I feel honored to have been asked to write for APR and share my deep love for animals with you, my kindred souls. I hope this blog will encourage all of you to participate in the only substantiated reason for human existence as I see it; to teach, learn, understand and share. I hope to muster up a lot of laughs, a few tears, and a fervent commitment to the saving and nurturing of the precious and innocent creatures with which we share this wondrous planet. So, dear hearts, I’m going to start this off with an article I wrote after being provoked by an animal abuse report I watched on the evening news.
WALK A MILE ON MY PAWS
Let me introduce myself: I am what you humans refer to as an animal (mammal in my case). I evolved billions of years ago from the same star dust produced by a super nova as you and everything else in our remarkable universe. I am a prime example of the miracle of life. In some cases I carry as much as 99% of the same DNA as you.
I am incapable of complex language, so my “language” to you sounds like nothing more than senseless noise. I can’t do calculus or trigonometry, invent an iPhone, or have what it takes to become a quantum physicist, but I have the same basic needs for survival as you; air, water, food, shelter, acceptance, and companionship. I feel hunger, thirst, pain, love, hate, fear and anxiety. If I hadn’t told you I was an animal, you might think I was describing some unfortunate human with physical or mental disabilities or one of your own newborn offspring!
This is why I find it so difficult to understand why many of you regard me as nothing more than an inanimate object, devoid of thought or feeling and undeserving of your respect and compassion. Perhaps it’s because you’re one of the lucky ones who’ve never experienced abuse and/or neglect from someone ten times your size, and not had the ability to defend yourself or ask what you did to deserve such treatment. Maybe you’ve never known the gut-wrenching anxiety of illness and pain, and the anguish of having to suffer in silence that comes with it.
I find it astonishing that, in this day and age, there are still those with such brain-washed, arrogant attitudes, still clinging to the dogma that would have burned Darwin at the stake. I’m very grateful for the millions of intelligent, civilized, compassionate and caring humans who understand my plight and are adamant about coming to my rescue, but I wish more could be done to prevent such abuse before it happens, and perpetrators more severely punished when it does. This wish will, of course, never come to fruition until you humans become incapable of treating your own kind in the same manner.
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I will be writing this blog each month with updates of heart-warming stories from and about pet parents, contributors, and volunteers. This will occasionally include a report on life with my four Katzenjammer kids, Jessie, Jenna, Jody and Jinx. With high hopes and anticipation that all who read our postings will contribute to this endeavor, I have set up an email account just for this purpose. Please email me at allie4katz@gmail.com and share your puppy love, kitty shenanigans, new beginnings and happy endings. Until next time, dear hearts, I will leave you with an old Jewish saying that has always touched my heart: “A man never soars higher than when he’s stooped to help an animal or a child.”
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Down Allie’s Alley
Dogs can tell when people are untrustworthy and will stop listening to a person if they prove unreliable. If you would like to join me in signing a petition to add a 28th Amendment to the Constitution giving the dog the right to vote, please let me know at allie4katz@gmail.com. Allie
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Allie’s Fun with Furry Facts
Only 5% of dogs experience dental decay, compared with 90% of children. Maybe we should start feeding our kids Dog Chow? I may not have any more Halloweeners next year; I passed out Milk Bones. Allie
