I am an animal. Therefore, I am not sentient…
I have no emotions.
I do not feel happiness…
… joy…
… or fear.
I have no curiosity, because I am not a sentient being.
I have no understanding of the finer emotions, like gentleness, or sharing.
No understanding of wonder, excitement…
…or hope.
I do not suffer when I am ill.
I need no comforting…
I cannot laugh…
…or be bored…
…and I have no sense of humour.
I feel no guilt…because I am not conscious of wrongdoing…
…and I cannot feel love.
My two-legs disagrees.
Under the current EU laws, animal sentience, and the existence of their feelings, is recognised and must be taken into full account as new laws and rulings are passed.
The UK government have quietly voted to exclude animal sentience from the laws being passed to define our nation as we leave the EU. Although the Animal Welfare Act of 2006 does offer some protection to domestic animals, it does not mention animal sentience, nor does it protect wild animals or those in laboratories from abuse..
There are many things wrong in the world today, affecting every level of society. Animals have only the voice we give them and humans are animals too.
There are a number of petitions being run to request the UK government to reconsider this decision. You can find one here on the 38 Degrees website.
Really nice post – love the photo of the dog in the snow.
Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks, Bill. I feel very strongly about this issue.
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Of course they have feelings! They are living beings!!
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Not legally, not in this country any more, sadly.
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Well in our hearts they will be so at least we can treat them with the respect they deserve…
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Yes, but that won’t help the ones in laboratories and in the wild, sadly.
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No… i know..
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😦
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You’ve captured in your photos everything anyone would need to see in order to be sure that dogs are sentient beings.
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And if dogs are, why not others? We just happen to live more closely with our dogs and cats than most other animals.
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Exactly!
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I completely agree with Fandango. That dog will melt hearts , even hearts in Whitehall … hopefully.
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I wish they would see her and change their views…
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My non-sentient dogs are entirely on your side. We have the same issues nationally, though our state has better laws. In the states, how we treat animals is a local issue, so you need to be careful where you settle if you want to protect your creatures. I get so tired of humans and our arrogance. The human race exhausts me.
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We should remember that humans are animals too… I sometimes wonder if our alleged superiority is only because we understand ourselves better than we understand other species… I can’t help thinking of Douglas Adams’ definition of the difference between humn and dolphins.
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Perfect post. Signed.
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Thanks, Michael.
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Reblogged this on The Militant Negro™.
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Thank you, from Ani and me, for reblogging this.
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You both are a beautiful pair. Blessings.
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Ani and I thank you! 🙂
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Great response to a hateful decision, Sue. Tink will be ringing in ere long as well.
JUST IN CASE a bit of “scientific evidence” of animal emotion is needed, the recently deceased Jaak Panksepp, the father of Affective Neuroscience, “pioneered” the neuro-scientific underpinnings of both human **AND** animal emotional responses.
He has written a fascinating book with a slightly daunting title, ‘The Archaeology of Mind: Neuroevolutionary Origins of Human Emotion’ – the results of his cruelty-free animal experiments that led to identifying what he calls the seven networks of emotion in the brain: SEEKING, RAGE, FEAR, LUST, CARE, PANIC/GRIEF, and PLAY.
He says he uses all caps because these networks are “so fundamental that they have similar functions across species, from people to cats to rats.”
NOT that the idiot politicians who voted recently would be able to digest science if force-fed with a funnel, anyone else interested in the “cliff notes” can find them by searching for [Is Activation “Seeking System” Dependent?] on my blog – an article written in waaay back in April, 2014.
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
“It takes a village to educate a world!”
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I cannot believe this step backwards that opens the door to so much possible commercial abuse.
There is now ust so much evidence to support the findings of sentience, even as we define it scientifically, let alone as we know it from personal interaction!
I may know more about the research into dogs than many other species… for fairly obvious reasons…but I have met enough other species to be certain in my own mind that these are sentient beings.
