posted February 27, 2008 05:32 PM         

I know of one dog that wouldn't eat her food while on a trip until it was time to move on (like 2-3 days later) so the owner threw it out to some begging sea gulls. The dog freaked and chased the birds away and then ate it with a sour look on her face.

Then there's this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5240832.stm

quote:

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Wookey Hole general manager Daniel Medley told the BBC: "About 100 bears were caught up in this frenzied attack, some were merely little chews, whereas some of them had some quite devastating injuries.

"Heads pulled off, arms, legs here and there, it was a total carnage really. I've never seen such a mess, there was stuffing, fluff and bear bits everywhere."

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quote:

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Mr West, 36, of Totterdown, Bristol, said: "Barney has been a model guard dog for over six years. I still can't believe what happened.

"Either there was a rogue scent of some kind on Mabel which switched on Barney's deepest instincts, or it could have been jealousy - I was just stroking Mabel and saying what a nice little bear she was."

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Strangely, even cats may be subject to this. One points out how when he called a cat, a specific cat of his would chase that cat away (obviously recognizing them by name).

posted February 28, 2008 01:44 AM         

I may sound like I am exaggerating, but I know what I saw and sensed over all those years.

Animals have all kinds of emotions.

I really haven't made up my mind about complex issues with animals regarding free will, karma and such, but one thing which is absolutely undeniable is that animals have souls the same as we do.

Even plants have got some sort of awareness, as the studies from Cleve Baxter has shown.

Though, I have thought a lot about that one, and although its just my opinion, I think plants probably have a spirit, are part of life's unity in this spirit.....but I'm not sure about them having consciousness/ a soul......does this make sense?

What I do feel in my heart is that animals are innocent, they are a part of us.

Whenever people abuse animals, they commit a terrible profanity against life.

So ok, people are not going to turn vegetarian overnight- but we need, as a human race, to start respecting animals for the worthy souls that they are. They are sentient beings. They are like our children. Anything that causes unnecessary suffering for the gain of the economy is inexcusable.

Please, lets just start with together campaigning against the obvious cruelties such as factory farming.

Please lets educate ourselves against the horrors of animal testing- I understand that those people who feel that humans are above animals will say it is necessary for medicine, but please consider this. There is a lot more to it than that. Absolutely any new ingredient that companies want to use in any product imaginable, gets tested on animals first as it is a quick and convenient way to get the product on the market. They have all kinds of animals there. Beagles and other dogs are used. Primates are used. They sew pig organs onto primates for their research into xenotransplantation.

Some people will argue that it is necessary for progress into medicine.
Well, a lot of the data we have now was from researched done by the Nazis on Jews.
Think about that.

There are plenty of other, more effective alternative ways to do the research.

I have faith anyway, that there must, eventually, come a time when ETHICS will come first

I haven't got into the discussion about evolution yet.

The way I see things lately- no matter what it is- there will always be another opinion on it.

Wisdom might be knowing how little we know, however, there is one thing I feel we can't doubt.

And that is the wisdom of the heart.