Current law defines a “vicious dog” as one that, without provocation, has seriously injured a person, has killed another dog, or is of the general breed known as “pit bull.” Among numerous other changes, the bill drops the reference to “pit bull” from that definition.

BUT THE SENATE has PASSED SUB-HB 14 –THEY’VE LISTENED TO US!

They’ve honored constituent wishes and REMOVED PIT BULLS from the VICIOUS DOG LAW!

Watch for yourself near the 45-minute mark here (!):

Courtesy Best Friends Animal Society: a Happy Pittie, as it SHOULD BE

The measure notes that the label doesn’t include a police dog that has injured a person or has killed another dog while assisting law enforcement officials.

Sasha is a special rescue cat.

I know that everyone who has a rescue animal says that – and they truly and whole-heartedly believe it; Sasha is different, however.

Sasha is an uncertified cancer therapy cat.

According to a study by Nestle/Purina Pet Care, “During times of stress or illness, the bond between a pet and … (patient) can be particularly strong.”

The study says that breast cancer patients relied equally upon siblings, parents and CATS for emotional support and love during chemo treatments.

We’ll get back to this in a bit. First let me give you some background.

Sasha knows what the “school of hard knocks” is like… she spent the first 6 months of her life being neglected, ignored, underfed and possibly abused (I never found out for sure but she definitely showed the signs when I stormed in and took her from the previous owner). When I went to “meet her” to see if I was indeed going to take her off the hands of this girl who had flyers around campus, I met a 19-year-old college girl in an apartment with hardly any furniture, an overflowing, disgusting litter box, no water bowl, beer bottles all over the place, a huge stereo… and … well that’s enough of that talk.

That was when I was 21. 21 and boisterous, raw, expressive, gutsy, a bit crazy and willing to do and/or say anything in the name of “animal rights.” (Now I have drawn a metaphorical and precise line between animal welfare and animal rights, with animal rescue advocacy being somewhere in the middle…)

Trust me; I left that apartment with Sasha underarm, police number in hand, ready to report animal cruelty and with that small sassy mademoiselle shaking in her skivvies.

Sasha first started being “therapeutic” back in those first few months I had her in the summer of 2001, my last semester of college at Colorado State University. We had a very nice neighbor, Mrs. B, whose husband denied her the love of charming, kind and cute kittehs; thus, Mrs. B would often put plates of food and other goodies out for Sasha (& Theodore) to eat so she could spend time with them, even though I politely asked her to stop. (Theodore was an outdoor cat with open in and out privileges – I feel no need to deny felines their natural instincts to play and hunt outdoors – I couldn’t very well make Sasha stay in when she was so socurious as to what Dora was doing out there all the time…)

Beautiful Sasha...

I later found out that Mrs. B, who Sasha took a special liking to, was suffering from breast cancer. Sasha – night and day, would sit with her on her front porch for hours, food or not, letting Mrs. B stroke her beautiful long black fur. Sasha would often opt to let Mrs. B cuddle and snuggle her outside during gorgeous stormy days in those unspeakably beautiful Rocky Mountain foothills of Fort Collins.

(Sasha’s older (and covetous, cantankerous) brother Theodore would surely come if food was out, but he was otherwise way too busy clearing the bustling college neighborhood of small birds, Colorado field mice, chipmunks, etc.)

Mrs. B told me – right when she found out that I was leaving Colorado to move back to California to find work after graduation – that she was sick and that Sasha had provided endless comfort to her. She had left me in the dark about her condition for about 8 months, as I left to go to Cali in February or March of 2002. (After 911, finding work in Denver was nearly impossible with so many college kids competing for the same jobs.)

Mrs. B was quite sad to say the least to see Sasha go; so sad in fact, that her husband, after seeing the amazing and positive effects that Sasha had on her over the months, finally caved and went on allergy medication. Mrs. B could now adopt her own cat. I kindly offered to take her to the Humane Society where I had found my Theodore  — she immediately found a cat like Sasha, one who “spoke to her” through the wire cage, one who she said she could feel feeling what she was feeling.

That’s how it happens for most of us cat rescuers I think…

Anyhow, I am not crazy. Mrs. B was not crazy. People who think animals are therapeutic are not crazy.

It is scientifically proven that petting a cat:

• Lowers blood pressure
• Lowers heart rate
• Calms emotions
• Has potential to stop or lower symptoms of a panic attack
• Makes the person feel at ease, i.e. more relaxed

The Purina study also “found that 84 percent of women battling breast cancer said their cat had a calming effect on them during their treatment. Cats also provided daily support to the patient, according to 76 percent of survivors surveyed.”

