Animal, Pet, Companion…All in One

There are animals and then there are animals that are pets. Many pets are considered a family member, someone who has been around for years through good times and bad times. A pet can bring that feeling of happiness and comfort to a person’s life the same way another human can. At the same time an owner wants to give that animal, whether it’s a dog or a rabbit, the same love and attention they share with a relative, sort of. As long as it’s not slimy and creepy, I’m a huge animal lover. And even though I may not be a fan of the creepy crawlers I do have a great deal respect for all animals as a living being.

No matter the species, animals have a life of their own with a heartbeat, a brain and feelings. With that being said an animal should be treated with the same reverence as the human body. Now that thought may be a bit farfetched as there are people in this world who do not have respect for another person’s well-being and inflict harm on others without remorse. It is a shame that there are people who would harm defenseless animals who cannot make a cry for help, who cannot escape, who cannot call on someone to stop the violence. It is even more disgusting when this kind of abuse is done for fun, those who get a rise out of torturing something time and time again.

In the blogs POLITICAL CONNECTicut and furanimalrights, the authors touch on abuse cases involving dogs. In furanimalrights we are introduced to a German Sheppard named Chief who was poisoned with antifreeze and later died. Antifreeze is a known substance used to kill a person or animal and an attempt to do so without being detected. What could have this adorable dog possibly done to deserve such treatment? Nothing! There is not one reason as to why Chief deserved this brutally painful death at the hands of his owner’s neighbor. The move to create antifreeze with a bitter taste would be an indicator that there is something fishy going on, but this is a move that should have been done a long time ago. Isn’t it weird how we always say that, why wasn’t this done earlier?! Who would have thought though that we would need to take such precautions? But why limit this change to Georgia; it should be something that is done by all companies that sell antifreeze because this is something that the world can benefit from. As is mentioned in the blog social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter can be used to raise awareness to others and can also be used to get in touch with companies and demand that this action be changed all across the board.  

POLITICAL CONNECTicut featured an entry on the newly passed bill last month in Connecticut to further the efforts in preventing animal as well as child abuse. Research showed that there is a connection when it comes to abuse of children and animals. Someone who is an abuser is likely to harm almost anything in its path whether it’s an animal or a person. When an abuse case is reported it is entered into a system of either the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or the Department of Agriculture depending on the victim. Now when an abuse report is entered in one system the other system will be notified basically to keep an eye on the offender in an effort to prevent further abuse towards others. Again the infamous question, why wasn’t this done earlier with evidence from so many previous cases of abuse? Unfortunately a certain level needs to be reached sometimes in order for new preventive measures to occur. This is a great system but it should be shared with the rest of the country as Connecticut is not the only state that has cases of abuse.

This is an epidemic that needs to be stopped. How can one sit through commercials sponsored by the ASPCA and other similar organizations and not feel sorrow, not want to stop the violence? I have a soft spot for animals and when I see a commercial like this my heart goes out to them because I know that there are other animals that did not make it, who were not saved. I have always wanted a dog and it is commercials such as these that have moved me to vow that when I do get a dog I will go to such an organization and bring these abused animals to a warm and loving home. I was not able to prevent the abuse of the past but I can make a better future for them.