ALL dogs go to Heaven, even if you don't

I just read this article about scientists finding the 10000-year-old frozen carcass of a 6-month-old baby mammoth in the Yamal-Nenets region of Siberia. He's in spectacular shape, with his eyes intact, and they said he even still has his fuzzy hair. I thought it was all great and everything, until I saw his little picture and had to give myself the mental image of that tiny, baby mammoth, getting lost in the snow, separated from his parents, can't find any food, and finally just falling over in exhaustion and hunger, only to freeze to death, alone.

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You know, I love doing things for PETA, ASPCA, pets, farm animals, domestic animals, but most of those horrendous videos and articles, I have to admit, I've never even seen or read. I love to be able to spout off facts and information for people who ask or want to know more, but the images of the things that I have seen have never left my brain. It's the kind of things I have nightmares about - kittens in boxes or bags on the side of the road, frantically crying for help; animals locked away in cages, vomiting, eyes running, bloody and swollen shut, shaved, pumped full of chemicals, all as test subjects for human products; puppies from puppy mills, starving and physically suffering from mange, rabies and more than likely starving and suffering from any number of infections; the infected, bloody, cracked bottom of an elephant's foot from standing on hot asphalt for hours at a time, sometimes wearing sequiny outfits, standing there, waiting to perform for human entertainment; cows lined up, standing in and eating their own feces, only to be corralled, herded in, and have their brains bashed out, simply to satisfy the human need to be the highest link on the food chain...I mean, I could literally go on for hours. But I have to FORCE myself to not think about this stuff, because it drives me almost to the brink of insanity, knowing me and Booboo and Jammy Pie are sitting, holed-up in our safe apartment, with food and shelter, but there are so many others out there, suffering, usually at the hands of a human being.


I was talking to Sean the other day about my encounters with atheism and my feelings on various facets of religion. I said that although Christianity doesn't teach it and most people probably don't believe it, I can't stand to think about animals not having souls. I mean, just looking into Jezzabelle's eyes, I KNOW for a fact that girl has a soul. I just don't understand how people can look in the face of an animal, like a dog or a cat, even a pet that you care about with all your heart, with those baleful eyes and still believe that there is no God. And there's no scientific basis - it's just something I believe. I can't stand to think that I'll have to go the rest of my entire eternity, without ever getting to see my Luxo or Missy or any of the other pets I've cherished over the years.

I always said that I love animals, and I always just want them to all jump on me and be soft. Well, I mean, not like cows and elephants - they can hang out nearby, while I'm rolling in bunnies and chinchillas and kittens and stuff. Then I'll get up and love on the bigger animals. I think animals are amazing - the way they're so different from us, yet have many similarities. I can watch Booboo and Jammy play for hours. The way they move, entertain themselves, adeptly pick things up with their hands, and roll around like they've never been happier in all their lives. And, I'm so happy I can give them that, even though they can't thank me.

I've seen people in desperate situations; I've seen lots of human suffering, but there's nothing that can light a fire under me like an animal that's in trouble. I can't stand to hear the mew of a kitten, in particular, when it's in trouble or lost or scared. It's heart-wrenching to me. Imagine that kitten as a frightened human child, and you'll understand what I'm picturing. They can't "tell" us what they need or want, so we have to do whatever we can to help. I mean, even having opposable thumbs and the ability to reason, I can't imagine being lost in a place full of strange-smelling creatures who don't speak your language and don't look remotely LIKE you.

Once, I saw this video of these dudes who put a cat in a cage, squirted it with gasoline, then set it on fire and videotaped it. I've never been able to stop thinking about that; I can still hear the scream of that cat. I don't really even need to publically post what I'd like to do to those guys. I reported the link to PETA, and they said they'd heard of it before, and it was still under investigation. I know PETA is pretty extreme, but that's exactly who I think should get their hands on those jackasses. Inhumanity to any creature, living or dead, is completely unnecessary.

Sorry. Bit of a preachy thing, right? That's ok. I like exploring these varying subjects that make me who I am, even sometimes I can't even decide what to wear or remember if I ate breakfast or not. I'm not the best at debating, but that's why I like to lay this stuff out and pick through it with a fine tooth comb. The more you know about a subject, the more intelligibly you can discuss it with someone.

I know that was kind of a weird tangent to take, but I did it. And I LIKED it. &=P