What is going on in this country regarding animals? What is the confusion? There are animal welfare groups, and animal rights groups. What are their differences?
These are important questions for anyone who truly loves animals and values the life in each one of them. These become questions of a moral nature when one believes that we as humans are responsible for how we treat animals as creatures of God. Are we owners or stewards? Are we caring or just controlling? Do we understand the Judeo-Christian lesson to be that we DOMINATE or PROTECT the earth and its creatures? Are we gods, or stewards?
My own response to this has been deepening as I learn the various facts about animal rights groups and animal welfare groups. There are differences, and they are MAJOR.
Well-meaning animal lovers are financially supporting, in innocent ignorance, groups that are responsible for the killing of countless animals in this country, for NO OTHER REASON than that THEY BELIEVE it is more humane to kill animals than to house them with humans, to herd them on farms, or to maintain any control over the population on the Earth such as pet ownership, herding, farming or hunting. The relationship that humans have and have had with animals for centuries is disregarded, and the fake concern for the animals expresses itself dishonestly--at times as "animal rescue" which only confiscates and kills, or animal control, breed control, which leads the poor who own pets to have to relinquish them because of unjust fees and financial burden placed upon poor owners. Their animals/pets are relinquished, NOT readopted and then killed.
This is happening all over the United States, in every state and locale.
EDUCATE YOURSELVES NOW. You can read about this here: http://nathanwinograd.blogspot.com
and here: http://www.responsiblepetowners.org
CIVIL LAWS
As a pet owner I have legal responsibility, and legally "own" my animals under civil law. All that means is that in this society, under civil law I am responsible for their care. I live in society, and that is the current law. Animal Rights activists would make me only a "guardian" and not a "legal owner."
MORAL LAWS
Morally, again, I am responsible for the care of animals I own legally. Spiritually, according to my Christian beliefs, God "owns" us all--but I, as a human, am a "steward of creation" and my civil ownership doesn't allow me to mistreat my pets. That is maintain their welfare. That is the moral distinction between animal "rights" and animal "welfare." It is often confused.
"Animal Rights," in civil terms, ultimately gives an animal the right to equal opportunity...we will both walk down Main Street USA together, wild lions and I, herds of cattle and I (until they die of starvation here in the Northern winter), and I cannot contain them or interfere with them (read: house, farm, own). Better they be dead than controlled humanely is the ultimate concept behind animal "rights" groups, and that takes away the "right to respect and care" that every animal deserves! Animal rights laws make me ONLY a legal guardian, and as a "legal guardian" the STATE, not I, has ultimate ownership and responsibility for the animals in my "possession." The state and not I makes ALL decisions regarding the animal. THIS is a dangerous change of understanding, and it is happening everywhere!
"Animal Welfare" is about the humane treatment of animals, by those who OWN them LEGALLY under CIVIL LAW (which protects owners' rights), AND about the moral respect of the living creatures which we owe them as "STEWARDS of Creation" according to biblical lessons and principles.
If you have a beloved pet, if you are a farmer, if you are a breeder of show animals, it is IMPORTANT that you EDUCATE yourself and know what and who it is that is attacking your rights, as an American citizen, to live with, love and own, yes civilly own, and protect animals.
This show, ST.CIARAN'S CRITTER CONNECTION, is dedicated to keeping this matter before our listeners. In addition I highly recommend that you tune into ANIMAL WISE RADIO show at:http://www.animalwiseradio.com/ which is a wonderful source of information!
Additionally we STRONGLY RECOMMEND listening to Nathan J. Winograd's podcasts on the ANIMAL TRUST RADIO:
Tune into ST.CIARAN'S CRITTER CONNECTION Thurdays at 11 AM, or download our podcasts from BlogTalkRadio or iTunes at your convenience. Share your bond with animals!
Cait
FACES OF LOVE ~ MONROE COUNTY PA ADOPTABLES
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OF THESE BEAUTIFUL PETS
CONTACT Friends of Monroe County Homeless Animals
570.994.7354 http://fomcha.com/default.aspx
info@FOMCHA.com
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4 comments:
We see what has happened with animal "ownership". I am free to treat my animal in any way that benefits me. For example - I may crowd 12 hens into a cage for their whole lives, I may deny a sow the ability to turn around or tend to her young, I may dock tails and castrate without anesthetics. I may also cut off my puppies ears and tail to fit a "standard" physical appearance. I may, once my old horse is of no use to me truck it off to Mexico or Canada to be slaughtered. "Owning" animals I can seperate a calf from it's mother within minutes of it's birth to spend months in a veal crate..... All this happens because of animal "ownership". The rights of the "owner" will always ace the rights and welfare of the animal. For health & heart - Go Vegan.
Bea Elliott's myopic cynicism and lack of reasoning is very common among the 'animal rights' crowd.
While the things Bea mentions indeed do go on, they surely do not fall within the guidelines set forth in Scripture for us on being 'good stewards'.
Therefore, these actions are wrong, but by no means are they the ONLY outcome of 'ownership' of animals. They are abuses, and living in an imperfect world, there will always be abuses. That does not mean there is anything wrong with the original set-up of human dominion over animals.
"The righteous man regardeth the life of his beast" Proverbs 12:10
" To how great a degree a good man will be merciful; he has not only a compassion for the human nature under its greatest abasements, but he regards even the life of his beast, not only because it is his servant, but because it is God's creature, and in conformity to Providence, which preserves man and beast. The beasts that are under our care must be provided for, must have convenient food and rest, must in no case be abused or tyrannised over. Balaam was checked for beating his ass. The law took care for oxen. Those therefore are unrighteous men that are not just to the brute-creatures; those that are furious and barbarous to them evidence, and confirm in themselves, a habit of barbarity, and help to make the creation groan, Rom. 8:22."
Factory farming reform is a noble, fine and worthy endeavor. But the animal rights person wants to throw the baby out with the bathwater, stand the natural order on it's head, and endow animals with 'rights'.
There is no scriptural basis for such a wrong-headed and outlandish thing, and followed to it's natural conclusion, it is un-Christian and evil.
Well Bea, I know evil happens, but it is a personal choice. Education is the humane way to change hearts, imo, not force--which changes nobody but forces evil underground.
Personally, I would never treat my animals as you outline. I spend my life caring for living creatures.
Nice blog as for me. It would be great to read something more concerning that topic. The only thing I would like to see here is a few pictures of any gizmos.
Kate Karver
Cell jammer
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