Born To Die

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76 – October, 2014

You were born in a hole or on cement. You were born to starve and die from thirst.

You were born to be tortured and to suffer endlessly. Alas, although you are

Man’s Best Friend, you were born to be eaten.

By Lisa Dubé-Forman

It is no wonder that purebred dog fanciers have been under assault from animal rights activists and humanitarians. Truly, the extent of abuse and exploitation in recent abuse cases is shocking and nearly inexpressible. One such new case involved the Houston SPCA raiding a Texas property and over 140 animals, including over 70 Irish Wolfhounds, were rescued from hell. Yes, you read that correctly, over 70 Irish Wolfhounds. Many people cannot possibly envisage this scene nor the magnitude of the cruelty that these majestic hounds endured. Those people familiar with this breed weep contemplating the horror that these stoic, giant creatures faced as part of their daily existence. I use the word existence and certainly not lives because having a life involves animation and spirit of which these animals had neither as they were born in hell. Moreover, they did not ask to be born. This most recent accounting has led me to ponder why this particular breed seems especially attractive to humans intending to inflict suffering and harm on a dog. After much consideration, I concluded that both the breed’s legendary soft and devoted personality, and it’s majestic size lure such malevolent and mentally unfit individuals. Such neglect, abuse and torture is a violent act of oppression and power over a subservient species. Not to categorize women as subservient but crimes and other acts of cruelty, and violent aggression, such as rape are exacted against women as well.

How can today’s purebred dog fanciers survive in a world that is populated with harrowing abuse reports in mainstream and social media? What is more, bear in mind the investigations involving the importation of, breeding and slaughter of dogs in Eastern Asian countries as sources of food. Reportedly, the Saint Bernard is the preferred breed being bred for consumption, their meat considered a choice foodstuff for the well-off. Moreover, the alleged methods of their slaughter are described as gruesome and torturous, such as being flayed alive to use their fur.

We live in such a different world today with human populations exploding throughout the globe. Along with this is what seems to be an overall desensitization to media reports of slaughter, execution, mayhem, and cruelty, all of which are just plain evil. “Evil, I think, is the absence of empathy,” said Captain G. M. Gilbert while at the Nuremberg Trials and his famous sentiments are so appropriate today, especially relating to the aforesaid examples. Faced with an uncertain future, we purebred dog breeders are confronted with serious, distressing issues that could mean our extinction. The truth is that the rescue scenario above and countless others are part of a never-ending stream of ammunition that PETA and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) use against breeders on the whole. The result, conscientious, devoted, sound-minded breeders cannot and would not defend such evil, but it may play out that one bad apple spoils the barrel.

I saw a photograph credited to Animals Asia, an organization devoted to ending the barbaric practices of bear bile farming and the meat trade of cats and dogs in China and Vietnam. It took my breath away, something that hasn’t happened to me in a very long time. I quickly had to turn my head away and close my laptop. It was sick revealing live dogs in cages that were delivered to the wholesale markets. Both large and medium-sized dogs all shoved and pancaked down into cages half their height with at least one or more other dogs. They were pretzel-wrapped with one another — cages so small they were unable to turn or lift their heads and many compressed lying flat on their sides — waiting for slaughter. Can you possibly imagine being held in a coffin-like cage, defecating and urinating on yourself, with no understanding of what was going to become of you? Why did these people do this to me? The reality is that these conditions are not that different from the conditions at dog auctions in the United States.

With all high-profile animal abuse cases, successfully defending against restrictive dog legislation may get even more complicated. Imagine the scene, stepping into the nightmarish rescue debacle of 70-plus living, breathing Irish Wolfhounds. It was reported that the deplorable conditions included an undisclosed number of bodies. This leaves me to ask a logical but unstomachable question — what of the starving hounds with the dead bodies? What about hydration? Were they forced to drink urine from their pools of stench-ridden, urine-soaked concrete since most water buckets were bone dry? These dogs had no indoor/outdoor runs, yards or fields — their world was a concrete pad environ infested with ticks, including the owner’s residence. Here I wish to take a non-judgmental moment to add a few thoughts on the most widespread use of kennel runs for housing dogs. Covered or uncovered, when misused they can quickly become small prison cells. Hard science reveals that prison and jail cells, along with solitary confinement, can drive humans (prisoners) mad — but what about dogs? If confinement causes unsound minds in humans, what does it do to dogs that mostly evolved to run, hunt, play and work, all of which are instincts hardwired into their DNA? Can you imagine the degree of confusion these wolfhounds experienced and eventual ultimate delight to see a blade of grass when they were finally rescued?

Such callous, blatant disregard for life — there is nothing eviler than mankind. Of course, the majority of breeders are as aghast as I about all dog abuse and exploitation. Many breeders provide fastidious care for their dogs, and many privately believe that we can continue safeguarding our rights through petitions and emails to lawmakers. How true is that though? Begrudgingly, we will all need to adapt and improvise in our new world order. It is not like it once was. We must make and accept changes while we still have control and influence over their scope. These may prove to be bitter, jagged pills to swallow, but do not be mistaken, change either way is coming down the pike. The changes I refer to include the fiercely protected breed requirements for cropping and docking, along with the adjudication preferences for such in the show ring. Soon the day is coming that discussions will be opened on the extreme engineering designs on today’s breeds, case in point, the Bulldog, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Pekingese and more. Today’s versions of these breeds are affected by exaggeratory designer fashions which in many cases has influenced health. The Kennel Club of England knows all too well what damage can result from an assault on their flank. Despite the prevailing attitude that our society and country is the land of the free, we best be prepared to construct and implement a Plan B. Or they will do it for us.

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Posted by ralbee on Oct 12 2014. Filed under Current Articles, Editorial. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.