Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of
compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its
beauty.
– Albert Einstein
In order to be compassionate towards animals you don’t
necessarily have to start animal welfare campaigns or open up an animal shelter
or take any other such big step. Although, these are some totally great things
to do and I really support and admire people who do so from the depth of my
heart and one day I want to be one of them. But in this blog I will only share
few simple ways to show compassion to animals around us and create a better
place for them.
1.
Don’t shoo the
strays away:
If a stray comes in your way then resist the urge to shoo
them away and go about your business. Ignoring or shooing away a cat or a dog that
comes to you is similar to ignoring or waving away the person who comes to you
to greet you in a warm way. If you just wink at them they will return the wink
quite affectionately ;)
2.
Look after strays:
We can see too many stray cats and dogs roaming around our residential areas, schools, colleges, universities and workplaces. Try to be kind to them. Put bowl(s) of water for them at places where they are likely to come and sit, specifically during summers. Try to feed them every now and then even if it’s a handful of meal. During summers, designate a small cozy space outside your house, in your garden, in your backyard, in your garage, at your school, college, university or workplace for them to rest. Cover that space up with some shade to keep it cozy or put a carton box there for them. During winters, make it cozy by putting a cushion or blanket or anything warm there so that they can sleep on it and keep warm. If there is a spot where birds come and sit often then keep some water, millet or shreds of roti there for them. If a stray cat, dog, bird or any uninvited friend from other specie accidentally invades your residence or workplace then instead of scaring them away you can kindly show them the way out. They are more willing to go out than you are to make them go. Trust me! :)
3.
Drive carefully:
Everyday so many stray animals become victims of road
accidents. While driving, specifically look out for animals so that you won’t
run over them or hit them. Before getting in your car take a look and make sure
that there is no stray around your car. After starting your car wait for a
while before starting the ride, so that if there is some stray around your car
it will move away by the sound and heat of engine. While reversing your car not
only check the rear view mirror but also take your head outside the window and
make sure there is no stray at the backside.
4.
Get medical help for
the injured animals:
If you accidentally hurt an animal by hitting them by your car
for instance or if you see some injured or sick animal lying around then don’t
overlook. That’s totally inhumane. Get them medical help immediately. If you
are a Karachiite like me then following is the list of veterinary clinics
available in Karachi where you can take them or you can also contact Ayesha
Chundrigur Foundation. These guys are doing a great job and they come up at the
spot where the animal needs help. You can also ask them for instructions about
what you can do until they arrive. You just have to give them a call.
C5E Nishat, 2 Khayaban-e-Nishat, Karachi
(021) 35851296
Shop No.22, Royal Appartment K.D.A. Scheme No.1 Mudassir Park Road, Karachi(021) 34521859
Plot No 4-C, 14th St, Khadda Market, DHA 5, Karachi
(021) 35852988
RC Veterinary
MA Jinnah Road, Saddar Town, Karachi
(021) 32743224
(021) 35851296
Shop No.22, Royal Appartment K.D.A. Scheme No.1 Mudassir Park Road, Karachi(021) 34521859
Plot No 4-C, 14th St, Khadda Market, DHA 5, Karachi
(021) 35852988
RC Veterinary
MA Jinnah Road, Saddar Town, Karachi
(021) 32743224
5.
Say NO to animal
cruelty:
If you see animal(s) being mistreated or being subjected to
cruel behavior then speak up. Try to create awareness among your friends,
family and neighbors about animal cruelty and their welfare. Try to make them
realize that they are living beings just like us and can feel pain just like we
do. We can see so many donkey cart owners around us treating donkeys so badly
and beating them up, overburdening them and then forcing them to run under the
scorching sun. If you see such a thing happening around you then stop by and
tell them to go easy on the poor creature. You don’t necessarily have to nag
them, just tell them kindly. Most probably, they won’t pay heed but it’s always
worth a shot. Or you can tell them that you are not going to buy from them
because they are being cruel to the donkey. If you see someone throwing stones
at a dog or a cat or scaring them due to no good reason then stop by and tell
them to stop doing so and let the poor creatures be. Do not watch the
entertainment shows in which animals are used whether it is a monkey show by
the roadside or a well-organized, high budget dolphin show. Poor creatures are
forced to do tricks that are totally against their nature and are tortured
badly in the process. Do not participate in hunting or animal fights that take
place in the name of sport and entertainment. Instead, speak up against these. Teach
your children, family and friends that this is not entertainment but sheer
cruelty. Make people realize that agonizing or killing a living being is not
sport or entertainment at all. Do not go to zoos or circuses. Teach your
children that wild animals are not meant to live in captivity like this. They
should be set free in the wild which is their home. Where they can live the
lives they have been created to live. During baqra eid season, do not at all
participate in the cruel animal races that people do for so-called fun.