I have written before about the research conducted by Prof. Gregory Berns that used MRI, without restraint or drugs, to watch emotion in dogs’ brains and see how it compares to the human ‘benchmark’. There was a study
by the universities of Lincoln and Sao Paulo that demonstrated a dog’s ability to read complex human emotions, the first time this has been observed -cross species except in primates. There is very littleroom for denial, but those making money will always find room… xx
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NOT if we embarrass the snot out of them in HUGE numbers!
According to the Guardian [“MPs hog social media as they deny voting animals are not sentient”] they are already attempting to walk back what they did – so keep up the pressure!
xx,
mgh
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There is a lot of public pressure on this one. There has already been a public assurance by the PM that animals will be protected… though still no enshrining of that in the new laws. Words are cheap and easy to go back on… we need the law to uphold them. xx
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ABSOLUTELY! We have *all* learned the hard way that we simply cannot trust the words spoken by our politicians – EVER! Sad but true.
xx,
mgh
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Far too many turnarounds for that… 😦 xx
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🙂
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Thanks for pointing me in the right direction Ani. There’s no doubt animals are sentient.
xx Massive Hugs xxx
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Thanks, David. I don’t see how that can be disputed any more. xxx
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That is a terrible decision! Great Post – displaying just how wide and varied and complicated animals are… Signed! KL ❤
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Thanks, KL. It really is an appalling decision and opens the door to so much possible abuse. x
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Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
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Thanks for sharing this, Jaye x
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Your lovely post is proof positive, if it were needed, that the people who run our country, shouldn’t be… I love the photo of Ani looking out of the window! She would make the perfect ambassador for this cause…I defy anyone to meet her and believe all that rubbish!
(and that goes for all our furry friends too!)
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There are so many pictures I could have used… too many to choose from…all of them showing a sentient being eploring, enjoying and questioning her world. I love the pair of pictures where she gave the bay her best half-chewed and defluffed ball…so very gently and carefully… then retired to the door to watch him play…and wait for him to throw it 🙂
I could have written (again) about how she knows which side of Nick works and which doesn’t… and how she plays with him so gently, while his brother is squashed, jumped on and played with with gusto.
If this is not a sentient being, then I am not one either.
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Quite! (but you are definitely not!)
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😀
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I was appalled when I heard about this stupidity from our unfeeling politicians (maybe THEY are not the Sentient ones) – I’ve signed the petition and shared on Twitter & Facebook, Sue – I’ll reblog this post a little later today…
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The great god Mammon wins again…for now at least, though the backtracking and backside-covering has already begun.
If animals are no longer legally sentient, where does that leave us? We too are animals… whether we care to remember it or not (though you do have a head start on that, O Hairy One 😉 ).
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The more we kick the feet from under ALL politicians, when they need it, the sooner (hopefully) they’ll remember that they are supposed to SERVE for the good of ALL the nation, NOT just their particular ‘Party’ agenda…
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Agreed, Chris. If we elect them to represent and serve, it would be nice if they did…
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Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:
UK CITIZENS – PLEASE BE AWARE:
Under the current EU laws, animal sentience, and the existence of their feelings, is recognised and must be taken into full account as new laws and rulings are passed.
The UK government have QUIETLY VOTED to EXCLUDE animal sentience from the laws being passed to define our nation as we leave the EU.
Although the Animal Welfare Act of 2006 does offer SOME protection to domestic animals, it does not mention animal sentience, nor does it protect wild animals or those in laboratories from abuse..
There are many things wrong in the world today, affecting every level of society, but Animals have ONLY the voice WE give them (and please don’t forget that humans are animals too).
There are a number of petitions being run to request the UK government to reconsider this decision.
Sue and Ani have provided a link to one, at the end of their post.
Please sign the petition, and share / reblog Sue and Ani’s original blog post.
THANK YOU…
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Thank you, Chris x
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Welcome, Sue ❤
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Beautiful photos for a very sad case. I will vote against this, even I don’t live in UK. Animals are living and loving beings, just like us.
