Humane education

[Guest guest]

If I happened to have the opportunity to teach humane

education in the Middle East, which is about as likely as my chances

of winning a Nobel Prize for diplomacy, among the lessons I would

teach would be these:

 

 

To Palestinians, I would point out that if one happens to

live next door to a Rottweiler, taking frequent pot-shots at the

Rottweiler with a bean-shooter is not intelligent, even if one does

happen to believe that the Rottweiler should be evicted.

 

A Rottweiler, when sufficiently provoked, may just break

the fence, & when that happens, one is likely to get chewed up

rather badly, even if other neighbors help to holler for the

dogcatcher and the dogcatcher responds with the warning that is all

he ever is likely to offer in such a situation.

 

 

To Israelis, I would point out that if one happens to live

next door to a pit bull who hates one's guts, ensuring that the pit

bull is routinely short-chained, starved, & beaten is hardly

conducive to one's own safety, because once in a while the pit bull

will get loose.

 

 

The biggest problem I perceive in the whole situation is that

too few of the people on either side of the fence ever learned how to

properly treat a dog. Promoting a better understanding of proper dog

care might not by itself bring peace to the Middle East, but would

be entirely consistent with the teachings of both Islam and Judaism,

and could help to develop some cultural commonalities, particularly

pertaining to how one earns trust.

 

I note that the factions most hellbent on waging war, not

only in that region but in most regions around the world, have a

notorious antipathy toward dogs. Dogs tend to be a rowdy lot, &

most are not averse to a good scrap, but dogs don't usually engage

in warfare without coercion, & left to their own devices, will even

work out relatively amicable truces with most cats.

 

Dogs also tend to figure out situationally appropriate ways

to use any shoes that are not on someone's feet.

 

Wolves fight wars amongst themselves, but wolves have not

managed to spread their influence globally as dogs have, & tend to

work much harder for their living.

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]