My two bestest friends....
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My prayer tonight is for all who lie down in chains and cages. Alone and afraid on a concrete floor Soundless screams lost beneath the clang of metal Locked in rooms most will never see. I feel their fear arise in my soul Ancient yet new... A primal flame burning against the walls of my heart. I want to scream an endless note, Loud and true:Clubbed, Forgotten.Dismembered, Forgotten.Gassed, Forgotten.Beaten, Forgotten.Burned, Forgotten.Electrocuted, Forgotten.Abandoned, Forgotten.Poisoned, Forgotten.Skinned, Forgotten.Shot, Forgotten.Caged, Forgotten.Shackled, Forgotten.Murdered, Forgotten.And with my eyes, they will be seen. With my voice, they will be heard. With my hands, they will know comfort. With my action, they will be free. Dear God, fill their oppressors with mercy and empathy. Dear God, instill compassion where there is apathy. Replace horror with grace. Bloodshed with healing. Restore all humans and animals to their natural place. Liberate all humans and animals from greed, violence and hate. So that tonight and evermore, ALL may lie down to sleep unchained, uncaged and FREE! AMEN! Animal Bill of RightsAnimals, like all sentient beings, are entitled to basic rights in our society. Deprioved of legal protection, animals are defensless against exploitation and abuse by humans.1. The right of animals to be free from exploitation, cruelty, neglect and abuse.2. the right of laboratory animals to not be used in cruel or unnecessary experiments.3. the right of farm animals to an environment that satisfies their basic physical and psychological needs.4. The right of companion animals to a healthy diet, protective shelter, and adequate medical care.5. The right of wildlife to a natural habitat, ecologically sufficient to a normal existance and a self-sustaining species population.6. The right of animals to have their interests represented in court and safeguarded by the law of the land. STOP PRESS: Success - Huge VICTORY for the cats and dogs of China ! EU bans trade in dog and cat fur ! An EU-wide ban on the trade in cat and dog fur will come into effect on 31 December 2008 Thank you to every individual - every group who has worked so hard to bring us to this far - :)The effort to release other captive and wild animals continues so please join our group and encourage others to do the same - take a fur free pledge, for the animals !By joining our group, you are showing your support against this cruel trade and do encourage other musicians to join also - in unity we can stop this horribly cruel and totally unnecessary business. Also in the Blog you will find many animal welfare related items which are in need of your support - to help takes just a few moments of your time ... :) ! Ten Commandments for Pet Owners1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be very painful..2.Give me time to understand what you want from me. Do not break my spirit with your temper, though I will always forgive you.Your patience and understanding will teach me more quickly those things you want me to learn.3.. Have me spayed or neutered.4. Treat me kindly, my beloved friend, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for your kindness than mine. Don't be angry with me for long, and don't lock me up as punishment. After all, you have your job, your friends, your entertainment. I have only you.5. Speak to me often. Even if I don't understand all your words, I understand your voice when it's speaking to me. Your voice is the sweetest sound I ever hear, as you must know by my enthusiastic excitement when your footsteps fall upon my waiting ear.6. Please take me inside when it's cold and wet. I'm a domestic animal and am no longer accustomed to the bitter elements. I ask for little more than your gentle hands petting me. Keep my bowl filled with clean water; I cannot tell you when I'm thirsty. Feed me good food so that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding, to be by your side, and stand ready, willing and able to share with you my life, for that is what I live for. However you treat me, I'll never forget it.7. Don't hit me. Remember, I have teeth that could easily crush the bones in your hand, but I choose not to bite you.8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I am not getting the right food, I've been out in the sun too long,or my heart may be getting old and weak.9. Take care of me when I get old. You will grow old too.10. When I am very old, when I no longer enjoy good health, please do not make heroic efforts to keep me going.Keep spreading the word about this! The fighting of MAN'S BEST FRIEND HAS TO STOP! SHAME ON MICHAEL VICK AND ALL HIS OTHER ATROCITERS! WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND!
To anyone who says, "It's just a dog:" You are the reason rescues exist, why thousands of dogs die everyday in shelters, homeless and unwanted. You are the backyard breeder or puppy miller, who looks at a dog and sees dollar signs, who cares nothing for the inevitable decline in the dog's health after having litter upon litter of puppies, nor for the countless dogs who will now die in shelters because the puppies you breed have taken up their homes. You are the supporter of these backyard breeders and puppy mills, willing to pay $500 or more for a puppy rather than $90 for a rescued dog, because having a pedigree to show off to friends is more important than saving the life of a true and loyal companion. You are the one who trains dogs to fight, whether for sport or protection, thus abusing your dog and bringing the call for the extermination of an entire breed of perfectly wonderful dogs. You are the one who thinks nothing of putting your dog to sleep because it doesn't go with the furniture, or it urinates on the carpet, while at the same time balking at the thought of spanking an unruly child. You are the one who dumps your dog at the shelter when you move, because you're too lazy to find pet-friendly housing. You are the one who keeps your dog tied up outside, only bothering to provide the occasional bowls of food and water and possibly a tree for shade, because after all, it is just a dog, right? To the 90 year old woman in the nursing home, abandoned by her family, yearning for companionship, stroking the fur of a new friend with the words "Therapy Dog" on its side, it's not just a dog. To the young child who has become literate by reading aloud to a dog in the classroom, it's not just a dog. To the person with skin cancer who had it detected by a dog when the doctors couldn't, it's not just a dog. To the blind man who now can see through his companion, it's not just a dog. To anyone who has been in bed, sick with the flu, and has felt the warmth of that cold nose as he curls up between your legs to give you comfort, it's not just a dog. To anyone who comes home from a hard day of work to be greeted by someone who's so happy to see you they can't stop wiggling, it's not just a dog. To anyone who has cried at Old Yeller, because they know what it's like to lose their best friend, to know that their friend is suffering and though it may be hard, the best thing to do is to help them go peacefully, it's not just a dog. When you say, "It's just a dog," you really mean, "Why should I care about it? Dogs aren't important. They're useless. They don't give anything to us, so why should I give them anything in return? Why do I have to care about their feelings? They don't matter in the grand scheme of things. It's just a dog." To everyone who says, "It's just a dog," I just have this to say to you: You're just a human.