By Sara Zargaran
Whenever I open my social media for news I see good news, in addition to a lot of bad news! What makes me sad is that many of us quickly pass over the sad pictures because we don’t want to ruin our day or start it with bad news! Is this the best way to face the world? I have always considered myself an animal lover, I love all creatures. I am trying to change the world and the way people see animals as subsistence! I do not eat meat, and never will, I believe humans are not meant to eat meat, nor do we need it to be healthy. I don’t want to start on this topic now because I’m trying to let you know that there are things happening on our planet that you would never believe are true!
1- In the United States they kill dogs in shelters! You have probably heard this many times, but have you ever asked why? I did some research and personally visited kill shelters in NYC and Miami, one reason they have in common is that they receive more dogs every day and need to make room for new dogs!! I was horrified!! You kill one to keep another? Does that even make sense? They kill healthy or unhealthy puppies alike, and senior dogs no matter what their condition, as if they have an expiration date! Like old medicine, or past date foods. This is happening in the United States of America, the most developed country in the world!
2- In some countries in the Middle East and Asia, like Iran, the government kills dogs in the street! Yeah, exactly, I’ve seen videos that make me sick to my stomach! I could not believe my eyes, and it forced me to question humanity and our future!
In these countries, they can force people to abandon their pets for religious reasons because they cannot pray while they have animals in their houses. There are still families in Iran with pets, but it’s against the law to have them as a pet in your house!
3- In China if you run over a stray dog you are not violating any laws, if the dog belongs to someone then you have to face charges!
4- Thailand … Oh, I don’t need to say more, every one of us knows that they eat dog meat, and breed dogs like cows and chickens to use as food!!
These are simple yet horrifying examples of what is going on in our planet earth!
I had the chance to live in Costa Rica for almost a year in 2013, I loved the country, one of the things I loved most was the way they treat stray dogs! The term Kill Shelter doesn’t mean anything there, it’s a developing country and most people are middle or lower-class based on salary, and they are kind. The shelters are full of dogs, one had over 800 dogs, another had more than 450, the woman in charge keeps all of them on acres of land with a couple of her friends and family helping her out during the day. She somehow managed to keep all the dogs in good condition! This is the answer to our Kill Shelters in the USA! We have the land, we have amazing volunteers, and we have so many dogs that need care and love. The solution is so simple, yet no one does this. We have so many amazing people who dedicate their lives to animals, I’m sure with some planning we can pull this off.