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Thanks, Irene… I agree.
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I did sign, but needed to find a legal post code inside UK, before they would accept my vote.
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These petitions can force the UK government to review their decision, so I would imagine it is aimed at UK residents first… but I appreciate what you have done there 🙂
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I think, that you are right Sue. I do sign different kind of petitions, when I feel, that I can relate to, what they ask for. In this case, their new ideas are so wrong, that I would sign in many places, if possible, just to help them see, how wrong this is.
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I know just what you mean, Irene. It really is such a dreadful decision.
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Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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Thank you so much for reblogging this one.
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All of your postings are so wonderful, and worth not only to be read. Have a good day. Michael
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This one is a bit more important than most…but thank you, Michael. You too.
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Ani, you are so lovely. Dont look at the humans, live your own life. 😉
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Thank you 🙂 I do my best 🙂 Much love, Ani xx
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😉
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Animals ARE sentient creatures! They are even a lot better of many hundred thousand or more humans… Animals never turn you their back… and the reason because I DO protect them, is because I believe that we all have to care for them, and I want to give the example! :-)claudine
PS. these are such beautiful pictures….
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Thank you… this one is a particularly special creature to me. I don’t think anyone could argue her awareness if they meet her.
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Reblogged this on Pearl St. Gallery.
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Thnank you, Jean.
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Thanks for highlighting this, Sue. Off to sign the petition.
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Thanks, Mary.. it is a risiculous situation.
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Reblogged this on pensitivity101 and commented:
Reblogging this as a lot of my readers are dog lovers.
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Thanks, Di.
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“Definition of sentience
1 : a sentient quality or state
2 : feeling or sensation as distinguished from perception and thought”
I think that leaves no room for doubt, Ani. You are a sentient being and Parliament needs to get a clue about that.
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Both me and the two-legs agree with you, Bob… just hope them in London see sense…. x
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Reblogged this on cabbagesandkings524 and commented:
Sue and Ani have a difference of opinion with the current UK Govt., and wonderful photos to prove their point.
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Reblogged this on Scotties Toy Box and commented:
I have readers and viewers all over the world it seems. This is a great post and clearly show the feelings of animals and the reasons we humans bond with them. There is no need to be cruel, even for animals we wouldn’t normally consider, like food animals. They live also which means they feel. Be well. Hugs
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I agree with you, Scottie, as do many others it seems.
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Reblogged this on Not Tomatoes and commented:
Please sign the petition or another one like it:
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❤
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I wonder how long it’ll be before the government decides humans aren’t sentient. Apart from the rich and powerful ones, of course – there’s always some loophole for them.
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That missing accordance of sentience could bite back one day…
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I so hope this is overturned. It is a shocking decision.
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So do I. Utterly appalling.
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Excellent post — and the captions were perfect! Hoping your government gets over its stupidity.
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Thank you. I hope so too….
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Reblogged this on The Literate Lurcher and commented:
I know we’ve reblogged you recently. Ani, but you talk so much sense! We dogs are appalled by the human government’s decision that animals don’t have feelings, and your post speaks for all of us. We hope our readers will visit your blog, leave a comment and sign the petition.
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Thank you Annabelle, Millie and Pearl x
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Thank you for sharing this, how can anyone have faith in politicians who voted for this?
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I have more faith inthe hundreds of thousands of people protesting against it.
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:o) xxx
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A very powerful post, Sue. I hope the petitions are successful.
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So do I, Robbie. There are hopeful noises out of Westminster that something will be done now.
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Excellent montage. Well done both of you.
Says it all about this government, does it not?
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It isn’t doing itself any favours where public opinion is concerned…
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A nation of pet-lovers. Nice move Mrs May & Co!
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I know… you despair sometimes…
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I expect they will introduce a ‘voluntary code’ that’s the usual cop-out
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They appear to be promising more, but hey…these are politicans…
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I feel reassured already 😣
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Exactly…
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Reblogged this on Stuart France.
