I’m not particularly talking about the crazy Muppet drummer, but I like him too. Animal!
I have always loved animals since growing up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Winters were long and hard and food and money were difficult to come by. My dad would fish, hunt, and trap to put food on our table. The nearest town was 26 miles away and groceries are far more expensive (because of shipping) in the U.P. He stopped trapping when I was in elementary school, but I can’t really remember the reason. Often we would be asked to help package meat or scale fish, and Dad would take care of the other stuff, such as cleaning or fileting the fish, or dressing the deer.
We never really cared for bear hunters because they used dogs and we didn’t think it was fair.
I know that many people are concerned (and rightly) about the ethical treatment of animals. When you need to eat, you eat. If you have a way to eat that doesn’t involve hunting or fishing, that’s great. I believe my dad respected the animals he hunted and that sustained us. I know we did. Giving thanks for a meal means differently when you know that a life was taken for your own. Even if I didn’t really like eating venison or rabbit, I still ate thanks to their sacrifice. I was and still am grateful.
We lived amid nature and appreciated it. Walking through the woods, we knew better than to throw away our garbage or to discard anything that could cause a forest fire. I’ll never forget the time the DNR lady warned us the fire was “getting close” and we had to be prepared to leave everything. It was 7 miles away. Respecting nature and how it works is so important, especially with the further we climb with achievements and convenience.
I love animals in their natural habitat, and I love my life companions. I take it seriously when I take responsibility for their well-being. Recently I adopted a stray kitty into the mix of my household, on the 4th of July. Fireworks can be terrifying for pets and strays, and I was terribly concerned about leaving him out there that night. I know I made the right decision. He’s easing into life with me and the other cats and I’m grateful that I could lessen the burden of more strays. He’s a young male, too young to father kittens, but only just.
It bothers me when I see people mistreat animals or disrespect them, as if their life has lesser meaning. Life is a gift. They should be treated with respect (and if it’s a snake, I’ll respect it to stay in its area far away from me).
Top Reasons I Love Animals
- They surprise me with their empathy (I don’t buy into the animals don’t have feelings crap)
- They are wonderful comedians and enjoy a good time
- They get lonely
- They mourn
- They respect the world around them
There are more reasons, but for each of these I can remember specific moments where animals made my life a better one.
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