I read an article in a national newspaper the other day, and rightfully they condemned the act of animal cruelty. It makes me wonder why people decide to keep animals if they know they cannot look after them.

The paper put the circumstance of the Credit Crunch to blame, for such reasons of owners disbanding their pets. However I feel that is a feeble excuse, when many reasons are that they cannot afford the boarding kennels while they go on holiday, or cannot afford their alcoholic beverages or cigarettes. The list of excuses are a clear reflection of human selfishness and cruelty towards other living creatures.

I wonder sometimes, when you see beggars on the street corner, playing an instrument with a dog close by. One would argue and say he or she is on benefits, but they feed the animal and may look after it better than one who swans off on holiday and leave it to fend for itself.

There is no need for the actual assault or cruel neglect of an animal. The paper reported on a case of concealing a springer spanial in a cardboard box and leaving it on the side of a busy road. It was covered in mange and very distressed. I just hope the former owner read the report and is haunted by their own guilt.

Potential owners should look at the financial cost as well as reasons for wanting to own a pet before committing themselves. You as an owner should ask yourself these simple questions.

Can you financially look after an animal?

What are you prepared to do if you hit hard times of financial hardship? (There is help if you looks for it.)

Can you look after the animal in sickness and in health? (It is like a marriage, you have to want the animal)

Can you train the animal fairly and be patient and understanding? (You can still train an animal no matter what age they are, I know, I have done it successfully).

Man hunts animals of the wild, which used to many years ago be for food. This has always had the skills of the actual kill, being quick so the animal doesn’t suffer. However man has bred them for either profit or for status with disregard to whether the animal faces distinction or a painful and unnecessary death.

As for the farming, the demand is so great with money deciding whether the farmer has a home or not or having to keep so many animals to make a living. This is why we have mountains of frozen meat stored away for the supermarkets. The worse part of this, is when animals are transported, enduring hundreds of miles in a crowded truck to meet their end.

You can understand why so many carnivores have become vegetarians.

I wonder how long it will be when humans become the hunted by another being.