The question is.. Why do we protect our pets, but ignore the cruelty of animals around the world?
Most people, especially in western society, that read this blog, will have a pet of some kind. A dog, cat, bunny, pig, snake, or gerbil. And chances are, you love that animal. You probably treat it like a member of your family. You very well might let it sleep in your bed, or you sneak it 'people food' as an occasional treat. You've probably spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars (or would be willing to) in medical expenses, safety measures, and comfort items; like toys, vaccines, microchipping, treats, beds, and blankets.
Now, what if someone came into your home and said they were going to slaughter your pet for food. Really, think about that for a moment.. Would you be okay with it?
What if they said they wanted to take your animal, and to confine it within a small habitat, purely for humans to watch?
What if they said your pet needed to be used to test cosmetics or household cleaners, and that your beloved friend would have chemicals rubbed in their eyes or forced down their throat; while living out their years in tiny cages?
What if they said they were going to skin your pet alive; because someone halfway around the world thought it would make a fashionable shawl?
My guess is that you would beg, plead, bribe, cry, and fight to keep your pet away from any of those scenarios. And yet, we allow it. Every day. Everywhere.
Some say, it's a cultural thing. Okay. But the fact that it's so different and reliant on 'tradition' tells you it's not based on any solid criteria. In some places, eating cat or dog is fairly normal. Here, it makes us cringe. In some places, cattle are considered sacred. Here, we can't eat enough cheeseburgers. Such polar opposite opinions clearly show it's not based on science or sound reasoning. It's based on belief; or more accurately.. emotion. And your honest, emotional, response to someone harming your animal.. then.. should be your emotional response to all animals. So, why isn't it?
Because we disconnect.
We have the luxury, and curse, of being disconnected. So we get to prioritize animals in whichever way feels most convenient to us.
We no longer have to hunt and clean our own food. We can happily eat our chicken nuggets or bacon cheeseburgers, and never give the animals from which they came a single thought. We seldom ponder the living conditions, or the pain they endured. If you can't witness an animal being slaughtered, and still want to eat it, you probably shouldn't be eating meat at all.
We can purchase fur or exotic leathers without ever thinking about the alligator, snake, or mink. And what's worse, we don't bother to realize that many things sold to us as 'exotic fur' are often cats and dogs from other countries.
We buy our cosmetics, hairspray, and shampoo.. without thinking about the animals that had to be repeatedly exposed to harsh chemicals. I understand the need to find a middle ground on animal testing. As I've said before, it's led to profound discoveries in science, genetics, psychology, and so on. But there is literally no need, whatsoever, to test cosmetics or household goods on caged and de-barked beagles. Human volunteers could clearly try cosmetics, or test cleaners, without any real harm to themselves. And eventually, humans have to be testing subjects anyway, as reactions in other species aren't conclusive about what will happen to us. Testing such products is cruel and unnecessary.
We happily patronize circuses, dolphin shows, and the like. We never take the time to think about where those animals came from. Were they in a pack or family? What happened to the others? How are they trained? We just see them performing tricks for food, and we assume all is well. And it's because we never see the situation from the eyes of the animal.
And some will argue that as humans, we're at the top of the food chain. We're the smartest, and we're the best.
I would ask them to ponder this:
We are the only creature on Earth that hunts for fun, kills for sport, murders over theological differences, confines and trains other creatures for our own amusement, drives other creatures to extinction, and continually harms the planet that sustains us. So... are we really smarter? Sometimes more power in incapable hands just leads to more destruction. And that is something we humans have mastered.
Lastly, we are the only creature that causes harm to another for sheer convenience. We confine animals. We train animals. We ignore their pain. We raise them just to slaughter them. Why? Because it's convenient.
I implore everyone to take a moment to respect the animals of this planet.. from the tiny shrew, to the magnificent blue whale. Each and every one has a personality, a brain, a nervous system, a natural way of living, a social structure, a desire for freedom and comfort, and a place in this world that belongs to them. Each of them feels pain, just like your chosen pet; that you take care of when it's sick, that you cuddle with on the couch, and that you spoil with healthy treats.
So tell me, what's the difference?
No animals are OURS. But they are ALL ours to protect.
No comments:
Post a Comment