Animal Cruelty

Animals have always been a part of my life. They have not only been trusted companions but a comforting presence during many challenging times I have grown to love and respect them for what they are and have learned from them and continue to learn.

In recent years I’ve had the privilege of working with horses which has raised my awareness to a new level. In living and working with them I’ve not only become aware of their intelligent and noble nature but of their social structures, which are similar to ours in many ways. For example, they don’t like to be alone, they feel pain, joy and sadness and mourn the loss of loved ones. I find this indicative of all animals not just horses. Animals are a gift, a gift that the human race so often brutalizes and exploits.. I feel that there should be more laws to protect them from abuse. Existing laws, first enacted in 1892 and only slightly revised in 1956, are sadly out of date.

More and more studies show cruelty to animals can be a warning sign of violence in the home or, if the perpetrator is a child, of a tendency towards violence later in life. Animal abuse is definitely a red flag in the cycle of human brutality. The way we treat animals both wild and domestic, is an indication of how we treat our fellow human beings and how evolved we are as a culture.

In recent years I have rediscovered my Celtic roots along with its folklore, traditions and beliefs which are very similar to our very own native culture. I have a great respect for the reverence which they show for all living things. They show a profound empathy and kinship with other forms of life, rather than a sense of separateness from them or superiority over them. Each species is seen as endowed with it’s own singular array of gifts and powers rather than being pathetically compared to human beings. Perhaps as a ociety we should return to the wisdom of the old ways.

Nearly six years ago the federal government introduced a bill to update Canada’s laws on cruelty to animals. Years later, a revised version is still stuck in the House of Commons at first reading. For years the bill was controversial because of differences between animal welfare groups and those who use animals for their livelihood or sport. Later, it became a political football, being tossed back and forth between the House of Commons and the Senate. The most recent amended version died when the last election was called.

I feel the continued absence of strong criminal laws to protect animals from abuse is a National embarrassment. It only shows how weak and backward we are as a society. In the absence of these laws we are ignoring and condemning the innocent that cannot speak for themselves to a life of torment and death, and in many of these cases the women and children of our society that suffer the same abuse by the same perpetrators. I ask you now, especially any of you who have suffered abuse, to call your MP, or write to your MP or contact any of the Animal Welfare Groups in your area to see how you can help. Our treatment of animals is a sign of our humanity.

Kim Deutsch