Word of Mouth -
There are many questions that go unanswered in this world, and there are even more unexplained reasons of why people commit ungodly acts.
To me, I simply can't wrap my head around why people abuse, mistreat, and ignore domesticated animals. My family surprised my brother and me with a dog many, many, years ago - back when I was in junior high, if I'm not mistaken. That dog lived the life all dogs should live. We gave the dog a loving home, gave it plenty of food, water, and exercise, and never did anything to put it in harm's way. That dog was on this planet for 14 or 15 years, which is quite a long life for a dog. When it died, however, my parents swore to never have another dog because of the heartache they went through. They will always say the dog was like another child, and to watch another dog die would simply be too much.
To some people, that's understandable.
To others, however, it's laughable.
It's the later that confuses me.
We've all seen and read reports about animal cruelty. I've seen reports where a dog had its hind legs tied together, was tossed into a river, but miraculously swam its way to shore, and crawled unto a path where it was thankfully rescued.
Why someone would purposely hurt that animal goes beyond my way of thinking. The type of person who does that must be missing a chromosome, or their brain is just a quagmire of dead cells.
I don't have the room to talk about the reported cases of animal cruelty, which, in itself, is an interesting statement.
What I want people to think about is an appropriate sentence for people caught harming animals. Of course, this subject can branch off into many different areas of animal cruelty. So, I'm sticking to, for lack of a better term, domesticated abuse.
It's easy to see why impulse buying a puppy or kitten is common. Puppies and kittens are heart-meltingly cute, but after a year or two of stained carpets, late night barking, vet bills, etc...the cuteness factor goes out the door - along with the poor animal who probably never had a chance from the beginning.
There are many reasons why the SPCA is home to an abundance of homeless animals, but I'm willing to bet a week's pay that one of the main reasons a dog goes homeless is because its owner got tired of it.
So, if a person takes its dog for a drive in the country, stops 95 kilometres outside of town on a deserted, dusty highway, and pushes the dog out of the vehicle, what should the appropriate action be?
To me, a pet owner shouldn't look at their pet as just an animal. You have to care for a pet as you would a child. You need to make sure your pet is healthy, you need to show it love and compassion, you must feed it, keep it clean, etc.
So, when it comes to abandonment, I think the person dumping their pet should pay a hefty fine, and if the circumstance permits, jail time wouldn't be out of the question. Harsh? Maybe. However, if animal cruelty laws were extreme, and if they seemed to be unfair or unjust, then people will think twice before adopting an animal they can't afford, or can't take care of.
Some people may call me crazy to suggest jail time for releasing their pet dog in the middle of nowhere. I just can't help but wonder what that dog is feeling when it's suddenly lost - homeless. One minute you're in the car with your owner, and then you're alone.
Would you do that to a child?
info@ganderbeacon.ca
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