LifeWithCats.tv offers further proof of the science and history of these relationships for those questioning it, or those interested in the research.

Again – here is some precursor information to lead me into Sasha’s current cancer patient.

When we lived in California from 2002 to 2006, Sasha was a neighborhood roamer — again. Sasha would visit with folks up and down the street, picking the good ones to stop by, visit with and stay awhile.

When we moved to Ohio, she and Theodore couldn’t wait to go out every morning and explore. They absolutely loved the blowing leaves and super-strong lakeshore winds in the fall (similar to where they “grew up” in Colorado), the little critters in the summer and spring, the crisp clean rain to help them groom, and just having four seasons again in general.

We met sweet, sweet Laura right away as Sasha was frequently found in her beautiful backyard garden paradise. Then she started inviting herself into their garage (not the first time she had done this – I once awoke an angry CA neighbor “Umm, my cat is stuck in your closed garage sir…”)

Sashy immediately loved Laura, her son Jon, and her husband Dave. She LOVES men (we deduced it’s because a woman first neglected/abused her as a baby.)

We found out through speaking to Laura outside on a sunny day that she had been fighting breast cancer for a number of years. My ears immediately perked up; my eyes immediately welled up…

She mentioned how sometimes Sasha would be outside meowing to come in their house. Never to turn down a sweet face or this new love in her life, Laura let her in and it was, as I have said before, love at first cuddle.

At some point Sasha got chased by a rather large Great Dane who was visiting the house behind us and she stayed inside for the winter and then through the spring of 2007. When she finally started going outside again – late spring – it was straight back to Laura’s. It was like she went outside and immediately ran over there.

Something was wrong and Sasha could feel in inside. She was relentless at the door at 6 am before it was light out to get over to see Laura; she needed to confirm her suspicions. She would zoom over to Laura’s as soon as the door opened for her in the morning, and stay over there all day until we went to get her at 9 or 10 pm or Dave brought her home.

Mom and I started to joke around about it before we knew it was serious: we always jested that over at Laura’s, Sasha has a silk pillow with satin lining and an “S” engraved on it. This is surrounded by a personal fan, a porcelain dish consistently filled to the brim with crème, and an entire corner of the couch. (Now in reality, she does have her own small couch, and she does spend many days sitting on their absolutely stunning, black Baby Grand looking out the window… And of course she gets crème there, but the whole neighborhood gives her that at this point!)

In an earlier post about this, I noted that sweet “Auntie Laura” has kitty treats – the good kind — for Sasha. And she also gets – sometimes — whatever the family has for dinner because Laura has said that Sasha meows for food (she’s a bad beggar, comes from her early roots) and she can’t resist her sweet little ways.

Laura was in such bad shape at this point that her son, Jon came home to help Dave. The chemo was totally wrecking her body and for quite a while we didn’t see her outside in the yard gardening… or outside doing anything. She lost weight, or gained it. She got sicker from the chemo. So sick she couldn’t’ leave her bed some days.

(Those of you who have experience with this know what I am talking about; I have been blessed to never have a human family member get cancer so I do not know first-hand what treatment is like…)

When Laura finally did appear in the mid-summer she wandered over to our house. Practically in tears she was exasperated, and said that she didn’t know what she would do without Sasha; how Sasha comforted her and help her relax. Sasha would lie on her (or next to her) for hours or all day long to keep her company. Sasha was the only thing that made her happy and gave her hope. She always had the energy to snuggle Sasha no matter how tired she was. This is what Laura told us.

We offered to help Laura find a rescue cat to keep. She said she wouldn’t be able to do it because she would never want to leave the cat. We asked her where she was going and she trailed off, “I don’t know how long I’ll be…” She kept repeating how Sasha is her savior and how enamored with her she is.

My Mom and I were almost in tears after that. We realized just how much Sasha meant to this sweet lady. We allow Sasha to stay at Auntie Laura and Uncle Dave’s all day long, bringing her home only at night time to sleep with me. Every now and then she will actually eat dinner at her real house, too.

We don’t care. We just want her to help Laura.

UPDATE:

In late 2011, Laura’s cancer, after coming and going for years, progressed into many places: it came back with vengeance and pure evil and invaded her bones and spine, among other places. She has had too many relapses to count, and each time, she gets herself through with support from her family – and from Sasha.

