When I hear news stories about animal abuse, cruelty or neglect, it stuns and amazes me that a human could act with such malice toward any innocent and defenseless animal. I wonder how they were raised, or what happened during their life to make them so cold hearted toward another living being.

 

When I was growing up, we always had cats, dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, etc. From an early age, I was taught to be gentle with animals and that they, like us, could feel fear and pain. Looking back, I thank my mother for this gift and the upbringing that she gave me.

 

As a parent, it has also been my responsibility to raise my children with compassion for animals. From the beginning, I taught them to “do unto others, as you would have them to unto you.” I stressed the fact that this does not only apply to people, but to animals as well. I would use the analogy that if you were that dog or cat, how would you feel if they did that to you? That was most effective, stressing that God gave us the gift of animals and we had a responsibility to treat them with respect. Animals are wonderful companions because they are non-judgmental, loyal and are always there for you.

 

In today’s fast-paced society, when mothers and fathers are always busy trying to keep up with homework, school activities, and sports, let’s not forget to pass along the important, basic principal of being kind to animals.

 

Animals cannot speak for themselves so, as humans, we have a responsibility to report neglect and cruelty whenever and wherever we see it. If you witness cruelty or neglect, you can do something about it. Not only can you contact your local police, you can also report abuse and neglect to organizations such as the Western PA Humane Society and Animal Friends.  Their contact information is included in the Pets Over Pittsburgh directory.

 

Keep in mind that these organizations rely on the financial support of you, the pet lovers in Pittsburgh. Please try to set aside a portion of your budget to support them in their efforts – no amount is too little!