Should we help animals?

Discussion Open Forum
1

I thought about posting this in the pets forum but mostly animals lovers post there, or so it seems and I think that this thread would be mostly one-sided. If the mods think it should be moved, fine by me.

Here’s what happened. We posted on a Kaohsiung-based website as well as on some bulletin boards around the city. Our intentions are to gather a group of people who would like to help stray animals. Just a basic sign asking for volunteers, foster homes, that kind of thing.

Gladly, we have received some offers for help already. The very first response we got however was this:

:astonished: Not very encouraging to say the least but to be honest, I sometimes wonder the same thing. Kids need help…Strays need help…Quite controversial even though the email isn’t very friendly.

Here’s what I think we will reply to that person.[quote]Hi JN,

You are asking a very good question. To tell you the truth we often wonder this ourselves. Maybe we would be better off sending our money to children who don’t have the basics like food, education and other things we so often take for granted.

There is probably no good answer to your question as the reality reflected in your email is one that no person with common sense could disagree with. On the same token, you could say the same thing for the millions of dollars that are spent trying to figure out why the killer whales are dying or the hippos or the frogs worldwide for that matter. It is not always easy to feel assertive about what you do when you decide to try to make a difference. Emails like yours sure make us think.

If you’d like, you could visit this site www.savedogs.org for more information about the strays in Taiwan.

About the children in Taiwan that are in need of assistance, we would definitely be interested if you had any links, phone numbers or any information at all. We have donated to a local orphanage but our Chinese is very limited and we don’t really know how else to help. That’s the good thing about animals, they are easy to understand.[/quote]

What are your thoughts on this? Should we even bother with this email?

bobepine

2

They don’t mention what sort of assistance that the children are in need of. Relief from too much homework?

Anyway, your reply is a good one.

3

That is what I like about Stray Dog. He also finds time to help out some orphanage for people. Sure, people need help. But there are people who help people that need help.

Of course we worry about kids too, but we focus on strays. That is such a silly argument…what about the kids. What about plants, what about the ozone…people sometimes want to disagree just for the act of disagreeing.

4

Don’t waste your time responding to the e-mail. The person who wrote it obviously doesn’t give his/her own time for good deeds or he/she would understand that a person may choose to perform all sorts of charitable acts and all are good. Certainly helping animals is better than sitting on ones butt criticizing others who help animals. In any event, there’s no need to respond, because the letter writer is probably reading this forum.

5

Kudos to all the people here who go out and do something positive for the betterment of all people and animals in Taiwan and elsewhere.

6

How many Kudos? I only have 20 000 and need more to buy some cars I’ve been eyeing in the showroom…

7

Your reply is very good.

8

You have birthday kudos.

9

If I picked up and took home every kid I thought was distressed…

Dogs are easier. Their mothers don’t bitch.

Keep up the good work Bob. :bravo:

10

Your answer is a good one.

It’s something I think about often, but it’s a matter of doing what you like best (helping animals v. helping kids rather than animals v. kids), as that will bring about the best results.

Some prefer working with animals; others, with kids. I say each to their own and commend them all for giving up their time and money to help make the world a better place.

You could respond that Anonymous is obviously interested in helping kids, and you would happily throw some support behind any effort he puts toward making a difference to them.

But, as I said, your response is a good one. Never take the bait. :wink:

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[quote]You could respond that Anonymous is obviously interested in helping kids, and you would happily throw some support behind any effort he puts toward making a difference to them.
[/quote]
I’d go with that one.

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[quote=“Stray Dog”]Your answer is a good one.

It’s something I think about often, but it’s a matter of doing what you like best (helping animals v. helping kids rather than animals v. kids), as that will bring about the best results.

Some prefer working with animals; others, with kids. I say each to their own and commend them all for giving up their time and money to help make the world a better place.

You could respond that Anonymous is obviously interested in helping kids, and you would happily throw some support behind any effort he puts toward making a difference to them.

But, as I said, your response is a good one. Never take the bait. :wink:[/quote]But you took it. Hypocrit! :wink: :slight_smile:

I was just really shocked, even a bit disgruntled to receive negative remarks for doing something good. The very first response yet. Something I think is good anyways.

I’m changing the last bit of the reply and we are offering support to whatever organizations anonymous is working with. It’s like “put your money where your mouth is” I think.

Thanks all for the feedback and the suggestions and BTW we’ve received four offers for help already. In two days! One foster home(they took a pup today), help with fundraising events and a dog walker. :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

bobepine

13

You could reply, "Actually, our plan is to help underpriveleged kids by giving them each a pet that they can take care of and feel responsible for. The love the animals will give the children will go along way towards improving their self-esteem.

Sincerely,
:raspberry: "

14

People help who they want to help whether it be other people or other animals. Some animals are more like People, and some People act like Animals. No-one should be criticized for doing too much in one area, and not enough in another. Help the one you’re with, I’d say. Some People can’t even do that.

Such a pity. For surely People Are Animals, too? :cluck:

15

Received a reply from anonymous today. His tone changed a lot. Turns out he used to work as an investigator regarding child abuse back in the US. Sounds like he is not currently doing anything to help people or animals in Taiwan as he did not provide any information regarding Taiwanese kids in need. But he did find the time to send a rude email…I don’t know if “rude” is the right word, something like that anyways.

I like how you look at it TheGingerMan, it reminds me of a song by Plume Latraverse.(Excuse the poor translation, the original lyrics are nothing but a rhyme after another. I really like that song.)

"A few of us were having drinks
A beautiful night in Paris

The bar was closing but with ample grimaces
We were allowed one more drink on the terrace

We weren’t even siting down yet
Noises from the tables and chairs

That two intruders in need for love
Started to hang around

The discussions more or less evasive
Considering how late it was

Were interupted to no end
By our two trouble makers in need for love

Suddenly, one more bad move
One of them wet my pants with his beer

Fighting instincts, I got up
But in at the last forgiving minute

Squeezed between peace and war
I held myself from jumping in his face
And calmly sat back on my chair.

A few years ago without a doubt
A real rocker pumped right up

I would have picked him up by the teeth
And have him taste some concrete

Say I’m old and softened up
That I was afraid in front of my friends

Say I’m not really tough
Or that I kept my fingers for my guitar

Me, I think it just wasn’t worth it
To ruin the whole weekend

Because of a simple sip of beer
That spilled at the wrong place

The next day in the airplane
My head full of buterflies

I was telling myself
Among war and little children
And the old intransigents

It’s already hard enough
To be born, to tremble and to disapear

Better of coming out of it on the right note
And make a good song out of it"

bobepine