All Creatures Great and Small

I don't remember the exact moment, nor can I remember what it was that set off this emotion inside of me, but I have always loved animals. Some of my earliest memories revolve around chasing the birds around Stanley Park and feeding my lunch to the squirrels. Just like Noah, I wanted to have two of everything. Expect for snakes. And spiders. They scared me. They still do. But I would never want to hurt them, unless my life depended on it.  I mean, if it was a case of them or me, like Kelly Taylor, I would choose me.

I realise that there are some sick people in this world, like the lady who dumped the cat in the garbage and that horrible little girl, who threw the puppies, one by one, into the river, but generally speaking, who doesn’t care about the welfare of animals? So, when I was forced to defend my belief that animals shouldn't have to suffer, I was shocked that more people didn't feel the same way about them as I did. 

It all began as we were driving home from a weekend away; my friends were having a discussion about caged versus free range eggs.



Caged eggs: Not all it's cracked up to be



My ears pricked up as they explained the logic behind their decisions. Now, I won't go into what was said. I respect them for their beliefs and I would expect them to respect my beliefs. However, I merely stated that it was a cruel process, in which the chicken is subjected to spending their entire life laying cramped inside a shared cage. My friends jokingly teased me. But really, what is so wrong with caring about the treatment of animals?

Poor fellas. They have no idea what awaits them

I can get quite fired up when it comes to causes I believe in. Having said that, sometimes I'm a total contradiction of my beliefs. For example, I'm against the inhumane treatment of animals, but that won't stop me ordering a cheeseburger.  People don't understand my decisions, but I'm not asking them to make the same choices as me. Take BP for instance. Since the Gulf of Mexico disaster, I have boycotted BP and all their affiliated products. My friends questioned my motives. After seeing images of animals, wiping away that filthy oil off their backs, how could I continue to contribute to the cause of it?

It's not so much about the oil spill. Did you know that oil companies spill more oil in Nigeria annually, than the entire Gulf oil disaster? Yet the world continues to ignore it. I don't know. I guess we live in a messed up world. These animals don’t contribute to that. They are not in charge or make decisions that could adversely affect our lives. They have no voice. Who advocates for them?  I do know one thing: I will always be an advocate for animals. And that doesn't mean that I'll be shouting from the highest rooftops. Sometimes it's the little things that can make a big difference.

Let me tell you one thing before you book me a one way ticket to Nimbin: I'm no 'greenie'. I can't believe I'm admitting to this, but I don't separate my garbage before I throw it away.

Sure, I throw bottles and old newspapers in the recycling bin, but if it so happens that some non-recyclable garbage makes its way into the bin, well, so be it. 

But when it comes to another living creature, I will not apologise if I try to minimise the suffering they experience. Yes, I understand the whole ‘food chain’ theory, but does that mean that the prey has to suffer at the hands of their attackers? What I’m trying to say is, when I do eventually get eaten by a shark, should they play with me for a little bit, or would it be more humane for them to gobble me whole? I’m praying for the latter.

I would like to leave you with one thought: Next time someone states their beliefs, try not to judge them. Remember, somebody has to root for the little guy...