Kindness for Animals

Although animals have never enjoyed as much legal protection as they do today, it is still a sad testament that we must set aside a week each year to remind people to be kind to them.

At the Humane Society of Ventura County, we promote Be Kind to Animals Week as a reminder for everyone to rethink their relationship with animals. We encourage everyone to learn new behaviors that will enrich their lives through loving contact with animals.

Is your dog chained in the yard, forgotten except at feeding time?

Is your unaltered cat allowed to roam the neighborhood? Does it sleep under your car at night seeking warmth because it is not allowed inside?

Have you ever done the “humane” thing by dropping an animal off at a farm because you no longer wanted it?

Do you allow your animals to breed and then pawn off their offspring on anyone you can find?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you could become more informed about your animal’s needs. With just a few changes in your way of thinking, your life and the life of your pet could be enhanced tremendously.

Throughout history, humans have exploited animals for food, clothing, medical testing and transportation, shamelessly treating them as possessions rather than as living beings worthy of our respect and love. Recently, medical science has confirmed that animals’ unconditional love is extremely beneficial to human health.

This year, Be Kind to Animals Week will be May 2 through 8. Please take this opportunity to rethink your relationship with animals. While we can’t wipe out thousands of years of abuse in one week, we can change our own behavior now. As the saying goes, “Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar.”

TIM DEWAR, Director of Public Relations, Humane Society of Ventura County, Ojai