All chemo options have failed. All medications, steroids, pills, radiation treatments, and other courses have done some, but little, to help her. Some of the best doctors in the world at the Cleveland Clinic offer ideas or courses of treatment that simply cannot compete with the comfort, relaxation, and general good vibes that Sasha offers Laura.

Sometimes the Sasha relationship is not all sunshine and roses. There have been a few days here in the last couple months where even Sasha can’t really help her. Shakespeare once said, “Though he be little, he is mighty;” and that’s the attitude Sasha has. She’s come home a few nights recently with a small fever or a bit of an attitude of her own because, as Laura says in her cute little voice, “she’s punky!” Punky! Ha! You can tell that Sasha is “off.”

I made some inquiries to behaviorists/therapists and found that Sasha is simply trying quite hard to take on the emotional and physical pain Laura is experiencing – she is trying SO hard to help and heal her.

She’s the “Laura Whisperer.”

I told Laura this, and she got a bit upset, but I added that it does not hurt Sasha. Most cats and dogs have a very large capacity for pain of any kind – they are so much stronger than we humans are. That is, after all, why they can be used in therapy in the first place.

They heal. They help. They quiet. They cool. They make people smile and laugh; they help patients forget – even if just for a bit – about their conditions. For example, a 2005 press release on PRWeb said that one study group reported, “… a cat’s purr has been analyzed to be at the same frequency of vibration that mends bones.”

How amazing is that?

Laura is the strongest woman, alongside my own Mother and my Grandmother, that I know. I have such great respect and admiration for her – I love her like I love my own Mother.

And Sasha is responsible for bringing us together in illness. I suffer from Multiple Sclerosis as well as a brain/mental disorder. Laura just happens to be a studied and specialized therapist in treatment; she holds a PhD and my doctor told me she is one of the most well-respected and reputable treatment specialists in Cleveland, and that 10 years ago you would have been hard-pressed to find someone in the field who didn’t know her name.  She has helped me multiple times and she says it’s in exchange for Sasha’s services.

Sasha has grown increasingly frustrated being in at our house since we got the two rescue babies – Maxwell and Tater. She does still love, of course, to sleep right next to my head, exactly as she has for the last 10 years of her life. But she prefers to spend her days relaxing with Laura and/or sleeping on Dave’s lap, offering him comfort too, as cancer is a family disease.

I will continue to allow Sasha to do what she can to help and heal Laura.

I will continue to do as much research as I can on the issue to find out what I can; I also plan to see if it’s worthwhile to get Sasha certified, although that idea sometimes leaves a bad taste in my mouth because I want Sash to continue to be Laura’s special treatment plan, and hers only.

Ironically, we found out this week that Sasha is suffering from her own condition – Osteoarthritis. She is on steroids – which Laura was on for months and months and months. So it seems that now Laura is familiar with what Sasha is feeling.

Amazing how the Powers That Be work sometimes, isn’t it?

Sasha and Laura will be forever connected, and I couldn’t be happier about the relationship. As for their diseases, I pray every morning and night that they will be comforted and that maybe, just maybe, a cure will be found one day soon…

Bless you Laura, and all you have done for us. Having you in our lives makes us grateful, more loving and caring, more forgiving and happier to be alive. We love you. And Sasha will always be here for you!

*** If you have thoughts on cats treating humans with cancer or animals offering cancer patients therapy, please leave them below. ***

**** Please, more importantly, leave your encouraging words for Laura – our dear Laura – who is such a fighter that on her last trip to the doctor, when her oncologist looked at her and told her they had been through all her options, she replied by looking up at him and saying, “Well then we’re going to have to figure something out aren’t we because I’m not just going to give up.” ****

It’s people like Laura and Dave (and Jon, the most caring son you could imagine having) that make this crazy world a better place.

* *All Live Strong© graphics are copyright the Lance Armstrong foundation, but were used in the graphic designs of my dear friend at Zoolatry for general use.

So poor Sasha (aka “Little One,” “Poopsie,” “Sash-Kash-B’Gosh”) has been having a hard time lately… can you all please send us some purrs and prayers…? 

Not only did she feel “upstaged” by the very younger Tater and Maxwell when they were welcomed in about 1.5 years ago, the rascal cats, but she’s been acting a bit strange – missing jumps onto the counter and the bed, limping a bit every now and then, being feverish, “missing” the litter box or flat-out going #2 on the carpet, and not eating (she is so damn picky – a true woman!)…

So today, after a strange day yesterday with a fever and dilated pupils all day, I had a FULL work-up done at the vet. I’m talkin’ stool, urine, blood, x-rays, everything.

Turns out, poor Sasha, my sweet Poopsie has SEVERE and PROGRESSIVE Osteoarthritis not only in the middle of her back, in both her back legs, and in both her back knees. Specifically in the back legs, the vet (who is so handsome and smart and he likes animals! – I love you Dr. Mills, will you marry me?) Anyhow, back to Sasha – in her back legs she has “joint mice,” or little fragments of bone in the joints… so needless to say, she’s uncomfortable at the very least.

And probaby in some pain at the worst/most.

So she came home with special instructions for feline arthritis, Cosequin for Cats, which is a Glucosamine-Chondrotin mix supplement that has received RAVE reviews, and a script for a liquid-dispense steroid (Prednisone — what else?), oh yay…

I guess the steroids will counteract the swelling and inflammation, and – WHO KNEW – THERE IS NO APPROVED NSAID PAIN RELIEVER FOR CATS out there? There is no equivalent to Rimadyl for dogs or anything close…

** Special note to pharmaceutical companies – without HURTING any animals, please try to create one so Sash doesn’t have to take steroids forever. Thanks. **

♥ So I pray tonight and ask of you to do the same  ♥

 ♥ Please pray that Sasha will be more comfortable & that her 11-year-old feisty little mind will support her fragile tiny bones… ♥

She did gain another pound, which is encouraging, because she went on a hunger strike when we adopted Maxwell and Tater… she weighs over 10 pounds today! HOORAY!

As I rest my head tonight with Sasha in her usual spot RIGHT NEXT TO MY HEAD… I will stroke her and send a silent request…

to the Powers That Be, to the Father of All Creatures, to Sweet Sweet Mother Nature and the Father of the Heavens…

That Sasha pulls through and can handle her severe arthritis; and that any measures we take will succeed in stopping its progression; that any medicines she is given do not have side effects; and that her sweet Sasha self-esteem and her therapy abilities are not effected by her condition. She would just lose herself if she didn’t have her cancer patient, Laura and 2nd Daddy, aka Uncle Dave. (And “boyfriend” Jon, but that’s a whole ‘nother story – she’s a neighborhood feline tramp… just kidding – but she does like to make new friends at ALL the neighbors’ houses in the summer)

We are also sending prayers out tonight to Grandpa Brian’s BFF’s wife, Norma in Canada – she lost her sister tonight to a bacterial (Staph) infection.

♥ ♥ We are praying for you Ernie and Norma, and love you! ♥ ♥

So here is the latest “Stella-Bella” update for all you Boston Terrier and puppy fans out there…

♥ ♥ First of all, let me tell you how SPOILED ROTTEN THIS GIRL IS: her Daddy, my manager, just bought her a Louis Vuitton dog collar and she looks ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE in it. ♥ ♥ I never thought I would be one to condone spending THAT kind of money on a pet, but I guess I surprised myself…!

Stella and Daddy Sleeping...

You recently read about Stella’s first Christmas - well the collar was a POST-Xmas present — that’s how much Daddy loves this little pistol of a dog… and trust me, she is a pistol. She runs so fast outside the office in the woods and her little fun areas, it looks like she’s a miniature black hovercraft (I know I said that about Henry once, but he’s too old now to move that fast…!) (You FIRST read about Stella HERE.)

Stella's New Amigo!

BTW, Stella recently met a new friend on a walk – we can’t remember his name, but he is pictured to the right there!

Stella is so energetic; her fave toy is a Frisbee. In our business, we do a lot of shipping and Stella has a knack for sneaking into the warehouse and stealing the lids off the shipping tubes, which are perfect frisbees for her little Boston Terrier body.

And by the way – my Manager brought up a point the other day that I argued him on a d I wanted to know what you all think. He said that Boston Terriers are actually NOT Terriers, which I don’t understand at all. I can’t remember who told him that – but they said that Boston Terriers do NOT have typical Terrier traits, i.e. they have flat heads and ears! HA!

Which other traits he was speaking of I do not know, because the ones I’m familiar with are the obvious traits of:

• “tinyness”
• being a bit wiry
• very active
• fearless
• three types are working, toy and bull
• females bark at EVERYTHING unless you train it out of them

Anyhow, I think Stella shows these in full force… what do you think?

Sooo, on to the Pet Product of the Week!

We and Stella LOVE LOVE LOVED the Spring Naturals Beef Treats — they have a nice, refreshing, smelly “medley” of fruits & berries and are not shaped or formed like any other treat I have ever seen. They are baked, natural treats that are made from real beef with plentiful rations of veggies, fruits and whole grains. They’re a great way to reward your dog…

The best parts about Spring Naturals: first of all, Stella LOVES them because they smell and taste different from anything else she’s EVER had; secondly, because real beef is the first ingredient; and finally, because there is no wheat, gluten, corn, soy, by-products, artificial preservatives, flavors or colors!

So Spring Naturals totally makes “Pet Product of the Week” for ThoughtsFurPaws, with Stella’s four paws of approval!

Also, just to let you know they’re reputable and I’m not just saying this because they sent me a bag for review — Spring Naturals, in early January, won the Pet Business, a prestigious trade magazine, Industry Recognition Award in the dog food category!

** For a newcomer, that’s pretty darn impressive if you ask us! **

Stay tuned for more Stella stories and antics; you;ll soon see how smart Stella is:

she learned sit, high-five and more in just days at the hands of a very patient and smart co-worker of mine!

ODE TO TATE, OUR WILD, RESCUE ABYSSINIAN KITTY

You have a nose that’s bright pinky

You’re the same color as a Twinkie,

And you’re always a little blinky…

You’re never ever stinky.

Our “Minian”-Minion- (to your fat ol’ brother) Abyssinian,

You’re the teeny tiny Tater Tot,

you certainly weigh just a little

But certainly love a whole lot

You’re aka the” Sweet Tatey-Potatey,”

Mommy’s beloved orange little baby

Sometimes you’re P-Tootey Scootey,

the teeny auburn kitty with a teeny kitty booty…

You’re itty-bitty teeny-tiny

Never whiney and always super shiny

Waiting your turn at dinner

Avoiding your Mad Maxwell brother – who’s the opposite of thinner…

You heart doing lovey-doveys

on blankies with your mini-clawless paws

You love rubby-dubbies with your teeny ears,

you heart your “muth-er,” and show it by kissing her nose, cheeks and jaws

You patiently wait for crunchies

or fabulous dinner tableside-munchies

Like a good-natured little boy

You’re respectful and kind and it’s your rescued life you now enjoy

In his favorite spot, the window sill...

You’re the head and founder of the” itty-bitty-kitty-committee®”

Always polite, never sassy, but seriously witty

So Momma Jaime made up this little ditty

To dedicate to you…,

Our seemingly 3-ounce, wild rescue wonder-kitty!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

In mid-December, IAMS and the Home 4 the Holidays (IH4TH) team helped ring the opening bell at the NYSE with some unspeakably adorable four-legged friends from Bideawee, a rescue organization participating in the program that has several locations in New York…!

IAMS, HWAC and Fur-Babies Open NYSE in December

According to the website, Bideawee is “a community of compassionate caregivers, volunteers, and friends dedicated to helping people and animals build safe, loving, long-term relationships.”

Anyhow, take a look at the cute pix from the NYSE day – and also, check out the latest information below about the IAMS Home for the Holidays program — its almost done! Our progress is AWESOME and totally noteworthy…

** 1,074,532 pets adopted since Oct. 1, 2011 – Our goal is to help 1.5 million pets get into loving forever homes…

** 4,998,792 meals donated through Bags 4 Bowls since Oct. 1, 2011 – Our goal is to give 5 million

You, as readers, can continue to help spread the word about the importance of pet adoption, and encourage friends to get involved and make a difference for the homeless animals in our country.

Trader Christopher Carella and Mabel, a dog up for adoption through IH4TH

Here are some easy (and fun) ways to help:

Adoption Announcement & Holiday Cards: 

Visit Facebook.com/Iams and share your creation with your friends… meals will be donated to pets in need.

Badges:

♥ Go to the Iams Facebook page to download and share “Paw It Forward” badges touting whether you’ve donated, volunteered or adopted! ♥

♥♥ In case you forgot, IAMS Home for the Holidays is the world-famous adoption program started by Helen Woodward Animal Center (HWAC) and their President, Mike Arms (my personal hero). Since it’s inception, the program has homed over 5.7 million homeless animals. ♥♥

♥♥ For more information, check out HWAC and IAMS. ♥♥

The most-interesting and very inspiring book, Pure Gold, about Holli Pfau, a Golden lover and all-around friend to animals, rescuer, and how she came about having SIX rescues and was able to train them, is enlightening, inspiring, and full of love, hope, and stirring stories that make you laugh, cry and talk/laugh out loud all at the same time. (“Hey – Benson did that SAME thing when we first trained him!!”)

Pfau’s dogs “guided” her to a career in animal-assisted therapy, sending her into wilderness adventures in one of my favorite places on the entire Earth — the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Her dogs: Nikki, Bodie, Tucker, Sophie, Daisy and Chatter each have their own little personality quarks that will warm your soul as you leaf through the pages – turning each one with more fury than the previous so you can find out what happens next…

Along the way or rescuing and training and bringing up these guys, she decided to add “rally obedience” and agility to the assortment of activities for the dogs. In each and every case, the golden-colored, sweet-hearted and level-headed dogs led her along the way…

Thus, Pure Gold is a tale of the unexpected escapades that come up when you have one (or SIX!) wonderful Retrievers – and it also, in great detail, tells the reader in narrative form and with humor and wit, of the fruitfulness of one’s life who owns rescued dogs…

Holli Pfau and two of her Golden rescues

Pfau totally nails the kinship that is formed between rescuer and “rescuee” if you ask me… although my family and I have rescued mostly cats, and only one Golden (Gibson – the white one), I personally also helped to rescue and recover a puppy mill Basset Hound and have been part of the rescue of many other animals through my volunteer work.

*** Pfau has a blog on the website you should check out: one of my favorite blog posts – “The dogs made me do it.” ***

This detail was taken from the Pure Gold website:

“Inspired by the lives, antics and talents of her six rescued or second-hand golden retrievers, Holli Pfau wrote Pure Gold to support the efforts of Golden Retriever Rescue and other dog rescue and adoption programs.”

Chatter the Rescue...

Pfau says on the website that she wrote Pure Gold to assist in efforts to rescue and place Golden Retrievers and other dogs in their forever homes. Fundraising for rescue is a special program available to 501(c)(3) non-profit dog rescue organizations, humane societies and shelters across the country. These groups can purchase autographed copies of Pure Gold at the wholesale price, sell the book at list price, and retain all profits for their programs.

BRAVO Pfau… BRAVO.

Some organizations that are supported by Holli and the profits of this book include:

Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) and Land of Pure Gold Foundation…

*** On my account, (coming from a total bookworm here as well as a rescue advocate and Golden-obsessed dog-lover), this book gets a full FIVE STARS!! You guys must got and read it! Check out puregoldbook.com for more information, fun pictures, blog posts, author information and cool stuff about each pooch! ***

This is borrowed from a few friends on Facebook, but was originally posted by American Humane Association awhile back….

VOICE OF THE VOICELESS

I am the voice of the voiceless,
Through me, the dumb shall speak;
Till the deaf world’s ear be made to hear
The cry of the wordless weak.

From street, from cage, and from kennel,
From jungle and stall, the wail
Of my tortured kin proclaims the sin
Of the mighty against the frail.

For love is the true religion,
And love is the law sublime;
And all that is wrought, where love is not,
Will die at the touch of time.

And Science, the great revealer,
Must flame his torch at the source;
And keep it bright, with that holy light
Or his feet shall fail on the course.

For he who would trample kindness
And mercy into the dust –
He has missed the trail, and his quest will fail,
He is not the guide to trust.

Oh shame on the mothers of mortals
Who have not stopped to teach
Of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes,
The sorrow that has no speech.

Oh, never a brute in the forest,
And never a snake in the fen,
Or ravening bird, starvation stirred,
Has hunted his prey like men.

For hunger, and fear, and passion
Alone drive beasts to slay,
But wonderful man, the crown of the plan,
Tortures, and kills, FOR PLAY.

He goes well fed from his table,
He kisses his child and wife,
Then he haunts a wood, till he orphans a brood,
Or robs a deer of its life.

He aims at a speck in the azure,
Winged love, that has flown at a call,
It reels down to die, and he lets it lie;
His pleasure was seeing it fall.

The same force formed the sparrow
That fashioned Man, the King;
The God of the Whole gave a spark of soul
To each furred and feathered thing.

And I am my brother’s keeper,
And I will fight his fight,
And speak the word for beast and bird,
Till the world shall set things right.