Like-Minded People

I read this article in Sunday's NST, with some sort of deja vu, coz I could identify exactly with what she said about her feelings towards animals as well as towards people's attitudes to animals.

And we both share the same dream! Although she's definitely accomplished more with the publishing of her book (no, writing a book on animals isn't one of my dreams since I can't write to save my life!).

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I'm currently reading this book by Sy Montgomery, "The Good Good Pig, the Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood", which is a pet memoir about the author's pig named, well, Christopher Hogwood :o)

In the course of the book, the author also talks about her history with animals and also her interesting relationship with animals. And I find that I identify with a lot of the things that she talks about coz I have a similar attitude towards animals as well.

It is not that I disliked people; some of them are interesting and kind. But even the nice ones were no more compelling or important to me than other creatures... to me humans are but one species among billions of other equally vivid and thrilling lives... Humans seemed to me a rather bullying species, and I was on the side of the underdog.

That just about describes how I feel about people.

I know that I'm different from other "normal" people in the way that I 'see' animals. I don't see them as nuisances with diseases (in the case of stray animals), I don't see them as objects that we can choose to discard or kill at our pleasure. Basically, I think the difference between me and 'normal' people is that I actually take the time to THINK about animals (but whether or not I have any control over what happens to the animal is another different story altogether). Many a time, when people choose do something, they don't even realize that what they do can have an impact on animals and it can ultimately, the result could affect our very own selves.

For example, development is fine and dandy if there is proper planning. But indiscriminate development causes so many adverse effects, one of which is encroaching upon land where wild animals live and obtain their source of food. So the land is cleared and where does that leave the animals? Well, without a home, obviously, as well as their source of food. People get new homes, but the animals get forced out of theirs. And when they can't find food coz, well, their food source is no longer there, what do these animals do? They are forced to go forage for food in people's homes, the very homes that their (the animals') homes were cleared for so that these people's homes could be built. And then when this happens, people cry bloody murder coz they don't want wild monkeys going thru their garbage, and God forbid, somehow find a way to get into their homes! See, cause and effect and in the end, nobody wins.

That's from the aspect of land/property development. Let's talk about pet ownership. As you can see, pet shops have virtually sprung up overnight at every corner you can think of. Everywhere I go these days, I see at least one petstore. A few years ago, if I wanted to find a petstore, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack!

So that means something right? That there is demand for pets and normally, I would take this as a positive sign coz that means people are becoming more aware of the benefits of having pets but I'm not. Why? Coz a lot of people buy a pet just the sake of having a pet. They think having a pet is cool (especially a pedigreed one or an exotic one) or they feel it's a status symbol or they're just giving in to their children who've been pestering them for a pet. But a lot of people don't understand the amount of work and commitment involved in keeping a pet. I liken it to having a child (albeit one who doesn't scream and throw tantrums like a child) but requires almost as much effort and time. So, they get a pet and after a while, they 'suddenly discover' that having Rover or Fluffy or Blackie isn't as much fun as they'd thought it would be. The daily walks and regular attention, not to mention training, that the pet requires is too much for them to handle. So poor Rover or Fluffy or Blackie will find that their human, who'd lavished so much attention on him/her at the beginning suddenly doesn't want to spend any time with him/her anymore. The story usually ends with the owner surrendering the animal to the animal shelter (if they are even kind enough to do that) or the owner might just decide to release the animal on the streets for it to fend for itself.

And don't get me started on petstores selling exotic pets! If people can't even learn or commit to taking care of a common domestic animal like a cat or a dog, how can we even expect them to be able to take care of an exotic pet, which requires a lot more care and specific conditions for the animal to thrive? This is one of the main reasons why I detest pet stores that sell animals (especially exotic ones). I know selling pets is a good business and all, but I feel that a lot of them are just bringing the animals and selling them for profit without finding out whether potential owners are even capable of taking care of the animal.

To me, a lot of this is just common sense. However, a lot of people I know will not understand when I tell them how I feel about animals or when I start talking about animal issues. A lot of them have the "It's just an animal. No big deal." attitude. It's really frustrating when people (especially friends) don't understand the issue, and more importantly, WHY it's an issue. I don't really blame them coz our society is not one that places importance on animals, which I think is such a shame coz animals are such delightful and intelligent creatures and we can learn so much from them, if only we take the time to observe them. I've been brought up with animals all my life so I believe that's where my foundation was built. It is NOT just a phase, as some would like to call it. This is one of the things that make me who I am.

But at the end of the day, sometimes I feel so isolated and alone coz I know very very few people who feel the same way I do about animals that I could talk to. Sometimes there're so many things on the subject that I just wanna talk to someone about, someone who understands, but there's no one to talk to.

So, it's very heartening to come across like-minded people once in a blue moon, people who have the same affinity towards animals as I do. And also people who are doing something for the betterment of animals. I'm trying as well, the small ways that I can. I wish I could come across/meet people like these more often.

Ah well, at least I know I'm not alone... nor am I just a weirdo who seems to care so much about animals rather than her fellow species.

Oh, and I quite enjoyed the ending scene in Open Season, where the animals memberontak-ed against the hunters. Kinda wished that would happen in real life. But then again, knowing humans, they'd get angry and burn down the forest with the animals in it just coz the animals DARED to stop them (the hunters) from hunting them (the animals).