I recently
came across an advertisement from a non-profit that was asking for donations.
The donation was so that they could shelter and feed more stray dogs & cats
for longer time and prevent these animals from being euthanized.
And it got
me thinking – how euthanizing of animals (stray, old or badly injured) is a
common practice across the world. While
I couldn’t fine the numbers globally, I got the number that approximately 1.5
million dogs & cats are euthanized each year in the USA. Though this number
has apparently come down from 2.6 million in 2011. Imagine that for a minute,
that numbers equal to the number of people in a city like Madurai, India.
Yes,
euthanizing animals is legal and people don’t want to see their pets suffer in
pain. Which is all fine and agreeable. However, if you look at the legality of
human euthanasia, in only 5 countries is it legal – with very specific language
on when it can be legal. Assisted suicide is legal in 4 countries, some US
states and 1 state in Australia – again with very specific language.
How is it
that humans think that it is ok/acceptable to euthanize animals but when it
comes to humans, there is dithering and specific rules and legalities laid out.
Most of you
would argue that the rules and legalities are required to prevent people from
being killed for other purposes and these murders covered up as euthanasia;
that the euthanasia loophole could be used by serial killers.
But here is
the thing, how do you know that there is no animal serial killer out there. A
person who has trained to control their urges and get-by by killing only
animals. Especially in India with such a large stray dog & cat population,
it would be easy to pull it off. In fact, anywhere in the world it would be
possible – because nobody keeps a track of the animal deaths. Btw, most serial
killers start with animal cruelty in their childhood.
I believe
the reason why humans consider it ok for animal euthanasia and not so much for
human euthanasia is about mental conditioning. Mental conditioning of the
supremacy of humans over other life forms.
We are told
and the idea is reinforced from a young age that somehow humans are better and
more valuable than other life forms. It’s the same idea that I was trying to
make about in my previous post.
If you ask
any human – why & how humans are better than other life forms, the answers
would range from – look what humans have achieved, humans are the most
intelligent, human are the top of the food chain.
Humans are
not the top of the food chain, humans have been hunted by other animals for so
many ages. Why did you think humans have a ingrained fear of the dark? As for
the most intelligent – really and look at what humans have done – the invention
of so many tools to kill more efficiently and more quickly; human greed, the
extinction of so many animals. And the question of look what humans have
achieved – again you are looking from a human perspective. Is what humans have
done considered achievement? Have you seen animals in their natural state –
being depressed and killing for the pleasure of killing.
If one
removes the human perspective and see objectively – there is no reason why
humans are better, more valuable than other life forms. All lifeforms have a
more or less equal purpose in the food chain. And I would argue that humans
have done more harm to everything than good.
So, what am
trying to convey here? That animals should not be euthanized so easily? That a
larger debate on animal euthanasia has to happen? That human euthanasia has to
be made more available? Or that humans are not worthy.
Now, I
definitely am saying that humans are not worthy. Which I have been making for
many many years.
As for the
others I am saying that humans needs to start thinking about every aspect that
we have taken for granted.
Does it
mean that I am going to stop eating chickens or using bug spray, Hello no that’s
my prerogative.