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Fabulous photos, such a beautiful dog. Boy those laws need an overhaul.
I am a passionate defender and protector of the wildlife here on my property and feel overwhelmed at times that the only voice animals have to state their case is ours.
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There does appear to be a modicum of hope coming from the government at the moment. I hope they mean it and it is not just a sop to public opinion.
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I hope so too. Good luck!
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Thank you 🙂
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Sue, I would sign this in a heartbeat if I lived in the UK (it wouldn’t accept my U.S. postal code). But I’ve shared across my social network pages. We humans are supposed to be the stewards of Mother Earth, not the annihilators ❤
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I think it is because it is UK law and such a petitition can ‘encourage’ the governent to go back to the debate. I agree with you, Tina. Our ‘dominion’ of the earth comes with responsibility.
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Shared to Facebook.
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Thank you very much.
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Great narration from Ani, who has no feelings . . . ya right! What the heck is the matter with the people in this world????? You go Ani!!! ❤
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It beggars belief, doesn’t it? ❤
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❤ ❤
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Dear Small Dog, herewith be my feelings about such humans who did this … pbhthththehthth! (giant raspberry) … and this %$#$@&%#@^%#@# (lots of swearing)
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My feelings exactly….
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A great post, Sue. I hope the people of the UK will be able to convince the lawmakers into changing their minds. Ani told the story perfectly.
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There does appear to be some reassurance from the government…though until that word ‘sentience’ is enshrined in law, I’ll remain watchful…
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Reblogged this on firefly465 and commented:
Sue Vincents heartfelt plea to you all to sign the petition to push some sense into our government who have lost the plot.
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I have signed and shared the petition at 38o I am so angry and sad, I can’t believe what they have done. Hopefully, the voice of the people will reverse this travesty. Praying that it does. xxx
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Ani expresses herself better than most people… I think some people in some governments are not sentient beings.
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I often wonder about politicians… and that old saying that those who seek power are seldom fit to wield it.
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I will definitely be signing!
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Thanks, Judy.
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Sometimes I think that animals are much more sentient than we humans.
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I can sympathise with that perspective…
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I think as far as our governments are concerned, most of us are non-sentient.
Trump is the first president not to have shared his life with animals in my memory. I cannot even imagine it. Of course I would definitely exclude him from humanity…(K)
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You have a point, Kerfe. More and more we are seen as ‘statistics’ or ‘the problem’…
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Well, I guess Ani showed them. 🙂 — Suzanne
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I hope so…
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Your post is a tribute to their sentience. Well done!
And your government quietly passing that legislation. Oh my. They were sneaky about it because they knew there would be a lot of disagreement. Good luck with your petition – I’m rooting for you.
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Thank you. The petition now has over 340 thousand signatures. I think that says it all.
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
If there is one post that you as an animal lover should read today it is this one. From Sue Vincent and the little black dog Ani… you will get it without me explaining anything.. #recommended
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Thanks, Sally xx
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Reblogged this on Barb Taub and commented:
No words needed.
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Thanks, Barb.
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Reblogged this on ravenhawks' magazine and commented:
Nice Photos of Ani, they speak volumes about animals feelings.
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It should not take more than just looking to know they have feelings and can suffer.
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We are talking about people who do not even see this in the humans they interact with.
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Sadly, you are right. We are statistics…
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Signed. Thanks, Ani and Sue.
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Thank you Olga 🙂
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Reblogged this on Its good to be crazy Sometimes and commented:
I know I am late to this one, but I debated whether to post this, as the wording of the bill is a little squiffy, however, having about as much trust in this government as making tea in a chocolate teapot, I don’t think they will do anything to change it and this will be another thing that goes under the radar.
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Just to add, the human species is belonging biologically to the socalled “Greater Apes” like the orang-utans, gorillas or chimpanzees. Most people forget and ignore this fact, and that is the destructive “rational” way nature in general is treated all around the world.
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I agree… and we forget that at our peril.
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