Animal Rights and Rights for Mother Earth

I come from the world of pure bred dogs, where the worthiness of an animal to breed is adjudicated in the show ring.



Workshops, seminars were a way of life for breeding better dogs. The sense of satisfaction standing in the winner’s spot with a fine healthy animal you bred is phenomenal. I was proud of what I did; I still am.


Animal rights people, animal activists scared us. Stories of activists letting dogs out of their crates were abound. Animal owners have lost the right to make decisions for their pets.


Did you know that in Illinois I can take my child to a faith healer, but I can’t take my dog to an animal chiropractor without the written permission of the veterinarian?


As my rights as an animal owner have been eroded, it was hard to listen to people talk animal rights. From the framework of my overly conscientious mind, I saw the interest of my animals being best served by my rights. I guess to me they were one and the same. Myopia is a metaphor for many things.


The journey I am taking is farther than Illinois to Puerto Rico. It’s like those books I’ve read on spirituality have a new meaning.


Why?? In a large part because of a facebook friend, Cindy Badano; thank you, Cindy, your post: Bolivia Grants Right to Mother Earth opened my eyes. What a concept! Even the U.N. hasn’t gone there.


This fascinating story reminded me that Gary Zukav wrote about granting rights to the earth as a living organism in his book the Seat of the Soul. I saluted the idea when I read it.


The realty that a nation granted rights to the earth; not as a symbolic gesture, but actual rights. How can I think that is so cool and not re-think the issue of animal rights?


I’m new at this, so let me see…… If I breed a litter of puppies, I don’t feed them and care for them because I’m a good person caring for what is mine. I take care of them because as my creations it is their right to be cared for.


I guess I always thought that was a given and perhaps it isn’t.


I like the right to life. It’s a life; we can’t throw them away or “put them to sleep”.


Killing for convenience stabs us in the gut. It’s like losing part of your soul.


Tell me what you think about this; it’s a virgin forest for me. I’m still waiting for an equal rights amendment for women.