Posted On: 2021-03-19 10:47:49
Humans and animals may look different on the outside but on the inside i.e physiological and anatomical level they are remarkably similar. Animals from rats to humans have the same organs (heart, lungs, brain, and other organs) and organ systems (respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous systems, and other systems). Both of the species are equal in respect to their existence, but somehow animals are for humans as friends, company, entertainment, food. Humans are not superior to animals. We, humans, are still evolving as a mammal (we are animals too), yet 3 billion animals are killed every day by humans for their personal use. Humans have driven at least 680 vertebrate species to extinction since the 16th century, India's population of tigers, which once exceeded 100,000 animals, is facing extinction because of hunting, illegal poaching, and declining habitats; that number now stands at fewer than 2,000.
Billions of animals are slaughtered every year, humans are easily outnumbered by our farm animals. The combined total of chicken (19 billion), cows (1.5 billion), sheep (1 billion), and pigs (1 billion) living at any one time is three times higher than the number of people, according to ‘The Economist’. Global consumption of animal proteins has been rising, apparently inevitably, for the past six decades. The coronavirus pandemic has changed the graph concisely. In 2020, the consumption of poultry meat in India was found to be over 3.9 million metric tons.
Animals are an important aspect of the food chain. Animals that help humans are often domesticated. Cows, buffalos and goats provide us with milk as well as various milk products, chicken gives eggs and chicken, cow, pigs, and goat killed for meat. These food products provided by animals are rich in protein, nutrients, vitamins, zinc, phosphorus, iron, minerals, carbohydrates, calcium, and fats. Not just food products but also animals provide various clothing-related products such as sheep and some breeds of goat provide wool, the skins or almost every wild animal and snakes for jackets and the thick skin from animals is used as leather in belts and boots. The hair from the tail of horses is used in brushes, fabrics, jewellery, pottery, fishing line, and fly tying. Animals such as donkeys, horses, camels, bullocks, elephants are used for carriage purposes. In the areas without urban connectivity bullocks are used for farming and the byproduct of cows, buffalos, and bullocks are used as manure in fields. Dogs are also known as man's best friend as they protect not just the houses they are kept in, but also play a crucial role in defence fields as they sniff around suspenseful activity when trained accurately.
Animals are loyal and loving irrespective of how humans treat them even if someone shows them one ounce of love they pledge their loyalty to that person or an animal that helped them. Even with love and care, wild animals like Lions become harmless to the ones they love. The story of loyalty can be seen in the story of ‘Hachiko’ (Hachi), a dog from Japan in 1923 who used to wait for his master’ Professor Ueno’ at Shibuya station every evening waiting for his arrival from work. Years passed by and it became Hachi’s routine to wait for his master at the station, one day Ueno died of a haemorrhage at work and never returned to meet Hachi at the station. Hachi still waited at his favourite spot for Ueno to return. He went to the station every evening in the hopes of Ueno’s return and waited for hours. Though after 9 long years he died of natural causes at the same spot while waiting for Ueno's return. The story inspired everyone and a bronze statue of Hachi was assembled at Shibuya station and is admired by the visitors. This shows the loyalty of an animal and how much love they hold for someone they admire.
CRUELTY TOWARDS ANIMAL
Though animals love everyone and never disturb anyone until provoked Humans are cruel towards them. Cruelty towards animals often known as animal cruelty or animal abuse is a topic with which everyone sympathizes but rarely takes a step against it. Most of the research suggests that people who are associated with animal abuse are psychologically unstable. The animals are tortured in ways that will send chills through one's spine just by reading them. Some of the ways by which these innocent animals are tortured are by driving nails through elephant feet and ears, beating, torturing, and making them starve so they can control them and use them for entertainment purposes such as in circuses and movies, bulls are starved and then made fight each other as a sport was spectators (bullfighting), cutting the tusks, antlers, and horns of elephants, deers and Rhinos and selling them, the celebration of festivals in Spain where bulls horns are set on fire with polymer and left to run through the city while the fire drives them crazy.
