Animals are our companions

By Hana Mazhar

Animals that are domestic in nature or those which have been taken from the wild and trained to be domestic are our responsibility.

When we take animals from the wild and keep them with us, we allow them to become dependent on us for food and shelter. Hence, their constant need for attention increases.

Some animals are extremely affectionate while others do not welcome human touch.

While it is important to distinguish between these, it is necessary to know that animals have their own rights, and we as human beings should respect those rights.

Animals that are used for commercial purposes, like cows, goats, camels, chicken, roosters, ducks and many more should be handled with concern.

But unfortunately, they are considered as commodities that are regarded as  living beings who are unable to perpetuate feelings or emotions. Ill-treatment of animals has become very common.

Taking advantage

Since they cannot stand up for themselves or protest, we take advantage of their capabilities and disregard their feelings.

When animals live under grave circumstances where they are beaten with rods, punched, or even chained tight they are unable to manifest their natural behaviors.

They become tired ever so often, ill, depressed and unable to behave normally, They lose their appetite and become malnourished.

Thus, this concludes that animals do have a disadvantage compared to human beings. When they are deprived of food or mistreated, they cannot speak or share their feelings with us.

Animals in fact have a very distinct form of communication which is totally opposite to human beings,

They would behave a certain way according to their mood, and of course how they are treated would also encourage their behavior; growling, howling, biting, kissing, purring, licking etc.

Animal shelters in Malaysia exist in large numbers, and websites like Petfinder, Second chance animal shelter, PAWs animal welfare society, World Wildlife Fund, SPCA etc. are some organisations working to support animal rights.

While some support animals with injuries, disabilities and diseases, others are established to preserve wildlife sanctuaries where they are provided with food, shelter, hygiene and stable security from poachers and hunters.

Factory farm animals are mistreated the most

Factory farm animals (FFA) are mistreated the most. Animals on these farms have restricted movements, they are kept in completely closed boundaries where they are given very little space or no space at all.

Most of the times factory farm animals are suffocated and kept without proper food and hygiene for months.

These animals cannot take care of themselves or even groom themselves because they are deprived of clean water and space.

They are stuffed in these farms like beverages; one stacked over another! Reports prove that factory farm animals undergo horrendous mutilations which cause them extreme pain and sufferings.

The worst part to be noted is that when one animal is killed, the workers are completely insensitive to the fact that this killing might be witnessed by other animals in the farm which causes extreme depression and fear for the animals witnessing this, and because of this they lose their appetites and face miscarriages; if pregnant. (check FFA cruelty videos on YouTube to witness crimes against animals and their cry for help).

There are a wide number of animal cruelty practices that are in existence, for instance, the hot blade beak-blunting, where a heated blade is used to trim the beak of a bird. This causes extreme pain to the birds.

This is usually used to reduce cannibalism and is common among elder chicken when they are in grieve stress and anxiety.

This beak trimming, later does not even allow them to peck and grab their food which in turn, dehydrates and starves the birds.

Wire cages, in which chicken are stored like non-living commodities, are stuffed inside on top of each other without any room for them to breathe or move around.

For cows, goats, sheep’s and pig’s castration is performed to control breeding. This surgery is conducted without the use of anesthetic which causes unimaginable pain to the animals.

While other times, they castrate by crushing the blood vessels and blocking the nerve supply using tight bands or clamps.

Other ill practices

Tail docking and ear cropping are also some of the painful methods used to drain the animal’s energy to keep them less energetic to oppose from taking their milk or prevent the elderly animals resistance from taking away their babies; i.e. calves from cows.

These ill practices need to be given more coverage because it is our duty to take care of animals since we are given the ability to understand them and we can take care of them.

They must be given protection and taken care of. Those under threat of extinction, must be preserved and supported for their conservation.

Simple animals like dogs and cats who can be seen everywhere around us need protection as well. Animal babies that have been separated from their mothers at a very fragile age, need to be taken care of by us, humans.

Kittens usually cannot survive on their own once they are separated from their mothers at a very young age. They need constant affection, warmth and food supply from their mothers.

Once they are abandoned, they are unable to excrete on their own, prey for food or even clean themselves. In such situations they take shelter under dark, hidden places because of fear.

Next time before starting your car engine, make sure to check under your car because you might find a bundle of joy hiding beneath.

Prevent animal cruelty

Let’s make sure to prevent cruelty against animals, even if they are minute in size, do not cause them harm, unless in self-defense.

Take animals as ‘human beings’, with families that they have to return to. This might create a soft spot for them in you even if you dislike animals.

We depend on animals as much as they depend on us, even the extinction of one animal will cause great disturbance in the ecological food chain.

We survive in the same ecology, we must take care of one another.

The phrase “man is a social animal” by Aristotle proves that we are one of the same kind. The only difference is, we have been given more rational abilities than them.

So, let’s not waste our rationality and support our beings — animals! ***

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