Why are people sometimes so cruel to animals? I ask this question rhetorically only for the reason that I found a male purebred boxer drinking from one of my garden ponds early one morning recently that not only appeared abused and starved, but come to find out, he had been poisoned as well.
I’ve always believed that cats and dogs were sent here to show us what unconditional love looks like, so the idea of ever hurting any one of them like this boxer seems unfathomable. But for some, cats and dogs and many other animals as well become nothing more than the recipient of various modes of abuse. Over the years, I myself came across several alcoholics and addicts who repeatedly kicked their dogs or tortured their cats just because they were restless, irritable, and discontent with something going on in their life. While I may seriously struggle at times in my own life with the hand I’ve been dealt, the last thing I want to do these days is take any of my frustration out on a defenseless animal. Sadly, I can’t say that was true back in the mid 2000’s when I owned a bed and breakfast.
During that period of my life, I was fully consumed with anger over quite a number of things, especially with the partner I had and that business itself. While carrying all that resentment, there were times I found duck nests in the courtyard gardens I maintained. I held a lot of shame for a while over the action I did each time I discovered one, as I would throw any eggs from the nest at the mother duck as she scurried away. Looking at how much fury and rage filled my every pore back then, I can see how a defenseless duck easily became my scapegoat for it. Thankfully, I’m on the opposite side of the spectrum today and try to preserve and protect all life as best as I can, even right on down to a little spider that makes its way into my home.
But getting back to that male boxer I found in my front yard that morning drinking so voraciously from one of my ponds, it was hard to imagine how much anger someone must have had to do what they did to this animal. His bones were loudly protruding through its emaciated body, it shivered anytime I got close to him as if I was going to strike out at him, and it was constantly throwing up everywhere again and again. The latter of which only occurred because someone in my neighborhood has been poisoning any loose dogs by feeding them antifreeze. What truly fills me with great sorrow over this was how obedient and friendly this dog was when I got over my own fear to approach him. He sat when asked to sit. He gave a paw when asked if he would shake. He even lay down next to me when asked as I waited for K-9 control to arrive.
I know some people frequently say that any individual who tragically abuses a loving animal such as this boxer should receive the same treatment back. Honestly, that isn’t the answer because violence will only breed more violence. But should there be stricter punishments if an animal abuser is discovered? Probably. Regardless, dogs, cats, or any other animal for that matter don’t deserve to be abused like this. I’m sure we could all agree that none of us deserve to be abused by anyone either, but unfortunately it still happens. Why it continues to happen to a human being or an animal like this boxer always seems to be traced back to someone’s untreated anger.
I decided to research this topic a little after pondering the events of that day and here are a few of the alarming statistics I discovered:
- It is estimated that nearly 1 million animals a year are abused or killed in connection with domestic violence.
- Up to 75 percent of domestic violence victims report that their partners also threatened or killed family pets
- Close to 85 percent of battered women and children entering shelters discussed incidents of regular animal abuse and cruelty in their household
- A large percentage of children who grow up watching an adult abuse a pet end up doing the same behavior later in life
Reading these statistics truly brought me great sadness, specifically because I know there’s not much more I can really do to change it other than pray. So I pray for all those out there who are still consumed with so much anger and rage that they take it out on an innocent animal. I pray for each of them to find freedom from whatever their inner turmoil is that causes them to abuse an animal in the first place. The bottom line is that no animal ever deserves any type of abuse or cruelty, especially the ones like that male boxer who only wanted to be loved as much as he tried to do that unconditionally with everyone else.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson