Anna Micallef Babola, Sliema.
I would like to thank Kurt Ciappara from Noah's Ark Sanctuary for his great help with my new dog Xarik.
I recently adopted the dog from the sanctuary in Mellieha. To my great surprise my little cocktail Chiwawa turned out to be a real tiger... I was no longer allowed on my sofa as she would be stretching there comfortably and would groan and aggressively warn me and my son off if we so much as approached the comfortable settee. She made it her territory and none of us was allowed to get close.
I ended up sitting on the carpet when we have two huge sofas...
On the contrary, I was more than welcome in the kitchen and she would wag her tail happily every time I opened the fridge. She would welcome me on my arrival from work and play cheerfully with the tennis ball when my son threw it to her.
Xarik is a very clever dog. She was found in Mellieha after being hit by a car and Mr Ciappara (age 20) from Noah's Ark rescued her. So here I was together with my son stuck on the carpet while my new arrival was stretched out comfortably on my settee... I decided to call Mr Ciappara to ask his advice. He asked me if I would like to return the dog to the sanctuary.
I refused and he immediately suggested that he should come by and assess the situation. It was January 1 so he must have been tired from the previous night's celebrations. Yet the dog's happiness was far more important for him than his own tiredness.
He arrived at 6 p.m. sharp and stayed at my place for four hours assessing what could be wrong with my mini-tiger. He got bitten when he decided to sit on the sofa; he got bitten when he decided to take Xarik's ball. His hands were bleeding yet he did not lose his temper.
Slowly he established who the real boss is. Xarik obediently left the sofa and went to her soft carpet. The youngster is fully trained to read a dog's body language and can easily help out in strange situations like the one I found myself in with my dog.
I know he is a real dog lover. Mr Ciappara - whatever your dreams are, with your dedication they will all come true! Dogs are so lucky to have you.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
An honest testimonial of animals in circuses! - P John Darmanin, Cospicua, THE TIMES.
With reference to Shane Johnson's letter in The Times (January 1), I too used to believe that there was nothing wrong with animals performing in circuses. But one late evening many years ago, I happened to stop by the tents of a circus in Gzira and tried to sneak a glimpse of the animals. I had not walked far before I saw something that I had not expected. Under one of the tents there were some elephants, chained by the foot to a peg in the ground and while some attendant emptied a sack-full of cabbages for them to eat, the nearest elephant tried to go for him in vociferous anger. The attendant then grabbed a hay fork threatening a blow at the animal's trunk. I returned to the car very perplexed. What I had seen was to change my view about circus animals.
I would believe that no coercion is used when, inside the cage with a pack of lions or tigers, I see the tamer without any sticks or whips. That will be the day, because no lion or tiger will fear any bare handed human and for that reason these kings of the jungle will have to be respected. It must be the fear of the stick and the whip, gained from unpleasant past experience that makes them obey a physically inferior animal.
While I believe that some domestic animals like dogs, cats, horses etc. can be trained without aggression to perform mild and cute circus acts, I will never believe it can be the same with the wild cats. Confinement of the big cats in small cages, and chaining of elephants are forms of suffering that are often overlooked. Born to be free, these animals suffer from delusion, frustration, fear, boredom, exclusion and everything that makes them what they really are - kings of the jungle. In the circus their nature is subdued to a caricature. There is no escaping the fact that caging wild cats and conditioning them to perform tricks for selfish human pleasure is just another cruelty.
How helplessly naïve it is to rally theological misconceptions to support an assertion for human rights over animals. Lions are obligate carnivores and have no other option but to hunt when desperately hungry; it is not a question of rights. Man is the world's greatest predator remorselessly killing billions of animals annually, not to survive but to satisfy his tastes, to feast, in celebration and in sport. If Mr Johnson's God gives him licence to kill animals for food then his is not my God. My God tolerates me eating meat if circumstances demand it, as He offered me kinder and healthier nutritional options. To refrain from eating meat is to acknowledge God as the only Lord of Creation.
Our place at the head of creation imposes on us obligations not rights. Our obligations are to care for all creation in His likeness not to exploit it. Asserting the right to kill innocent creatures, a person would reflect an image of a God the ruthless hunter-predator. There is more nobleness in humanity when it embraces all creatures within its circle of compassion because like us they are infused with the breath of life. Like us they have one special desire - a desire to simply live.
