Animals & Respect
Posted on http://antifasi.wordpress.com/ 02/02/2014
I want to share something that is hurting me much and is an unsolved problem till today
(and maybe will be for a long, long time). Here's how it goes...
Someday of some-year we were excited with my girlfriend to spend a couple of months (or even years) studying and exploring abroad. We have been many years together, as a little family, along with our 2 cats.
We prepared everything and were ready, but something stopped us in the process.. a recent law of 2012 that we ignored,
made it not possible for us to do this trip.
What is this kind of law?
It's about the mandatory micro-chipping & sterilization of all travelling animals.
It is not accepted by all the countries in the world, but it's a fact for the majority of them
(especially in the european union where we live).
To begin with, I don't find it fair or right to put something into another being's body, which was never even asked about it.
It would be the easiest thing in the world to put a chip into my cat's body, rely it on my sense of responsibility
(which is really strong anyway, from the moment that I decide to take care of them) and do the trip.
But, I’m of the belief that we cannot do whatever we want with our pet-friends, even if it seems to be for a good reason,
we have to respect them.
After all, it just happened that they are living their lives with us and just because we're providing care, food, water & a shelter for them, it doesn't mean that they are our toys or acquisitions.
Every animal has a really admirable language and if we are patient enough we can communicate with them.
So, what do you think?
Do they want something to be done without their permission?
(Especially cats which live a really independent way of life)
...Or, mustn't they have an opinion because they are animals?
To conclude my thesis,
I’m not against people that find it ok to chip their animals, probably because they think that they'll find them easily with it,
in case they get lost.
(I think that's they only reason - as abandonment cannot be stopped).
I’m against the strictness of this law.
I cannot understand why someone who doesn't chip their pet must be illegal and I honestly, cannot understand why it could not be enough to just display a booklet with all the necessary vaccines or some certified paper by a veterinarian or even an official statement of adoption made by the (let's say) owner of the pet.
I think is a really unfair and harmful law as it encroaches the animal rights for freedom of expression and, in the end, faces them as simply objects that adorn someone's baggage or house.
Some will agree with me, some will disagree.
But, I think, that, we always have the right to have an option.
And this law doesn't offer one.
Postscript: There are really better laws if we want to show our love to animals
(stray or not) such as one that would provide funds for public feeders along walkways and squares all over cities.
I think that would be perfect. It's already been done in some countries, but I think that others have to follow as well.
~ This text has been sent in English to several embassies-animal welfare, but I only got one answer and the position was that:
"At present we do not demand it as a prerequisite for the animal to have a chip in order to take it for medical care".
Needless to say, at some time strays will not care if they do not have chips.
Http://www.pettravel.com/passportnew.cfm
Here you can see what each country requires from pet animals (cat-dog-ferret) in order to inport or export them.
(and maybe will be for a long, long time). Here's how it goes...
Someday of some-year we were excited with my girlfriend to spend a couple of months (or even years) studying and exploring abroad. We have been many years together, as a little family, along with our 2 cats.
We prepared everything and were ready, but something stopped us in the process.. a recent law of 2012 that we ignored,
made it not possible for us to do this trip.
What is this kind of law?
It's about the mandatory micro-chipping & sterilization of all travelling animals.
It is not accepted by all the countries in the world, but it's a fact for the majority of them
(especially in the european union where we live).
To begin with, I don't find it fair or right to put something into another being's body, which was never even asked about it.
It would be the easiest thing in the world to put a chip into my cat's body, rely it on my sense of responsibility
(which is really strong anyway, from the moment that I decide to take care of them) and do the trip.
But, I’m of the belief that we cannot do whatever we want with our pet-friends, even if it seems to be for a good reason,
we have to respect them.
After all, it just happened that they are living their lives with us and just because we're providing care, food, water & a shelter for them, it doesn't mean that they are our toys or acquisitions.
Every animal has a really admirable language and if we are patient enough we can communicate with them.
So, what do you think?
Do they want something to be done without their permission?
(Especially cats which live a really independent way of life)
...Or, mustn't they have an opinion because they are animals?
To conclude my thesis,
I’m not against people that find it ok to chip their animals, probably because they think that they'll find them easily with it,
in case they get lost.
(I think that's they only reason - as abandonment cannot be stopped).
I’m against the strictness of this law.
I cannot understand why someone who doesn't chip their pet must be illegal and I honestly, cannot understand why it could not be enough to just display a booklet with all the necessary vaccines or some certified paper by a veterinarian or even an official statement of adoption made by the (let's say) owner of the pet.
I think is a really unfair and harmful law as it encroaches the animal rights for freedom of expression and, in the end, faces them as simply objects that adorn someone's baggage or house.
Some will agree with me, some will disagree.
But, I think, that, we always have the right to have an option.
And this law doesn't offer one.
Postscript: There are really better laws if we want to show our love to animals
(stray or not) such as one that would provide funds for public feeders along walkways and squares all over cities.
I think that would be perfect. It's already been done in some countries, but I think that others have to follow as well.
~ This text has been sent in English to several embassies-animal welfare, but I only got one answer and the position was that:
"At present we do not demand it as a prerequisite for the animal to have a chip in order to take it for medical care".
Needless to say, at some time strays will not care if they do not have chips.
Http://www.pettravel.com/passportnew.cfm
Here you can see what each country requires from pet animals (cat-dog-ferret) in order to inport or export them.