, 2011
Simple Statement of the Day
In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.
~ Edward Hoagland, American Essayist (1932 - )
February 23, 2011
Simple Statement of the Day
We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. In return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made.
~ Margery Facklam, Award-Winning Children's Science Author
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