Rescue Journal

humans are from venus and animals are from mars...

Carol  ·  Sep. 5, 2012

one of the nurses asked when her kids could come and hold the baby pig..i basically said never. i did say they could come see her but not hold her because pigs do not like the whole close contact, being held up off the ground, cuddling with humans thing. they are prey animals and it would terrify her.

as a species we are pretty clueless regarding the needs of different species than ours. we assume that because cuddling gives us great pleasure, it also gives pleasure to every other living thing. my general rule is..if an animal comes to me and asks to be picked up and carried, then i will oblige. otherwise i interact with them with their four feet on the ground.

animals lose their homes thru no fault of their own simply because they sometimes can't meet our great expectations. they don't have our moral or social standards because they are built differently. animals cannot always fill that great need to be overwhelmingly loved that wells up inside us because they feel and express their emotional needs differently.

dogs are the preferred family pet because in many ways dogs needs are similar to our own. but still even with dogs we get our knickers all tied up in knots because they dare to behave like dogs sometimes instead of perfect little four footed furry humans.

we will continue to exploit and use animals without any return payment to them if we cannot reach the point where as a society we actually respect and honor and understand and value the uniqueness of them.

they are not simply our pets, our entertainment, our warm and fuzzy fix, they are not just some thing that ends up on our plates or becomes our shoes, or safety tests a new cosmetic or medical treatment..
they are living, breathing, thinking and feeling creatures that in these ways are the same as us but in many more ways are actually confusingly different.

even in rescue we think animals are simple...give them food, water, clean housing, good medical treatment and our human version of kindness and love and training and everything for them will be good.
well sorry to say it is still not enough if we don't stretch ourselves further and respect and value their own unique needs that makes them intrinsically their own unique species and non-human.

the problem with animal lovers like us is...we crave the fairy tale.....the dr.do-little bullshit of living in physical and emotional harmony with all animals. but we can't have that until we learn that animals are not humans. they were built with a different set of rules, a different context of quality of life and survival.

the main thing we really share in common is...that the human race is the root of almost all of our problems. it is our needs and greedy wants and stupid ideas and thoughtless/careless fickleminded, selfish and self centered ways that impacts all of the unique life around us.

Comments

Deb Lloyd

I am not on facebook but I can still see the SAINTS (and some other organizations') page without having a login.

Rae

The Christmas cards I purchased a few years ago with the saints on them were amamzing. I think Nicole made them. I would love more for this year if someones making them............

Bunny Horne

Speaking of "greeting cards" does anyone know if Cole has a site where his cards can be purchased. I don't believe I can get to the Coquitlam market.

Bunny Horne

Don't worry, Helga, we won't forget those folks that don't use facebook. There will be two websites where the cards can be ordered on an on-going basis. As soon as everything is loaded we will make an announcement on the blog and on facebook.

Bunny Horne

In an effort to help Carol keep her promise to the residents of SAINTS I am ecstatic to report that we will be launching SAINTS RESCUE COLLECTOR CARDS. I just reviewed the proofs with the printer and I am Happy Dancing all over the place.

Thank you JENN for taking such amazing photographs and CAROL for your amazing writing skills and of course to the many SAINTS that are so deeply loved by many.

The first 5 cards should be available for sale next week. All proceeds (net printing costs) will go directly to Saints Rescue.

Watch the SAINTS RESCUE Facebook page for more information.

Just sayin' - there is room on the cards to permit sponsors....so if anyone is interested in sponsoring future cards please contact me.

Bunny Horne

Yep for sure the one I have is about 18 smaller. I got 3 or 4 of them today. They are all vendor samples for products hoping to be listed by Costco. I am sure some of the resident kitties would LOVE a new tree.

Sheila

We have one of those very large $400 cat tree coming - if the cat tree you have is a smaller one that is about 18 to 24 inches I would love to have it.

Bunny Horne

Sheila, do you still need silent auction things for the GALA? The Costco buyer just donated a number of nice cat trees, fold up dog carrier and the likes. If yes, please let me know so I can perhaps drop the items off at Saints on the 14th, a vacation day or if there's a place to store the items in Maple Ridge for the Gala that could work too. I can get some photos and send them to you if necessary.

Carol - if Sheila doesn't need the items for the Gala your kitties have some new stuff to hang off of.

Barb

Harsh but true. The short form of this is the dog trainers' mantra, "Dog are not the problem, people are". Dog owners think that is funny, but few understand the full meaning of it. They are dogs. Each is unique, each is special, each is still "only" a dog. Living with them can be as difficult - and as rewarding - as any other relationship, but requires even more of a commitment because we are trying to understand a different species - and one that can be killed without due process if it does not live up to individual and/or social standards. We are fostering a pit bull right now - and Amy is a lovely girl. Impossible to find a good home for her, a home where they will look at her as the large powerful sweet goofy dog she is - not a label, not an image, not just filling the human need to "rescue". To which I fall victim too. Thanks Carol.