Animal Cruelty: I've had an influx of animal cruelty messages in my Facebook feed this week. I don't expect it's an accident. Record heat, bored kids out of school, and parents stressed with dealing with same can be working on shorter than normal tempers. Like the 4th grade teacher who just - lost it - and beat his dog to death with his fists because it didn't want to get in the bathtub.
Then there are some people who are just evil: Two of the messages concerned Michael Vick. In one of them, he's asking for permission to get a dog - apparently his children want a pet. If I had any say in the matter, he would *not* get a dog, and his children would be explicitly told why, and shown the pictures of the hung, tortured and broken dogs that are the product of their father's "love for animals." Father is not a human being. Father is a monster who tortures and kills animals for fun and profit - and people who start with animals often move on to people. So instead of wanting a puppy, I'd suggest they watch their own backs... The other Vick post was about his book and line of clothing, calling for a boycott. Well, I'm certainly not going to buy anything he gets money from, but I passed it on. It's one of those things where people have to make their own decisions.
Two other idiots showed up in photos (how smart is that?), one of them a tattooed marvel of lacking intelligence, pouring what looks to be vodka or gin down a puppy's throat. The other was another tattooed marvel with his pittie type dog grasped by the throat with a gun to its head. I pulled them both up and took a good look - the tattoos on both guys are not the same, otherwise it could have been the same fool. One of them, however, posted it to his facebook account, and someone figured out where he lives. I hope that's been dealt with. (If it had been in my hometown or easy driving distance, I'd have taken care of it myself.)
A warning went out over Craigslist and FB not long ago about people taking animals "free to a good home" and then using them for target practice. In other news, police continue to shoot dogs inappropriately - from the one who took his *leashed* dog into a neighborhood dog park, and shot the dog who came over to play with him, to one who walked onto someone's property and when the dog in that fenced yard came up to sniff him, shot it dead in front of the owner and her children.
Bottom line: The curmudgeon has NO TOLERANCE for animal abuse, and I don't care who its from. Explain to me why a cop overstepping his authority and using deadly force on an animal is any better than Michael Vick hanging a losing fighter? Or placing a scared dog on the roof of your car for 12 hours?
Just because we are thinking - scheming, more like it - beings is not an excuse to abuse those that depend on us. If they cause inconvenience, if they cost us money - that's part of the bargain when you get a pet, take an animal into your life. It's not an excuse to throw them away, turn them out, haul them to the pound, or put a bullet in their skull. They're doing what they do naturally, and it's part of our covenant with them to take care of them, and try to understand and deal with them appropriately.
I have my own ideas what should happen to people who overstep their bounds in this direction. I try to educate people, but I'm not above meddling in other ways. And I don't think a jury in the world would convict me...
Meanwhile - if you love an animal, or just animals in general, try to get involved in some small way. Avoid HSUS and ASPCA - send money, donations, and spend time, if you can, helping local shelters and rescue. If your local shelter is abominable (and many of them are), there are groups trying to fix that - hook up and help out. The animals and the curmudgeon thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment