Will Fellow Humans Ever Realize Caring for Animals Is a Duty Not a Luxury?

 

Some angels choose fur instead of wings — http://www.pawsitivepawsibilities.org

 

Reading this quote made my heart dance! In the quality of an animals lover and a fur kids momma, I wholeheartedly agree with the purity of those magical beings!

I deeply believe there is no such a thing as a naturally aggressive animal, not even in the wild kingdom where attacking takes place either to eat or when feeling threatened.

It is heartbreaking for me to witness that some of my friends in the stray dogs' community can be exceedingly cautious when we meet for the first few times.

Interestingly, it is anything but strange knowing that, like humans, when we are exposed to continuous trauma, it is very likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder.

The best-case scenario would be to build a fear-based wall blocking our ability to feel others’ energy without any filter.

The latter is especially true for non-traumatized animals because they keep their pure intuition when they are not conditioned like most human beings.

Not far from my neighborhood — precisely a newly built area, there is a pack of dogs I visit as much as I can to participate in feeding. One of them is a large breed; an American Staffordshire Terrier in all likelihood.

For biased people, he might give them the impression to be dangerous. In reality, he is the sweetest dog of the whole group. He welcomes me with enthusiastic hugs and kisses every time we meet.

When I visited two weeks ago, a construction workman informed me there was carnage: my good friend got rabies and killed many dogs, adults as well as puppies. Ultimately, they had to murder him.

I am writing those lines with a heavy heart. Not only didn’t I get a chance to say a proper goodbye to my dear and innocent friend. Also, part of the lost dogs is two moms leaving a total of seven puppies. A real tragedy!

The second mom was still lying motionless when I visited. She had been struggling with her injuries for longer before being called for other missions — or at least that’s what I like to believe!

I spent a few minutes crying loudly while tenderly touching her corpse. When I was done and brought some special food from the car for the puppies, the guy who told me about the story approached me before adding:

You know, what you just did restored my faith in humanity. To be optimistic, I’d say that 90% of people who would be passing by would think you lost your mind to cry hysterically because of a dead dog.

 

There is a very good reason I distanced myself from all humans except those I need to talk to within a work context. I didn’t see a soft-hearted person like you for ages. People living or who are about to live here are all financially wealthy. No one ever cared for a single dog.

 

They even dared ask a guy who collects food rests from restaurants and feeds several neighborhoods dogs every day not to come anymore.

 

The sad truth is that those individuals ignore how poor they are no matter how much money they have in their bank accounts. They lack the most important wealth component: inner peace!

 

I was listening to this wondrous illiterate man with a dropped jaw and uncontrollably flowing tears.

His words were a heartwarming combination of soulfulness and enchanting wisdom. The only thing I could do was to actively listen to him and stare in awe!

“Who are you? I mean, come on! You ought to be coming from another planet! No words would ever give enough credit to the admiration I have for who you are as a person!”

“I can say the same thing about you. This is not even your neighborhood. Still, you come very frequently because of how much you care for any living form.”

“You gotta stop being so adorable! Wow, you can’t even imagine how much I respect and value you without even knowing your name or history, because quite frankly, it doesn’t matter!

Nothing external defines us. Our diplomas, job, social status, belongings — you name it — are all meaningless if we are empty inside! It’s who you are first, then what you know and do, right?”

“Wish more people were aware of such a simple, yet powerful truth! I wouldn’t have made up my mind about finishing this construction mission and heading to my property in the middle of the forest where I am isolated from the world! I would happily live exclusively with animals!”

“I can understand and empathize, my friend! I am living in this part of the globe only physically. One can know how sick an environment is by looking into its animals' condition, and I need to admit it is miserable here, sadly enough!

I have been volunteering for a while and 95% of folks who do the same are those in need of financial support themselves, who didn’t let their difficult circumstances harden their beautiful heart!

I know and love the guy you mentioned earlier, and I can’t stand the monsters who are delusional about how special they are to permit themselves to compromise his noble mission!

Each one of them can afford to help hundreds of stray animals, and what do they do instead? They cruelly starve, hurt, and even kill them!”

“Indeed, three of the group, at least, were hit by a crazy driver leaving them with a permanent disability. The criminals don’t even care to stop and check!”

“I was a witness to such a horrific scene. The dog transitioned in my arms and I struggled with a deep wound for a long time!”. Should it feel worthwhile for you, dear reader, I detailed the story here.

The owner of the house who came to inspect the construction progress interrupted our interesting discussion in a seemingly friendly way.

“You’re here! So, what do you think we can do about the situation? This mess can’t continue. Many people are starting to feel bothered by all the noise and increasing numbers!”

“Bothered? Are they? Let me tell you what I think: our self-centered and greedy ancestors domesticated the wild species from which cats and dogs were born because they believed they were entitled to exploit anything the Universe is offering.

Then, they decided they were done with them and released them in our brutal streets. That is, it seems to me that taking care of street animals to whatever possible extent is a shared duty between fellow humans and that those living beings have all the rights to exist in every single square meter of our mother earth.

It’s not because humans created money as a tool to exchange that it means they truly own the land! That’s a dangerous illusion to think humans are superior to other living organisms and the source of all the imbalance manifestations, I suppose!

So, to come back to your question, I’d say the solution is quite simple: caring! Practically speaking, the community can meet to discuss an action plan at least for the basics like feeding, vaccinating, and spaying.”

“Well, you know, not everybody is engaged in the animals’ cause like you! You can’t enforce such measures on the community!”

“I was merely answering your question! I am aware that not everybody cares even if they can afford to! But I also know that getting rid of the pack is not the way to go and will only prove how inhuman humans can be!”

“Anyway, good luck with what you’re doing.” were the last words he whispered before disappearing.

For some reason, I felt tremendously satisfied with pointing out their truth in a subtle way!

 

Before going back home, I exchanged a last complicit glance and a peaceful smile with my new friend.

Last words

Once again, despite the awfulness that I have been noticing during my volunteering missions, the Universe has always its generous way to grant me some blissful and priceless connections.

No matter how much sadness and anger that unfairness and egocentric behaviors may trigger, I am always offered the opportunity to be grateful beyond words, keep the faith and my heart open to receive the magic!