I would believe that no coercion is used when, inside the cage with a pack of lions or tigers, I see the tamer without any sticks or whips. That will be the day, because no lion or tiger will fear any bare handed human and for that reason these kings of the jungle will have to be respected. It must be the fear of the stick and the whip, gained from unpleasant past experience that makes them obey a physically inferior animal.
While I believe that some domestic animals like dogs, cats, horses etc. can be trained without aggression to perform mild and cute circus acts, I will never believe it can be the same with the wild cats. Confinement of the big cats in small cages, and chaining of elephants are forms of suffering that are often overlooked. Born to be free, these animals suffer from delusion, frustration, fear, boredom, exclusion and everything that makes them what they really are - kings of the jungle. In the circus their nature is subdued to a caricature. There is no escaping the fact that caging wild cats and conditioning them to perform tricks for selfish human pleasure is just another cruelty.
How helplessly naïve it is to rally theological misconceptions to support an assertion for human rights over animals. Lions are obligate carnivores and have no other option but to hunt when desperately hungry; it is not a question of rights. Man is the world's greatest predator remorselessly killing billions of animals annually, not to survive but to satisfy his tastes, to feast, in celebration and in sport. If Mr Johnson's God gives him licence to kill animals for food then his is not my God. My God tolerates me eating meat if circumstances demand it, as He offered me kinder and healthier nutritional options. To refrain from eating meat is to acknowledge God as the only Lord of Creation.
Our place at the head of creation imposes on us obligations not rights. Our obligations are to care for all creation in His likeness not to exploit it. Asserting the right to kill innocent creatures, a person would reflect an image of a God the ruthless hunter-predator. There is more nobleness in humanity when it embraces all creatures within its circle of compassion because like us they are infused with the breath of life. Like us they have one special desire - a desire to simply live.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
When we recognise the importance of animals around us!
New from Japan:
A Japanese company is offering its employees a monthly "pet allowance" to help with the upkeep of their cats and dogs.
Kyoritsu Seiyaku, which makes animal medicines, said pets were a lifelong obligation for their owners.
Kyoritsu Seiyaku is offering its pet-owning employees about $9 (£4.70) per month, and hopes the system will spread to other Japanese firms.
The company does not, however, offer paid leave when employees' pets die.
"For now, we have introduced only the allowances, but we want to consider the condolence holiday system in future," a spokeswoman for Kyoritsu Seiyaku told Reuters news agency.
Employees may be keen to take advantage of this in the future.
The Japan Pet Food Manufacturers' Association estimates that the country's cat and dog population of nearly 18 million animals is ageing rapidly, after a boom in ownership in the early 1990s.
Analysts say that many Japanese families are deciding to put off having children, and buy pets instead.
Many older people are living alone and keep pets as companions.
"Everyone has the right to own a pet, but they also have the obligation to raise the pet for its whole life," Kyoritsu Seiyaku said in a statement quoted by Reuters.
MY COMMENTS: Well, I would not use the verb 'own' in this context. That verb would be better used to mean 'take care of', 'look after'. Speaking from my personal experience, of course. I think it is very healthy for people to have animals around them and to live together with animals. There is no harm in this. On the contrary, people certainly benefit from having animals in their households - something we call pet therapy. I think that local authorities, including companies and businesses everwhere, should consider encouraging their employees not only to take daily exercise but also to keep pets in their households. In that manner, employees go to work in a fresher frame of mind and be able to work and concentrate much more.
It is interesting to note that the Japanese company in question is also considering leave in case of pet bereavement. This is something which is lacking so much in our so-called civilised society of the West.
Then, let us go one step further and concentrate about Malta, where we don't even have decent means of disposing of the mortal remains of our pets, or other animals. Well, the Government would tell you, there is always the local BICCERIJA! Just go and dump the animal carcass in a corner of the BICCERIJA and the people working there would see to it at the end of the day! As if that is a decent enough ending/goodbye to that animal whom you loved and cherished for so many years within the comfort of your own home!!!!!!! At least, we should have a decent place, a proper field, organised enough to allow pet-'owners' to 'dispose' of their loved animals 'a quattro zampe' in a decent manner. Or, much better still, how about a decent (I keep repeating this word!), proper crematorium for animals?
A Japanese company is offering its employees a monthly "pet allowance" to help with the upkeep of their cats and dogs.
Kyoritsu Seiyaku, which makes animal medicines, said pets were a lifelong obligation for their owners.
Kyoritsu Seiyaku is offering its pet-owning employees about $9 (£4.70) per month, and hopes the system will spread to other Japanese firms.
The company does not, however, offer paid leave when employees' pets die.
"For now, we have introduced only the allowances, but we want to consider the condolence holiday system in future," a spokeswoman for Kyoritsu Seiyaku told Reuters news agency.
Employees may be keen to take advantage of this in the future.
The Japan Pet Food Manufacturers' Association estimates that the country's cat and dog population of nearly 18 million animals is ageing rapidly, after a boom in ownership in the early 1990s.
Analysts say that many Japanese families are deciding to put off having children, and buy pets instead.
Many older people are living alone and keep pets as companions.
"Everyone has the right to own a pet, but they also have the obligation to raise the pet for its whole life," Kyoritsu Seiyaku said in a statement quoted by Reuters.
MY COMMENTS: Well, I would not use the verb 'own' in this context. That verb would be better used to mean 'take care of', 'look after'. Speaking from my personal experience, of course. I think it is very healthy for people to have animals around them and to live together with animals. There is no harm in this. On the contrary, people certainly benefit from having animals in their households - something we call pet therapy. I think that local authorities, including companies and businesses everwhere, should consider encouraging their employees not only to take daily exercise but also to keep pets in their households. In that manner, employees go to work in a fresher frame of mind and be able to work and concentrate much more.
It is interesting to note that the Japanese company in question is also considering leave in case of pet bereavement. This is something which is lacking so much in our so-called civilised society of the West.
Then, let us go one step further and concentrate about Malta, where we don't even have decent means of disposing of the mortal remains of our pets, or other animals. Well, the Government would tell you, there is always the local BICCERIJA! Just go and dump the animal carcass in a corner of the BICCERIJA and the people working there would see to it at the end of the day! As if that is a decent enough ending/goodbye to that animal whom you loved and cherished for so many years within the comfort of your own home!!!!!!! At least, we should have a decent place, a proper field, organised enough to allow pet-'owners' to 'dispose' of their loved animals 'a quattro zampe' in a decent manner. Or, much better still, how about a decent (I keep repeating this word!), proper crematorium for animals?
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
2008 starts ... in a bad way. But night is always followed by day!
THE TIMES: Tuesday, 1st January 2008
Abandoned dog
Christine Bonnici, San Gwann.
I am utterly disgusted at the person who decided to tie a black dog to a pole in San Gwann and leave him stranded in the wet weather last Saturday.
I happened to be driving past, and I must say I was totally shocked.
The dog was shaking, soaked and scared. I stopped and bought him some food straight away.
I would like to thank the policewoman on duty at the St Julians police station who helped by making calls to the SPCA but unfortunately there was no reply.
I already own a dog and I cannot take in more due to space restrictions, but that is no excuse to leave a dog in the street especially in this weather.
A kind couple stopped and told me that they had already seen this dog tied up in the rain, and they weren't sure if someone owned it or if it had been brutally abandoned.
After I explained the situation they decided to offer a home to this beautiful dog. I would like to thank them again for their kindness.
As for the person or persons who abandoned the dog and left him homeless in this cold and wet weather, I wonder if he/she can have peace within themselves?
I wish the dog and his new owners a happy New Year in a loving home.
HAPPY 2008, ALL ANIMALS OUT THERE! MAY YOUR CREATOR AND ST FRANCIS WATCH OVER YOU ALL!
Abandoned dog
Christine Bonnici, San Gwann.
I am utterly disgusted at the person who decided to tie a black dog to a pole in San Gwann and leave him stranded in the wet weather last Saturday.
I happened to be driving past, and I must say I was totally shocked.
The dog was shaking, soaked and scared. I stopped and bought him some food straight away.
I would like to thank the policewoman on duty at the St Julians police station who helped by making calls to the SPCA but unfortunately there was no reply.
I already own a dog and I cannot take in more due to space restrictions, but that is no excuse to leave a dog in the street especially in this weather.
A kind couple stopped and told me that they had already seen this dog tied up in the rain, and they weren't sure if someone owned it or if it had been brutally abandoned.
After I explained the situation they decided to offer a home to this beautiful dog. I would like to thank them again for their kindness.
As for the person or persons who abandoned the dog and left him homeless in this cold and wet weather, I wonder if he/she can have peace within themselves?
I wish the dog and his new owners a happy New Year in a loving home.
HAPPY 2008, ALL ANIMALS OUT THERE! MAY YOUR CREATOR AND ST FRANCIS WATCH OVER YOU ALL!
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