 Purred: Fri Feb 29, '08 7:06am PST |
 | |  | | I started this group in response to a trip I took to Romania, my home country, last summer. I left the country as a teenager and had not been back for over 7 years. What struck me the most during my visit was the horrile treatment of animals, the complete ignorance about how animals should actually be cared for and the refusal to acknowledge that overpopulation CAN and SHOULD be prevented. Packs of stray dogs and cats roam the streets there. It is still common for people to drown animals or abandon them as a means of controlling the pet population. Spaying/neutering is a completely new concept and few people do it.
My purpose is not to criticize society (not entirely, at least) as I know that Romania is still a developing country and that many people do not have the financial means to care for animals. When I was growing up, animals were there to serve (dogs were meant to protect, cats were there to catch mice, etc.) and not to be pampered. The mentality is radically different than what we are accustomed to in the U.S. and I have no intention of going into a philosophical debate over animal ethics, especially in light of the complexity of the situation. Nevertheless, you may have already guessed which side of the fence I am on...
As a visitor in my own country, I was moved to tears every time I saw homeless animals beg for food. I was shocked to see a gypsy holding a lion cub on a chain and charging people money to take pictures with it. I felt anger and disgust surge as I talked to a friend of the family (pharmacist, vet and recent founder of a non-profit organization to educate humans about pets, shelter and adopt animals) and realized that the legislature needed to stop animal abuse was virtually inexistent. I was the crazy lady on the street who fed cats her restaurant meals.
I started this group to show support for my friend who is one of the few animal-rights pioneers in the area. I want her (and other people) to know how proud I am that she is making a difference...trying to educate children about respecting animals so that they may grow up to be wise and compassionate adults, investing her own money into spaying/neutering campaigns, caring for abandoned animals left on her doorstep.
And though there is not much I can do to help her at the moment (financially or volunteer-wise), I will do whatever I can to generate awareness of how animals are still treated abroad. I will also dedicate my time and efforts to fighting animal abuse locally (as great as this country is and as advanced as we may be compared to places like Romania, we do still have our own problems).
I have donated money to the Humane Society and will continue to do so. I plan on volunteering when time permits. At work, I am an advocate for organizing bake sales and other fundraisers to raise money for animal shelters. I have pledged never to buy an animal from a pet store but rather to give a chance to those who really need it...abandoned animals in shelters, many of whom risk being put down for lack of shelter resources. On a more personal level, I have vowed to love and treasure my cats until death do us apart, to cuddle them and pamper them and to always remain grateful for the joy they bring into my life.
And though it saddens me to know that I cannot change the world, I remain confident that every small act of kindness matters.
We all have a say in this world. What will you do?
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