My friend also has a number of goats, some ducks that live near this barn during the winter and on the pond all spring, summer and fall and a full size horse which she rides often.
In winter I sometimes take care of all these creatures (and the chickens when she had them as well) when my friend and her husband travel.
It was interesting on Christmas bird count day to visit this hobby farm again and go over to the fence where the minis were enjoying some fresh hay in their pasture. Luca and Nutmeg came immediately looking for carrots which I always carried in my pocket when I cleaned the barn and fed them. It reminds me that animals have long memories and will remember a person who is kind for much longer than we think - specially if food is involved. You have no idea how many dogs when they hear my voice in a shop, at their door or on the street, immediately come to me, and sit, looking up with delighted eyes. They know I carry dog biscuits in my pocket. One dog isn't allowed biscuits because they upset his tummy but he knows when I visit that I'm good for a game of catch...yes I am a sucker when it comes to animals...
And speaking of animals and animal welfare - Air Canada transports primates for research. It is one of the few airlines that continues this abominable practice with 48 chimps being brought into Canada and held over in crates in a drafty hangar in Toronto on Sunday January 23.
If you don't believe in animals being used alive for research ( I don't happen to support this though I know the medical community feels they are essential) - or if you have issues with their ethical and humane care please visit
http://www.buav.org/take-
http://www.buav.org/take-
Thank you for thinking of the animals, not the profit of big pharmaceutical companies.
Thank you for thinking of the animals, not the profit of big pharmaceutical companies.
Oh my goodness, they are so beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about using animals for research. Most of me wants to say it is wrong and we should demand that it be stopped and then I will read something from the medical community discussing the value of some research.
It is a really hard subject to be objective on for me for many reason but I love animals so much it is hard to say there is any justification.
I agree Mindy - it's their ethical and humane treatment that I want to see more than anything, I understand their value to the medical community - not to the cosmetics industry though - there's no reason to use animals to test lipsticks and hair conditioner that I can see...But perhaps we shouldn't be capturing wild animals and transporting them half way across the world in crates and then submitting them to a strange life in a cage when once they were free? Breeding animals to live in cages for that purpose, is that a better way? I'm just not sure about it but I do know that wherever animals are involved they should be treated with kindness, care and some semblance of humanity - whatever the circumstances... the airlines that transport them don't seem to do that.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% that if the medical community is going to insist that the research is necessary and saving lives that each and every animal should be treated as kindly as possible and taken care of and respected for the work that they are doing as well.
ReplyDelete