Some other forms of tortures that animals go through are branding them, castration of male reproductive organs, tongue resection, artificial insemination, dehorning, beak trimming, electrocution, Gavage where they are feed forcefully with a rod, tattooing them, tail docking, and various other forms of tortures. These animals are also tortured in the name of science and experiments, right from small mice to big gorillas and some are killed in the name of sacrifice to their God. The cruellest form in some cases by domesticating them where they are provided with love and care but they are used as a punching bag to remove the anger of their owners. The monstrosity of humans crosses the lines when these voiceless animals are brutally raped and left to die. And even if these monsters are caught and booked under section 377 (Unnatural Offences) they are then left with some kind of warning or with a small fine.
Accidents caused by animals on the street have always led to public outrage but more than thousands of animals are killed every day in accidents by humans and instead of helping these muted animals, they are left to die on the roads. Animals are taken for granted and humans exploit these innocent animals for their use and leave them when they become a burden.
Different countries have different laws against this cruelty. In India The Prevention of Animal Cruelty Act of 1960 restricts some of the malpractices of animal abuse, illegal experiments, killing of animals, and using animals for entertainment purposes. The law against the cruelty of animals is not as effective as the laws against humans and the illegal activities continue to date. Various organizations work day and night to make sure that these animals are well treated and kept safe and fight for them; they still face various challenges. But still, they try to make a difference.
How crowdfunding can help these mute animals
Crowdfunding is where people can support and help a cause they like by donating to the cause and help the campaigner. Crowdfunding works as a blessing in saving the lives of these innocent animals. Various NGOs and people who tend to care and work towards the betterment of these animals where they feed the street dogs, take for checkups, and undertake rescue operations for animals in need of help. Taking care of animals is costly and handling these expenses takes a huge amount. Helping these innocent lives need funds so to obtain these funds they get in touch with various crowdfunding platforms and raise campaigns so they can continue their good work. Whenever a campaign is published online many animal lovers come together to support the cause of the campaign, money can be raised online for surgeries, building a shelter, or protecting animals from illegal work such as the slaughtering of animals for meat and their skin. With crowdfunding, it has been easy to raise funds online and support all the organizations that work towards the wellbeing of these innocent animals.
The effect of crowdfunding can be seen in the 2015 case of Friendicoes-SECA a Delhi-based animal welfare organization that was on the verge of shutting down due to unpaid bills of up to Rs. 82 Lakhs. The NGO runs a shelter, ambulances, helpline, a veteran hospital and takes care of about 1500 distressed animals at any time. They posted a Facebook post related to the scenario and explained their pain. This post was soon noticed by a crowdfunding platform and they extended a hand of help to Friendicoes by raising a campaign for Friendicoes. The campaign was raised for the amount of Rs. 20 lakhs which was the minimum amount needed to keep the organization afloat. Various animal lovers came together and the amount was met in mere 36 hours. The target was overnight raised to Rs. 40 Lakhs which was soon met too. At the same time, various people came ahead and adopted pets from Friendicoes to help them. The NGO was overwhelmed by the love people showed them and to date, they continue to do their great work with all of their heart.
Child Help Foundation partnered with “For Future India” who started “Street Animals” that are feeding these helpless animals daily and to date, more than 16000 dogs, cats, birds have been fed. Food includes Biscuits, milk, rice, and leftover dry food or pedigree which are fed, wherever possible. Other than feeding these innocent animals, some of the volunteers conduct rescue operations of abandoned dogs and cats and they try to provide them with good treatment and shelter. They also take these animals to veterinary doctors if there are any emergencies. FOR FUTURE INDIA team needs your contribution to help these silent animals so none of them needs to sleep hungry or die. Click on the link to know more.
https://filaantro.org/fundraiser/view/help-animals
Most of the time we see these helpless animals and our heart goes out to -them, but we have no idea how to help these innocent animals. This is the time when we can contact some organizations and ask them for help on behalf of the helpless animals. We can contact the “SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF ANIMAL CRUELTY” on 1-855-622-7722, “PETA INDIA” on (0) 98201 22602, and “PEOPLE FOR HUMANS” on + 91 - 11 23719293/94, 23357088. These are some of the organisations to which you can reach out and save the lives of these innocent animals and make a difference by doing your part towards the betterment of society.
“This is the time to raise a voice and stop injustice on animals and help them live their life with love and peace, Every Life Matters”.
Author : Hritika Singh
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