02/06/2023
Such short little lives our companion animals have,
and they spend every single day of it just waiting to be loved.
Please pay attention to them.
1. Schedule meal times and follow them without fail. Animals do not expect a lot out of life. Aside from our presence, food is the one thing they do get excited about. It takes so little to give them joy. And please make sure they are not eating food that is harmful to them. Being a responsible, decent animal parent means knowing what those are.
2. If they get sick, they MUST be brought to the vet. If you have to borrow or beg for money, do it. Do for them as you would for any other family member or loved one.
3. Have them DEWORMED and VACCINATED. So many risks to their life and health can be addressed by these. They do not just have the RIGHT to a life free of suffering, they also DESERVE it, pure and innocent as they are.
4. Please allow them inside your home. Free to live among members of the family, and to be part of daily interactions. They long for true companionship. Don't allow for perfunctory pats on their head to be the highlight of their days in their short life. Give them time. Give them affection. Give them undivided attention. Most of all, let them inside so that they can be free from the dangers that are out in the streets. There are so many.
5. As often as possible, give them exercise and mental stimulation. This prevents unwanted behaviors such as aggression, territoriality, anxious whining, excessive barking, destructive tendencies, etc. Notice that dogs who are tied up or are in cages most of the time are those that develop behavioral issues. There are no bad animals, just harsh environments that bad people create for them. The behaviors they develop in such conditions are made in an effort to SURVIVE. They want to live. Just like you and me.
6. Spay/neuter. Kapon ang solusyon. A lot of medical issues such as cancer of the reproductive organs, pyometra, and uterine infections can be prevented by spaying/neutering. Tendencies to escape the home to find a mate will also be eliminated, reducing the probability of your companion animal getting into an accident from roaming.
They will never demand for any of these. They're mostly happy just having something to eat and spending time with us. But we are humans; the most intelligent species. We SHOULD know better. The only reason we are superior in mental capacity is so we can look after those who need help.
Because what is intelligence anyway? Just a term used by a proud species to glorify its most evolved feature. A faculty that should primarily be used to better the life of all creatures. Intelligence is not a measure of worth. And it is only as good as how it is used to serve.
May we all be of service, and may animals everywhere benefit from it.
