171. MERCY ON OUR LITTLEST BROTHERS AND SISTERS by un'Americana a Venezia

Gli animali hanno emozioni? Se le hanno, non dobbiamo tuttavia renderli antropomorfi. Non siamo un modello da seguire. Lo scrittore Amos Oz ha scritto: “…quando si guarda un animale si pensa che forse lui ricorda qualcosa che le persone hanno dimenticato.” (RR)

Recently, a scientific conference was held in Italy where the following question was explored:  "Do animals have emotions?"  That question will strike many of us as being both arrogant and obtuse, and almost as obsolete as asking "Is the Earth flat?" following Columbus' voyages.  When we were children, most of us instinctively knew that animals were intelligent beings with feelings.  Children tend to talk to animals, to stroke them and comfort them, and try to win their attention.  Some children get rough with animals; it depends on adults to remind children that animals are living beings, neither objects nor toys.  But modern science itself has yet to discover the true nature of animals and to act accordingly.  When it comes to showing respect for all forms of sentient life, science has lagged far behind even the roughest children, to the point where mutilating, torturing, and abusing animals in laboratories and farm-factories has been standard practice for years.  Hence, posing the question "Do animals have emotions?" is a perfect place for science to start cleaning up its act.  Not incidentally, the above conference ended in general agreement that animals do have emotions.  You can see that for yourself, even if you don't own a pet, on YouTube.  Check out the videos of dogs welcoming returning military personnel.  And those of inter-species relationships:  the lioness who adopts the baby gazelle, the gorilla who cries when her kitten is taken away, the cat who lets the parakeet play with her paws, etc.  Then there are videos of animals such as elephants and horses being reunited after a long separation; their joy is palpable.  There are videos of people and wild animals, lions and wolves, for instance, being reunited as well.  Their joy is no less evident.  There are videos of heroic animals in the act of saving both people and other animals.  There are videos of animals who can communicate in words.  The more I delve into the realm of animals and their emotions, the more wonderful, and terrible, reality becomes.  I see how cruelly and stupidly mankind has behaved towards what Saint Francis of Assisi called "our littlest brothers and sisters."  He himself loved every expression of God's Creation.  Every being is an amazing work that belongs to the Creator.  How dare we torment and demean our fellow beings on this earth?  We are to shepherd the animals, not dominate them.  That is how an American named Amelia Kinkade puts it.  Amelia is a very special person who has the ability to read the minds of animals.  She can see the mental pictures they produce in place of words.  She has helped pets of all kinds; and tigers and Asian elephants and African animals who are struggling to survive; and even the Queen's horses at Buckingham Palace.  Amelia knows what they are feeling and why.  Often they miss having a close animal companion.  Sometimes they have a physical problem.  Sometimes they express satisfaction, other times they complain to her about the comportment of other animals or people.  Sometimes they even ask Amelia where their mothers are!  Amelia says that anyone can communicate with an animal, exactly as Saint Francis did, and finally come to understand Man's rightful role in the scheme of things.  In order to do that, one must calm the mind just long enough for an animal's thoughts to successfully bridge the short gap.  It boils down to loving the animal wholeheartedly.  Love is the medium.  Let's face it:  Man's relationship with the animal kingdom is far from what it could be.  How much happier we would be if we could only realize, day to day, that we are not alone.  God did not create us to be lonely.  We are here together with the animals, and they with us.  The bird who sings at dawn is part of our reality.  So are the neighborhood dogs and cats.  Along with the mice, the bats, the reptiles and the insects.  If we are lonely or inhumane, it is because we have lost our right perspective, our fraternal relationship with all of it.  Feeling a connection with other creatures is natural and right.  Perhaps it is a question of respect, in the end:  respect for other beings, and respect for ourselves.  Respect for every being's right to live a decent life and to die a decent death.  Did Jesus not remind us of a line in Hosea which states clearly that the Creator "desires mercy, not sacrifice"?  Indeed, mercy on everyone, including our littlest brothers and sisters. UN’AMERICANA A VENEZIA