God forgive me. I am about to do something that could be regarded as betrayal by the person I am going to do it to. But I feel I cannot just stand by.
There is a woman in my church that has quite a few dogs--about 9 or 10 to be exact. I am not the only one who thinks that these animals are being mistreated. But any time anyone brings it up to her she gets defensive.
These dogs spend most of their days locked in tiny traveling crates in a small room. When you go in the house the first thing you notice is the rancid smell of dog pee. Some of the dogs have been abused and have behavior problems. They bark, they growl.
Recently they moved out to the country where I'd hoped they would build a kennel and give the dogs more room. But I understand this has not been done and the dogs are still for the most part living as miserably as they were in the former place.
She thinks she is doing these dogs a favor because she has "rescued" them from even more abusive situations. I do not agree. She knows how I feel about it because I have told her.
As many of you who have been my readers know, I work in the controversial field of animal research. I can tell you that NO lab animal at my workplace lives in such conditions. In fact it is against the law and I told her that quite plainly. Laboratory animals, zoo animals and circus animals are all covered under the U.S. Animal Welfare Act. If any of you saw the movie "We Bought A Zoo" you will recall the USDA inspector with his ruler measuring the animal enclosures and saying that they had to change things because the laws were stricter now. That is true. The laws are very strict and getting stricter. They cover everything from how much room each animal is required to have to the kind of enrichment each species needs. Mice, for example, like to build nests so material must be provided for them to nest in. The amount and kind of food is specified. Even the air quality of the animal's environment is monitored. And, as "We Bought A Zoo" shows, the law requires all animal facilities to be periodically inspected.
Unfortunately, the Animal Welfare Act does not cover pets. If it did, I'm afraid that there are a lot of "animal lovers" out there like my friend whose homes would not pass muster. I am somewhat sensitive on the topic of animal cruelty because this is something I get asked about a lot given my work. I tell people I would rather be a lab animal where I work than many people's pets. I would get better veterinary care, I would get better food, and I would get far more attention and exercise. We have a vet on call 24 hours a day. All injuries and illnesses no matter how minor must be reported. And before a study can even start, those proposing it must demonstrate that it does not unnecessarily duplicate previous studies, that it does not cause avoidable or unnecessary pain and that there are no current alternatives. I realize that what I have said is probably not going to convince die-hard "animal rights" people; but the point is you can't go in willy nilly and do what you like with lab animals.
To get back to my friend, I was talking with one of my co-workers about the situation and she told me, "You have no choice. You have to call the animal control people and have them go out there. You KNOW what is right for these animals. You know that what she is doing is cruel. You can't just sit back and watch it happen." She said that animal control won't reveal who made the call--that it could be anyone, the meter reader, the mailman.
She is right, but I also know how my friend will feel. She will feel betrayed no matter who did it. But she will not listen to reason.
When I was a child I was forced to stand by and witness my neighbor's mistreatment of his horses. It was as heartbreaking as anything you'd hear on the news. But he was rich and to my parents' eyes, powerful, and therefore even though it was wrong I was told to not say anything. Not to him, not to anyone. So I stood by as a beautiful mare was permanently crippled. In the end when he died all the horses were sent to an auction. Someone tried to tell me that the Amish bought them but I knew better. I knew where my beloved horses wound up.
I am not a child anymore and I am not powerless. I cannot and will not stand by and watch a child or an animal be abused. Those days are over.
There is a woman in my church that has quite a few dogs--about 9 or 10 to be exact. I am not the only one who thinks that these animals are being mistreated. But any time anyone brings it up to her she gets defensive.
These dogs spend most of their days locked in tiny traveling crates in a small room. When you go in the house the first thing you notice is the rancid smell of dog pee. Some of the dogs have been abused and have behavior problems. They bark, they growl.
Recently they moved out to the country where I'd hoped they would build a kennel and give the dogs more room. But I understand this has not been done and the dogs are still for the most part living as miserably as they were in the former place.
She thinks she is doing these dogs a favor because she has "rescued" them from even more abusive situations. I do not agree. She knows how I feel about it because I have told her.
As many of you who have been my readers know, I work in the controversial field of animal research. I can tell you that NO lab animal at my workplace lives in such conditions. In fact it is against the law and I told her that quite plainly. Laboratory animals, zoo animals and circus animals are all covered under the U.S. Animal Welfare Act. If any of you saw the movie "We Bought A Zoo" you will recall the USDA inspector with his ruler measuring the animal enclosures and saying that they had to change things because the laws were stricter now. That is true. The laws are very strict and getting stricter. They cover everything from how much room each animal is required to have to the kind of enrichment each species needs. Mice, for example, like to build nests so material must be provided for them to nest in. The amount and kind of food is specified. Even the air quality of the animal's environment is monitored. And, as "We Bought A Zoo" shows, the law requires all animal facilities to be periodically inspected.
Unfortunately, the Animal Welfare Act does not cover pets. If it did, I'm afraid that there are a lot of "animal lovers" out there like my friend whose homes would not pass muster. I am somewhat sensitive on the topic of animal cruelty because this is something I get asked about a lot given my work. I tell people I would rather be a lab animal where I work than many people's pets. I would get better veterinary care, I would get better food, and I would get far more attention and exercise. We have a vet on call 24 hours a day. All injuries and illnesses no matter how minor must be reported. And before a study can even start, those proposing it must demonstrate that it does not unnecessarily duplicate previous studies, that it does not cause avoidable or unnecessary pain and that there are no current alternatives. I realize that what I have said is probably not going to convince die-hard "animal rights" people; but the point is you can't go in willy nilly and do what you like with lab animals.
To get back to my friend, I was talking with one of my co-workers about the situation and she told me, "You have no choice. You have to call the animal control people and have them go out there. You KNOW what is right for these animals. You know that what she is doing is cruel. You can't just sit back and watch it happen." She said that animal control won't reveal who made the call--that it could be anyone, the meter reader, the mailman.
She is right, but I also know how my friend will feel. She will feel betrayed no matter who did it. But she will not listen to reason.
When I was a child I was forced to stand by and witness my neighbor's mistreatment of his horses. It was as heartbreaking as anything you'd hear on the news. But he was rich and to my parents' eyes, powerful, and therefore even though it was wrong I was told to not say anything. Not to him, not to anyone. So I stood by as a beautiful mare was permanently crippled. In the end when he died all the horses were sent to an auction. Someone tried to tell me that the Amish bought them but I knew better. I knew where my beloved horses wound up.
I am not a child anymore and I am not powerless. I cannot and will not stand by and watch a child or an animal be abused. Those days are over.
