More by: sock

1000 animals are surrendered to shelters every month in the Muskegon, Kent, and Tri-City counties. Me and Kirsten were at Pay It Forward, the local animal hospital in Muskegon and we were talking to the head vet, a rad lady who is vegetarian and feeds her dog vegetarian, and she was explaining the huge task at hand, which we both already knew of. Recently engaged in a conversation with people who were pro-breeders, it seems overwhelming at times the task at hand. Education and awareness are largely absent as human beings are treating feeling, sentient beings as prizes. Spaying and neutering are not done, and you can see at least one, and I’m sure there are others, abandoned house in Muskegon that is populated by feral cats, constantly reproducing uncared for offspring. The situation seems dire, and discovering such an awesome place like Pay It Forward, that runs Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, from 10am to 3pm is exciting! They are worthy of support, and me and Kirsten both filled out volunteer forms, eager to help out with whatever. Currently they put a cooler full of plastic bags at the beginning of the walkway on Bronson Beach and have talked about organizing clean up crews. Muskegon recently cut funding and there is no more beach cleanup/patrol. I think this is rad and I’m anxious to see how people respond to this absences of authority. It really feels more like it’s our beach now! It’s funny looking at the signs warning of fines when there is no one around to administer punishment. Pay It Forward rules super hard because they are largely holistic! The antibiotics that we bought for Susana are all natural, and along with that we bought some Crandophilus, a mixture of probiotic and cranberry extract for help with her bladder infection. The vet explained how ridding an animal of worms requires chemical, as no other way is known by them at the time. She voiced displeasure with this, and how she wished there were another way, but she knew of none. One day, she explained to us how they had received about 130 visits from cats and dogs in need the previous day! There is an insanely large need for dog and cat care in Muskegon and surrounding areas and a lot of this starts with education. A lot of ignorance remains as to animals having no feelings, and a lot of violence and dissatisfaction exists within people’s (un)consciousness that causes them to abuse and neglect their dogs and cats. The whole breeding epidemic exists, which leaves huge amounts of needy animals homeless and dying. I have been thinking a lot lately about the way people treat non-human animals. It is awful simply because it is what it is, but also how interestingly terrible it is that there are parallels of abusive behavior in human and non-human interactions. What disturbances within cause one to physically or mentally attack? To lash out on another is to feel problematic with your own core. There is no need to instigate or retaliate if you are satisfied with what you are doing. Taking your dissatisfaction out on others is a pain-causing avoidance and tiring chase. Completing one’s self through using others as stepping stones is ugly and hurtful to everyone involved and those who are affected by the negative ripples into the future. Fucked up environments of common, accepted abuse like ones we currently live in develop, and this doesn’t work for anyone except those who profit off of our misery with drugs of all kinds to offer from Prozac to heroin to reality television. Suffering is profitable and I get angry at situations and lack of knowledge that leads people to be unsatisfied with their lives so that they take it out on their lovers, family, animal companions, nature, themselves, etc…

Animal neglect and imposed suffering really gets my mind working. Oppression is all linked and I can’t see any differences between speciesm, sexism, racism, homophobia, nationalism… Support your local animal shelter, support herbal and natural remedies, educate yourself and learn from those around you and dive into and explore the idea that we are all connected. A simple, yet often avoided idea!