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Animal Thoughts - Speaking For The Voiceless

NEW!  Check it out: Animal Stories

So…animals. Some heartless people say, “They’re just animals. What do animals matter anyway?” Others are cynical and say, “Why bother? There’s no point. People don’t change.”

On the first point, the legendary Mahatma Gandhi put it very well: “To my mind, the life of a lamb is as precious as that of a human being.” Frankly, you’ve got to have a heart of stone if you can look into the eyes of another sentient being and not feel something. And you’ve got to have a massive ego to look into those eyes and think that that creature doesn’t matter as much as you do.

As for the second point of people not changing, it’s true that people often find it hard to change, but change is not impossible. I’ve made loads of changes to live in a way that's more compassionate towards animals, and I’m no different from the average person. It’s a matter of choosing compassion over greed, compassion over habit, compassion over your own wants. It’s a matter of opening your eyes (instead of just doing something “just because”) and making informed and compassionate choices.

Read through the articles with an open mind and heart, and help the animals by passing the information on!

Bellydance Articles - From The Hip

In this section I provide thoughts, opinions, tips and info about all things Bellydance.

The website 'Urban Dictionary' says that shooting from the hip means "to be brutally honest; to tell it like it is; to pull no punches." And this is what I try to do in my writing.

Bill Stout sums my writing style up nicely on page 105 of “The Enterprising Writer” by Michael Meanwell: “Dare to say what you want to say, and say it as plainly as you can...write bravely.”

So, be warned: I don't provide any sugar-coating whatsoever. I tell it how I see it - the good, the bad, the ugly, and the revolting about the Bellydance world. However, as truth is subjective, keep in mind that these articles are not The Truth but simply my truth, stemming from my experiences and observations. Read on and enjoy!

 

  

In the words of Mahatma Gandhi: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

SAY NO TO BACKYARD BREEDERS! SAY NO TO PUPPY MILLS! SAY NO TO ANIMALS IN PETSHOPS!

At Say No (www.saynotoanimalsinpetshops.com) it's estimated that 130,000 dogs and 60,000 cats are killed every year in Australia because there are not enough homes for them all.

Backyard breeders (people who breed their animal companion) are a large part of this problem. All animal welfare organisations agree that desexing is part of being a responsible animal guardian, so be part of the solution and desex your dog or cat (or any other animal in your family)!

Puppy mills contribute to the enormous problem of overpopulation by irresponsibly breeding for profit without any care for the animals whatsoever. The dogs live in appallingly dirty, cramped conditions all their lives, and when they no longer serve their purpose they're killed, dumped or sold for cruel medical testing.

And how do petshops fit in? Well, puppy mills and backyard breeders are where petshops get their animals from! No responsible breeder would EVER give their animals over to a petshop. Besides supporting irresponsible breeders (backyard breeders and puppy mills), having animals in shop windows encourages impulse purchases. Adding an animal to your family should be a conscious, careful decision - NOT one to be made while shoe shopping.

For all these reasons, a shelter is a far better place to buy a pet: Google "animal shelters" to find one in your state and country, and visit Death Row Pets (www.deathrowpets.net) to see what else you can do to help.

"To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being." - Mahatma Gandhi

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