October 4th. Another World Animal Day dawns. A day of awareness and information. And in my mind come all the things I read and see daily for many years.
Across the planet, millions of animals are killed, tortured, sold, live in conditions of captivity, and undergo experiments daily. Horses, donkeys, mules, rabbits, chickens, pigs, cows, sheep, ducks, deer, elk, monkeys, dolphins, whales, seals, and any other animal whose slaughter and sale could bring profit or entertainment to humans.
Social networks are full of videos with tragic images: animals being torn apart, plucked and skinned alive, animals dismembered while pregnant, animals mutilated, animals with eyes full of terror waiting for their tormentor’s next move, animals dying from blows to the head with a sledgehammer.
As for our country, it holds the 1st place in Europe for animal abuse. In 2015, 138 case files were formed, and triple the number of complaints for animal abuse were recorded. The cases of abuse where the police acted ex officio skyrocketed from 19 in 2009 to 833 in 2015. The most notorious abuse case of 2016 was the female dog thrown from the 3rd floor of an apartment building. “She fell by herself,” the accused claimed.
But as I already wrote, this was the abuse that became the most known. On a daily basis, the eyes of all those involved see much more. Dogs (and I write about dogs because I happened to connect with them since I was a child) that their owners beat. Dogs wearing choke collars and electric collars. Dogs put into dogfights. Dogs that are raped. Dogs dying from deliberate poisonings.
However, abuse is not only active but also passive. Dogs living permanently on balconies, rooftops, and yards, dogs that never go for walks, dogs that don’t get vaccines and deworming, sick dogs that don’t receive treatments, dogs that live tied up all their lives, dogs that are abandoned, and the list goes on.
And so as not to leave out the “fanatical animal lovers,” dogs that developed a host of behavioral problems because, in their ignorance, through their behavior towards them, they made sure not to teach them boundaries and principles and disregarded their socialization. And unfortunately, forgetting that they coexist with another species and not a human one, and trying to fill their own voids, they easily reach the anthropomorphism of their dogs. Something that does no good to either their dogs or themselves.
My personal opinion has always been that the dog is a companion and a fellow traveler for a lifetime. Faithful and affectionate, he will not judge you, will not treat you badly, will stand by you in every moment, and will be happy with a little from you. A pet, a little play, and a few walks.
And of course, because nature endowed them with more intelligence than many people possess and with ample intuition, a dog can, with proper training, become a lifesaver for people, a guide for the blind, recognize and warn of dangerous changes in the organism of his family’s humans (e.g., fluctuations in diabetes, cancerous tumors, etc.), help in the treatment of patients (pet therapy), discover drugs and explosives, and so much more.
So, in my mind, the dog is something big and precious. And so significant that he deserves to live together with the rest of his family inside the house (regardless of his size; besides, I always believed that furniture takes up space, not animals) and to have all the necessities that will ensure him well-being and longevity.
However, I never claimed that the subject of the dog is easy or understood, always and by everyone. Why? Because it requires knowledge, care, time, and patience. And most of the time, money. Vaccines, deworming, toys, food, leashes, harnesses, treatments, etc.
And unfortunately, most are not willing to spend either their time, or their patience, or their money. The dog is good as long as the person themselves needs to play. When they get tired, they want the dog still and not disturbing them. However, the dog is not a doll but a living being, with needs and rights. He has a need for release, feeding, urination, play, and daily walks (yes, even in the cold). And if you don’t take care to cover these, then the dog not only doesn’t have a good time, but his psyche and behavior are destroyed.
And if the dog bites, then he will always be at fault. Regardless of what they did to him that made him bite or what they have taught him to do.
My opinion, therefore, is that if you want to adopt a dog, inform yourself first about his needs. Ask yourself why you want it and if you can cover these needs. And then proceed.
But as I said at the beginning, World Animal Day dawns. And the dog is not the only animal that isn’t doing well because of humans. Not that I can do anything to change this situation.
Nevertheless, because I believe that our life was given to us to coexist peacefully with other species and not to torture and exterminate them, I can at least wish for the day to dawn when we will understand how precious animals are for humans and treat them with the respect they deserve.
Giorgis Taxidevtis
