My stance on animal rights

I will warn you in advance, this is not a positive post, it's me, pouring my heart out on a topic that I'm passionate about. I feel this needs to be said (while I'm sure it has been already and many times), because every single voice can help.

This issue has been bugging me for a while now. I might not be the most implicated person to discuss this matter but I'm simply speechless in front of all the cruelty and indifference out there.

My cats which have brought me nothing but happiness over the past few years. I could not imagine my life without them.

Animal rights have always been something close to my heart. I have been a pet owner for several years now and I have developped a very deep companionship and fondness for my pets.I can barely bear the thought of being ever separated from them. So it boggles my mind to see so many ads on websites such as Kijiji of other pet owners ready to give them away just because they chose to move to an apartment which does not allow them.

If you have any affection for them, how could you consciously choose a place that would force you to get rid of them? I understand that in some cases, there were no other choices, but I'm one hundred percent sure that more than half of these ads were posted by people that did not try to avoid the situation. I have even seen some outrageous ads of pet owners menacing that if no one took the animal they would have them put down within the week!

What kind of person does that? How could you be so un-compationate that you would have your innocent pet killed so that you could move into another apartment? How could you decide over the life and death of this animal in the first place? I think it's unfair that so many pet owners treat their animals this way and disregard their right to live and be loved and cared for.

Those ads, as terrible as they are, still remain a LOT better than many pet owners who do not even take the time to try and find a family to their pet. After seeing the report on the Berger Blanc, it is clear that many simply choose to get rid of the pet, without even trying to find a family first. I've also heard stories of people wanting to have their pets put down for reasons as trivial as the fact that they did not want to pay for fleas treatments. I think it is unbelievable and highly hypocritical that someone who likes animals enough in the first place (or at least pretends to) to want to own them would treat them like they are disposable. They are living creatures! They are not just another possession your capitalist and consumerist lifestyle can purchase! People that think they can treat their pets this way should not be allowed to have pets.

I simply cannot believe this, I'm outraged and saddened by this situation, by the ignorance and carelesness of so many pet owners. When you adopt a pet, you take the responsibility to care for it. You can't just toss it once it doesn't suit you anymore! I know that it is definitely not impossible to find apartments that will allow pets, even in Montreal. Most landlords who say they do not want pets will allow cats at the very least! And if you look carefully enough, there are other pet lovers out there who will gladly rent to pet owners. I would never rent a place that I knew I couldn't keep my pets in, it's just common sense. I have managed really well with three cats, it musn't be that hard!

Anyway, I don't mean to offend anyone but I'm very saddened by this behaviour. I know that everyone's situation is different and I'm not saying that it is always wrong to give up an animal. Some reasons are genuinely good (as long as you find a family for your pet, if the reason is legitimate it's alright) like because of allergies or not having enough time to actually take care of your animal properly. I just needed to say this, I think awareness needs to grow for this cause.

You cannot just get rid of your pet like this, nor can you just leave them outside to fend for themselves! The amount of stray cats here in Montreal is absolutely phenomenal (over 400 000) and most of them live a short and difficult life. It is simply not an option and neither are insitutions like Berger Blanc.

This brings me to another topic that has been on my mind a lot lately. The recent accusations against the Berger Blanc here in Montreal and other regions of the province of Quebec. This situation has been brought to my attention by my close friend and long time animal rights defendant, Frederika Wellett (http://www.frederikaphotography.com) and has deeply affected me. There are no words that can express how soul-crushing the images that were shown on this shock documentary were (available in french here : http://www.tou.tv/enquete/S04E24) which aired recently.

I simply cannot describe how infuriated and deeply sad to see and learn about these practices. I cannot believe that a company who claims to care about animal would be so careless, so business oriented. How can you possibly run a business catering to animals and care more about profit than about the way they are treated? The owner would go as far as to lie about the facilities and methods used to put down animals to show a good front while he doesn't care about any of what goes on within his facilities!

I doubt that by raising the obligations towards the Berger Blanc the city of Montreal will help with this horrible problem, it's an issue of respect and these people clearly do not care about the well being of animals. There is really nothing else I can say other than I'm truly saddened by this.

Feel free to post a comment below if this issue has affected you too, I would love to hear your opinions!