Instead, speak up against it. It’s another debate that animals are slaughtered at
this occasion but at least tell the people around you that you are supposed to
take good care of these animals and look after them during the whole time they
are with you, not to abuse them or use them for entertainment or show off. Do
not urge the authorities for dog killings in your locality. It is completely
inhumane to take away an innocent life without any justified reason. And the
reason that they are causing you trouble is not a good enough reason to kill
them. They are not doing it on purpose. In fact, they don’t even know that they
are doing it. Instead, speak up against it. If they are causing you trouble
then there are other humane ways to control that. Study about those ways and
share this information with the people in your neighborhood. Please visit the
following link to see this information.
Stop Killing our Dogs
Stop Killing our Dogs
You can also contribute in preventing cruelty against our
voiceless fellows by boycotting products that are obtained via cruelty to them
like fur or leather. Do not use products that are animal tested. Do not rent
horses or horse carts for weddings or rallies etc as they are heavily drugged
to stay calm in the crowd and all the noise. Since these graceful creatures are
not meant to live among such loud noises and crowd so you cannot blame them if
they get out of control and cause you harm due to any reason.
6.
Do not buy, only
adopt:
If you are planning to keep an animal at home then do not
purchase, only adopt. Do not purchase an animal whether it’s a precious breed
dog from a posh family or a fine breed cat from a pet store or a chick that a
guy on bicycle is selling with a cage at the rear of the vehicle containing poor
babies that have been snatched away from their mothers moments after their
birth. Do not promote the buying and selling business of animals as they are
not commodities rather they are living beings with actual feelings and have the
right of freedom. Do not take them as a pet that you own rather treat them as a
new family member and you will have at least have one family member who loves
you unconditionally for sure ;)
But if you are
planning to keep them chained or caged then please immediately drop the idea of
adopting a pet. They are not a decoration piece for your home. They are not
meant to live this way. They have the right to live freely. One thing that you
must bear in mind before adopting a pet is that it’s a life time commitment. You
cannot just throw them away after a while because you are fed up or because you
realize later on that it was not a good idea in the first place. If you face
any issues after you have adopted a pet like allergies or something then take
the responsibility of finding a good home for them and do not just try to get
rid of them right away. If you cannot keep them then keep them at a shelter or
a foster home until you find a permanent home for them.
7.
Teach your children:
Children are naturally interested in and
compassionate for animals. When they see that the society in which they grow up
handles them with cruelty and treats them as scum they learn and adopt the same
behavior eventually. Various researches show that kids who ill-treat the
animals are more likely to develop violence in their core nature. Cruelty
to animals is considered as one of the three symptoms that predict the
development of a psychopath and it is included as a criterion for a conduct
disorder in children by the American Psychiatric Association. Teaching your children compassion for all kinds of
living beings will eventually make them kind and gender and they will be more
empathetic towards all beings.
You are the one who will have to set example
for your children. Do not shout at animals or curse them. Do not treat them as
scum. Respect them and value their lives. If your child mistreats an animal in
front of you then tell them that it is unethical and that they too feel pain
like us. Appreciate your kids if they show kindness towards an animal. If you
have animal companions at your home then teach your child to be kind to them,
look after them and feed them. This will also develop sense of responsibility
in them.
8.
Make donations for
animal welfare:
Try to make donations to animal welfare programs even if it
is a single penny it can make some difference. Following is the list of welfare
programs that are currently, actively working for animal welfare in Pakistan. Visit
their websites/social media pages and get to know more about them and the work
they do.
ACAP:
PAWS:
ACF:
Broke Hospital for Animals: