is often a sign of cruelty to others, namely humans. Not surprising, but interesting and important.
I took in a stray cat some years ago who I'm sure was abandoned. (He was tame, litter-trained, and hungry for affection, for starters.) He was an unbelievably terrific little pal and smart as a whip. From the ways he acted around different people, I suspected he had not only been abused at some point but had also witnessed people being abused, although I'll never know.
Anyway, that's anecdotal. But the Times story cites research. Check it out.
I took in a stray cat some years ago who I'm sure was abandoned. (He was tame, litter-trained, and hungry for affection, for starters.) He was an unbelievably terrific little pal and smart as a whip. From the ways he acted around different people, I suspected he had not only been abused at some point but had also witnessed people being abused, although I'll never know.
Anyway, that's anecdotal. But the Times story cites research. Check it out.
The ASPCA has also been issuing alerts/petitions/updates regarding the ever-changing (for the better)landscape regarding animal cruelty legislation, state and nationwide. Greater Good Network, which boasts not just Animal Welfare but also Literacy and Hunger and other important issues as part of their Click or Shop network, has plenty of information regarding the much-needed awareness of how animal cruelty relates to human abuse. The link between the two and the discussion about it might just be the one we've been missing all along. There should never have been a line of distinction between animal and human suffering in the first place - we are all of us, on two legs or on four (or more), entitled to life without brutality.
Posted by: twelvebargirl | March 20, 2010 at 05:52 PM