Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Yesterday as I was skimming through a copy of the GDN lying on my table, I was aghast to see the image of a seagull found dead in the desert with its beak tied with a cable. This engulfed me with sadness and set me thinking.
Today, the world needs kindness more than ever before. Caring for the helpless, speaking for those who do not have a voice is the need of the hour. As Rumi once said: “Teach them to be kind to animals and they will grow up to be kind to people too.”
The way we treat animals also says a lot about our character and personality. Studies indicate that growing up with pets in the house makes an individual more empathetic, confident and responsible. I vividly remember my visits to various zoos as a child and experiencing this overwhelming sadness at the sight of caged birds and animals.
I always felt that they belong in the bright blue skies and the endless wilderness. Every day countless cats, dogs and other animals which are defenseless are subject to physical violence and life threatening neglect at the hands of people who are supposed to take care of them. Also, animal testing is another debatable issue. I feel this should be replaced by non-animal research methods.
It pains me to think of all the mice, rabbits, cats and other animals used for unethical experiments in laboratories. At the same time, we have these compassionate humans who go the extra mile and form communities that volunteer to help those battered animals.
In Bahrain, we have the Bahrain Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) which is a humane charitable organisation dedicated to the benefit of animals. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organisation in the world which has made its strong voice heard globally. The way forward is to have enforcement officials and communities to treat cases of animal abuse seriously.
The offenders should be prosecuted and sentenced sending out a strong message to the society.
