Hey folks,
Taking a break from my busy week. It’s been a great one so far (with some more revelations about life’s intricacies), but that’s another story. Although I am refraining from crying like a little girl right now over uh, a project which some of you already know about, I wanted to highlight another issue that brought tears to my eyes.
Here is one of the latest happenings in Malaysia:
http://www.todayonline.com/World/EDC110907-0000346/Msian-activists-outraged-after-300-cats-starved
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20110906-297960.html
Okay, granted. Animal cruelty isn’t something that just popped out of our corrupted civilization yesterday – It has been happening for as long as there have been animal/human interaction. It has often been highlighted abroad, and I’ve seen one too many Animal Cops on Animal Planet to understand that there ARE individuals without compunction who would physically hurt and torture another living thing for the sheer kick of it. It’s sick. But it happens. Unfortunately. There is a plethora of diseases out there. Animal cruelty is one of it.
This case, justifiably, brought a mass of outrage among Malaysians. Heck, I get upset when I think about it. Did the pet hotel owners decide that they’d shove as many cats (all of which are regarded as beloved family members by their owners) as they can into their hotel, just to hoard as much money as they could before the festive seasons? Were they greedy? Were they heartless? Cruel? A rank combination of all these sins?
Heartbreaking picture of one of the cats rescued from the cat hotel
Probably. These shameful behavioural no-nos have been attributed to the Petknode owners, with no other explanations needed. A lot of people, including myself (who once owned a little furkid named Chemong, and who loved him like a little brother) would like to see justice delivered to these two, to justify the untimely, unwarranted, tragic deaths of the poor cats.
But.
The curious side of me is also willing to look at another possibility as to why this happened. Let’s put aside the “devil-in-a-man’s-mask” idea for a moment, and have a look at this:
This has really got me thinking. From what little I’ve read online, it seems that the owners did display a great degree of passion and care for their animals. They even have their own cats, which they loved and cared for wholeheartedly. They were even said to have been responsible cat-caretakers, and it is my belief now that these are the very aptitudes which bought them their clients’ trusts in the first place – clients who have repeatedly sent their cats there (regardless of the fact that they were operating without a proper license). Clients who have advocated their cause and their shelter repeatedly before this. Who have vouched for their credibility (who, unfortunately, may have lost their cats in this recent tragedy as well).
I’m not making an excuse for these two, don’t get me wrong. There is NO excuse that could justify the neglect and death of these cats, yet a disorder may have slithered its way into the picture here. Without further exploration into the possibility of this matter, without the “What-if-they-really-were-animal-hoarders?” notion, we’re just focusing on a slice of what COULD be the tip of a massive iceberg.
Knowing the warning signs, knowing what to look out for, might arm us with the ability to tell the difference between outright heartless, money-grubbing cruelty, and someone with a mental disorder who operates under a charitable cause. Both of which must be stopped. Better yet, stopped with the CORRECT way, either through the justice system, or….a mental institution. Identify the symptom = treat it. (But if it really is just downright greed, then that’s a whole different story right there)
Animal hoarders CAN’T help doing what they do. It’s no different than someone who has severe OCD, who can’t seem to tear himself/herself away from the same light switch he/she has flicked on/off for the thousandth time.
For the Petknode duo, it MAY have been the compulsive need to help, which may have come from the best of intentions and the heartfelt, sincere love for animals. Unfortunately, in this case, things turned ugly.
But….this brings up another predicament. I understand ONE pet hoarder. But two in the same place? Either one was, and the other one was just greedy or plain ignorant, or they both were. If it was animal hoarding, then bringing this issue to light might help others identify those who have the symptoms but don’t KNOW what it is. We will be able to help both animal AND man in the process. That doesn’t sound like a bad idea to me.
Whatever the case may be, I do hope the guys who operated the hotel get what’s coming to them. But I may not have to hope. I have a feeling it’s already happening. With so many furious Malaysians out here looking for them, it’s just a matter of time before they are dragged out of their hiding-holes to face the consequences.
Anyway, these are just my thoughts on the matter. What about yours? Friends who live overseas, I would love to hear your thoughts on this as well. I have seen these kinds of cases happening quite a lot outside Malaysia.
Ps: My heartfelt condolences to the pet owners who have lost their beloved pets. :hugs:
