First off I will warn you this is a mini to a moderate sized rant.
It has been simmering for years and I have had little outbursts to unsuspecting
people who happened to be in my company over time but lately I just feel so
overwhelmingly frustrated and bewildered by man" kind" as of lately
that I have to say it here for anyone who's bothered to read.
As a former very proud dog owner ( My
darling Mr. Mo passed away at the ripe old age of 14 the summer before last,
may his stinky self rest in peace.) I have a special appreciation for the
unique bond between owner and pet. Nothing can quite replace that unconditional
love a dog shows their owner (That said any of the seldom times that I dared
eat a packet of pine nuts or rashers without sharing or didn't give Mo a neck
rub QUITE long enough I received a mighty cold shoulder from him, so there
actually might be a few conditions but love needs a few rules and boundaries
really I guess!) So it completely breaks my heart every time I read or hear
about the un-explainable animal cruelty that occurs, what seems more and more
frequently, on our small island.
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| The late and great Mr. Mo & myself. |
I have been following the Facebook page
for Cork
Dog Action Welfare Group over
the past few months and I am absolutely blown away by the care and support that
this page is filled with for the dogs found. So many well-wishers and foster
families for the dogs help to support one another to keep fighting the good
fight. The page also has highlighted the unmerciful cruelty that has been
inflicted on these poor innocent creatures. Beaten, torture and mostly left for
dead these poor mites are given a second chance by the wonderful people at
DAWG. One notably is Fionn, the wonder dog, who has stolen my heart along with
thousands of others. I have been following Fionn's story from the start where
he was found by a walker who almost mistook him as just part of the pile of
rubbish he was left for dead on. He was brutally beaten and tires were placed
on top of him, it seems as though whoever put him there did not want there to
be any chance for him to be saved. Due to the amazing work by DAWG, his foster
mom, and the countless supporters that made extremely generous donations Fionn
has made a miraculous recovery. His journey has been tough and by no means
straightforward due to the extremity of his injuries that were inflicted by
nothing more than a pathetic snivelling excuse of a person. (Link here for more on Fionn’s story.) Sadly
there are many more like Fionn every day, many of them aren't as lucky as he to
have been found and nursed back to health.
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| Photo Source: breakingnews.ie |
What really makes me even angrier is how the people responsible
get away with such monstrous actions. Even if they are caught they will serve
little to no time for their crimes which absolutely shocks me as according to
PETA and many other sources, research and study on psychology and criminology
shows that people who commit acts of cruelty and violence against animals do
not usually stop there, many move onto humans. Now I am by no means demeaning
what I personally consider a gravely serious offence in its own right but if
the justice system doesn't see it to be a huge crime by itself can they not
take a look at what it could lead to by not taking precautions? Murderers often
start out by killing animals, many of them as children but this does not mean
that it is limited to a young age. Notorious serial killers such as the Boston
Strangler and the BTK killer, among many others, both began their spree early
on with their victims starting out as animals according to PETA. Studies undertaken by Cynthia Hodges, attorney with animal law practice and Australian Police
both revealed that 100% of sexual homicide offenders examined had a history of
animal cruelty. So why are these disgusting crimes not taken more seriously and
being reflected by increasing sentences and implementing compulsory psychiatric
counselling on those guilty?
The UK seems to have the same lenient sentencing.
Trainee Solicitor Katy Gammon only received
a measly 18 weeks jail time for purposely tying
up and abandoning her boxer Roxy without food or water in an apartment. Her
body was found 10 weeks later after dying of prolonged dehydration and
starvation. This sickens me to my core that someone could be so deliberately
cruel and indifferent to an animal's life.
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| Orphaned foal stands by its' mother's body. Photo source: The Independent. |
In recent months it
seems that the number of cases has grown rapidly. To mention but a few, two
horses met the grisly demise, one was doused in petrol and lit on fire by a
gang of young teens in Tallaght and another was kicked and beaten to death by a
group of men in a Wicklow town leaving her defensless foal without a mother.
All for a laugh right? I mean sure teenagers were probably rebelling and the
men were too drunk, that’s not a psychotic thing to do at all, no sirey. The
teens will probably grow out of it and the men must be family men underneath it
all, best not ruin their lives for a silly "mistake" - This is
probably what many try persuade themselves to think so not to face
the reality that these are sadistic acts that will lead to further disgusting
violence on more innocent animals and people, but sure as long as it’s not a
pet they own or a person they love what does it matter! The more we the people
and the law of our land sit idly by the worse it is going to get. To quote the
words of Edmund Burke “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that
good men do nothing”.
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| A lovely selection of adorable "muttley crew" that has passed through the doors of DAWG |
