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Dear Friends,

I recently came across a story titled “Passenger Allegedly Beats Ferret to Death.” It’s about an airline passenger who was told he couldn’t take his “pet” ferret onboard a plane, so the man allegedly beat the animal to death in the restroom, and then tried to flush her down the toilet. A few days after reading that story a news station aired a story about a dog who was left chained by her neck, outside, for so long that her skin actually grew over the chain.

These shocking stories are at the very least heart-breaking. However, the reason these cases of abuse occur is not hard to understand. Our view of animals as property, resources, and commodities has lead to an unimaginable and untold amount of suffering and exploitation. When animals are treated as mere “its” and “things” they are bound to be disposed of when they are no longer useful, profitable, wanted, or convenient. I certainly doubt that airline passenger would have attempted to flush his baby girl down the toilet had she not had a ticket, or that the “owner” of the dog would have chained his grandmother outside for months on end.

Everyday I see instances of animals being neglected and treated cruelly because of their property status. In our society animals are often treated with less respect than other forms of more “valuable” property. Objects, such as expensive cars, flashy jewelry, and designer clothes often receive more attention and care than the family “mutt.” The car gets a warm garage, is cleaned meticulously, and gets regular check-ups. The dog is left longing for attention outside in the cold, chained by her neck, and rarely, if ever, sees a vet.

We must change the way we, and others, view animals. Until our society has a monumental shift in our attitude towards animals, frightened eyes at the slaughterhouse and abandoned animals shivering in the cold, will continue to be all too common sights.

For the Animals,
Nathan Runkle
MFA Director

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