An article in The Sunday Leader Online made me realise that there are special people in this world who do very special things. If you are an animal lover like me and despise the cruelty that is handed out to man animals this article will touch you.
The article is about the treatment ( or lack of it) of stray dogs in Sri Lanka and how To mark the 2550th Buddha Jayanthi celebrations in May 2006, President Mahinda Rajapakse, an animal lover, gave this directive to stop killing strays. Despite this directive the killing of strays continued until Kim Cooling, a social worker from London, formed Animal SOS Sri Lanka with the aim of helping the destitute strays in Sri Lanka.
This article is well worth reading and it will probably bring tears to your eyes but at least now someone is working to improve the lot of these animals. If you would like to read the article go to The Sunday Leader Online and be thankful there are people like Kim Cooling in this world.
8 comments:
Raising money for animals in Sri Lanka is all very noble, but come on, what about all the mistreated and neglected children in the world? Aren't they a higher priority than animals?
What a sideways comment made above. Who was comparing and why compare? Good people trying to make a difference...is one more important than the other? No, go out and do something good, just for you. Then see how nice it feels to make someone or somethings life better. I appreciate the article. From one animal (and people) lover to the next- Thanks.
It was not a case of comparing Ann but more an expression of where I believe there is a greater need. All to often animals are being given a role that is superior to the role we give to children. Let's look after our children first.
Compassion should be for all living things, but if we have to look at the greater need, here are the facts-
You do not see thousands of children in Sri Lanka dying in the roads of starvation or disease, or see children dumped on rubbish tips where their eyes are pecked out by crows. You do not see children stoned, beaten, mutilated or scalded with boiling water on the steets or deliberately run over by cars. But, this DOES happen to the animals in Sri Lanka.
In suffering animals are our equals, and as we humans inflict appalling misery on them, they rightly deserve protection and help from those who care.
The best way to help the children in Sri Lanka is to instil the importance of respecting all life and being kind and compassionate.
This concept will enrich any society as animal abuse and human abuses are closely interlinked.
You are absolutely right. If we want to live in a gentler , kinder world then we must start with the children. The problem is, who will teach them? They will learn cruelty from their parents and the people around them.
Even though they may see the kindness of the minority I don't believe that is enough to change their attitude to these poor animals.
Have you seen the latest that this group Animal SOS Sri Lanka is putting out? Claiming that if you give them money they will save children from dying of rabies. Quite a laughable claim and ego tall order really. As if the big health organisations ie WHO and Govt of Sri Lanka aren't already immunizing the people and animals. Also there are already established UK charities helping animals in that country.
You are absolutely right. WHO and the Sri lankan government do have their own immunisation programs and I must apologise for not doing a little more research into this subject before publishing it. If anyone is interested the link to some information is
http://www.cababstractsplus.org/abstracts/Abstract.aspx?AcNo=20003009653
Thank you for your comment.
Hi! Nice post..
Follow my blog also to see the beauty of the
ELEPHANT in SRI LANKA…videos…. Videos… videos… videos.. videos.. videos….. videos… videos… videos… videos.. videos…..!!!!!!!!!!
www.elephants-srilanka.blogspot.com
Post a Comment