Ok, this is a bit deeper than just a story behind a photograph but sometimes you just have to stop and think. Let’s start with…

Do Animals have souls? That was a question on Facebook this week.

I believe they do. They are sentient beings and almost every religion has some belief system where they acknowledge that animals have souls. (I looked it up:))

For example, pets are family members and when they pass away the grief for the owners is very real. Our pets take up so much space physically and emotionally that when they leave us behind, we feel it, like losing a family member.

I remember one day, when I was working in an animal hospital, I was helping with a euthanasia and a little girl was present. She was so sad that her best friend was going to “heaven” and she turned to me and asked, “why are the other dogs and cats still in the hospital” at first I thought she was talking about the patients but talking to her further, she was seeing the souls of animals that were in our hospital. Did I believe her, who knows but it does bring into question that if you believe that animals have souls, shouldn’t we as pet guardians be present when they pass, just in case, so they can move on.

When I drive around the country or when I see the wild mustangs, I find myself, noticing that baby animals are like human kids, they get in trouble with their parents, they play with their siblings, they run around (I call it having the zoomees). I can’t help but notice the similarity. It is a hard pill to swallow when I look at “livestock” and know that their days are numbered…same for the wild mustangs being rounded up, knowing that families will be torn apart and how terrifying it will be for the babies. I know it sounds anthropomorphic but since I believe they have souls, it is not farfetched. I don’t see an animal, I see a living being with a soul that is in tune with nature.

And as I watch them, I can’t help but ponder who in their right mind can hurt animals? There is no excuse in this day and age for violence towards any animal. Once in a while, you hear about an animal that went crazy…I think they just had enough and would rather die than suffer. Also, I truly believed, call me naïve, that trophy hunting was a thing of the past, but guess what it’s not!!!! and when I see the hunters posing with their kill, I can’t help but think that it is not good form, how about equalizing the hunt…no scopes…no guns…let’s see who wins then.

And every truck I see on the highway carrying livestock just makes me cringe and fills my heart with pain. I confess I am not a vegetarian, but I do my best to eat meat responsibly from farmers that take care of their animals. It is virtually a constant battle with myself on that subject:) When I prepare meals, I thank the animal for giving its life to sustain mine.

They are sentient beings and deserve to be treated with respect. When I truly think about animals, they are not the cruelest species, humankind is the cruelest. Humans not only hurt animals but each other and I believe it is getting worse. So today, maybe be a little kinder to your fellow human beings, if you have animals give them an extra hug or treat and take a few minutes to think about it, we must be kinder to each other, kinder to animals and to the planet if we want to save humanity.