| We, human animals, tend to think of other animal | | | | No one saw it happen except perhaps the mother |
| species in one of several ways or different | | | | groundhog. As my friend was taking some things |
| classifications. We think of them as wild or | | | | out to the pavilion one day he noticed the female |
| domestic or pets. Wild animals, those living in the | | | | groundhog near the garbage can. The animal |
| woods or on the plain or in the jungle, are hunted, | | | | wouldn't run when he approached. It just kept |
| sometimes for food and sometimes simply for | | | | circling the can and trying in vain to either knock it |
| sport. Domestic animals are, of course, those | | | | over or climb it to get in. Finally, after my friend |
| animals we have tamed over the millenia. They | | | | approached a second and third time, the animal |
| are our beasts of burden or they supply us with | | | | gave up and ran back toward the burrow. That's |
| various types of food and clothing and other kinds | | | | when my friend looked into the can and saw the |
| of goods. Pets are the epitome of domestication. | | | | baby groundhog. We're not sure how long it had |
| We keep them in our homes. We train them. We | | | | been in the can but it was dead. The mother, |
| show them off. And we supposedly love them. | | | | frantic to help her baby had stayed near the |
| But how do we really view all animals? We don't | | | | garbage can until she probably figured it was |
| view them as creatures deserving of life. We | | | | hopeless and was frightened enough to back |
| don't treat them as sentient beings; beings that | | | | away. My friend took the can, which was |
| have emotions such as fear and love. We don't | | | | otherwise empty, and dumped the baby |
| treat them as a part of the world that we need | | | | groundhog out so it went down over the bank, |
| to nurture and look after and of which to be | | | | away from the pavilion. We didn't see the mother |
| good stewards. Why is that? Animals, after all, are | | | | grounhog or the other two pups for quite some |
| known to love and care for their young. Some | | | | time after that. Were they holed up in their |
| mate for life. | | | | burrow mourning the loss of a family member? |
| Some animals will die protecting their young or the | | | | One can only conjecture of course. But the |
| rest of their family.They fear. They love. They | | | | thought of the mother trying to get to the |
| mourn the loss of another of their kind. They are | | | | stranded and dying baby in the can just drove |
| breathing, feeling beings worthy of respect and | | | | home to me the conviction that even the |
| care. They ought not be slaughtered in filthy | | | | smallest, what we might think of as the least |
| slaughter-houses.Much worse, they should not be | | | | significant of creatures has feelings too. As much |
| raised in cruel confinement or deprived of their | | | | as any of us would sacrifice for our own children, |
| mothers or their young. Allow me to relate a true | | | | this creature was willing to brave coming into |
| story. A chef I know was watching a female | | | | contact with a human or whatever else might |
| groundhog who had a burrow close to the building | | | | have faced her, in order to rescue her baby. We |
| in which we both work. This past Spring she had | | | | need to be more attuned to the animal world. We |
| a litter - three little groundhogs. Eventually they | | | | need to stop the needless suffering of all animals; |
| grew big enough to leave the burrow and explore | | | | wild, domestic, pets or whatever. We should be |
| the surroundingarea. She kept them close to her | | | | outraged at the abuse and cruelty that takes |
| and to the burrow. One day apparently, one of | | | | place on factory farms and in animal laboratories. |
| the young groundhogs must have managed to | | | | There are numerous organizations that take on |
| wander away and somehow walked off a stone | | | | the plight of animals - Farm Sanctuary, The |
| ledge surrounding a pavilion area on the grounds. | | | | Humane Society, the World Wildlife Fund. I could |
| As it walked off the ledge it fell right into an open | | | | name more. Get involved. Help stop the slaughter |
| garbage can that had been placed adjacent to the | | | | of the innocents. Help us to restore our society to |
| ledge wall. It couldn't get out. | | | | some semblance of moral progress. |