[lit-ideas] Re: Living Wills
- From: "Veronica Caley" <vcaley@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2005 12:52:16 -0400
<You may be onto something there. I seem to recall being
taught that the first legal cases against child abuse in the
U.S.A. (late 19th century?) were brought under 'cruelty to
animals' laws.>
You are correct. At Michigan State University Veterinary School, there is
a building called Small Animal Clinic. Unfortunately we needed their
services a few years ago for our former Sheltie Katie. There is a
wonderful poem posted opposite the entrance which I would post if I had it.
The sense of it is a listing of all the things one's animal has contributed
to the quality of one's life. It then goes on to say what the owner has
done for her pet's health, etc., in the years of their lives that they
spent together. It then finishes with a sentence that says something along
the lines of, after you and veterinary science have exhausted all that can
be done for the animal, it needs you to do one more thing - give it a
peaceful death.
When I taught the psychology of death and dying I used to tell this story
to my students. Everyone immediate picked up on the incongruity that if
one doesn't do this for one's pet, as Julie pointed out, one is a
negligent, selfish owner. If one wants to do it for a human loved one, it
is premeditated murder in the first degree. We are an odd species indeed.
Veronica
> [Original Message]
> From: Chris Bruce <bruce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: 4/3/2005 4:17:33 PM
> Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Living Wills
>
>
> On 2. Apr 2005, at 04:20, JimKandJulieB@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > You know, if my pet dog were ill and I refused to give her
> > any food or water because the vet told me she was going
> > to die and nothing could be done for her, I'd be arrested
> > for animal abuse.
>
> You may be onto something there. I seem to recall being
> taught that the first legal cases against child abuse in the
> U.S.A. (late 19th century?) were brought under 'cruelty to
> animals' laws.
>
> Does anyone know more?
>
>
> Chris Bruce
> Kiel, Germany
> --
>
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