Eyes Wide Open
I opened my eyes, but I could still see their faces. Indeed, they still flash before me in unsuspecting moments.
The crate appeared wooden and perhaps hand crafted. Crouched in the corner were two small cats maybe about nine months old. One was black, the other white and orange. They were avoiding looking at the looped cord aiming in their direction. The black cat had its chin plastered against his chest. His companion was hugging him. They both were watching the loop – the lasso inching towards a neck. It kept missing, but continued relentlessly wanting to find its mark as it had thirteen times before. There had been fifteen cats in the cage moments before. One by one this loop had found a neck and had drawn it to the top of the cage where a cat dangled until its life ended. The two huggers in the corner were the remains. They knew what they faced and attempted to comfort each other frozen in their fear and acceptance. Their eyes told the story - a story that I could not exorcise from my eyes open or closed.
I had been flipping through the channels when Larry King’s program came on – without Larry. Guest host Ryan Seacrest was interviewing animal activists Heather McCartney, Alec Baldwin and investigator Rick Swain as well as Senator Dennis Kucinich. They discussed the two million cats and dogs slaughtered in China for the fur industry. Discussion was punctuated with footage of cats being strangled and dogs being skinned alive. The most awful aspect of the proof was the emotions on the animals’ faces. Their attempt to comfort each other during the nightmare also gripped my heart.
Yes, the viewing of the fates of these little souls for their fur was terrible. But, can we really afford to look away? Can we pretend not to know where the fur items come from in our stores? Can we not know that fur means lives ended? Lives that are exactly like those of our beloved cats and dogs.
In case you missed the program a transcript is available at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0512/11/lkl.01.html
You can also purchase a video tape. I’m going to do that for the days when I feel tired of struggling. I want to remember those two little cats hugging each other into their destiny and know why I am working so hard. Some day, some day no videos will need to be taken. All life will be appreciated; until then I will look with eyes wide open and keyboard at the ready.
The crate appeared wooden and perhaps hand crafted. Crouched in the corner were two small cats maybe about nine months old. One was black, the other white and orange. They were avoiding looking at the looped cord aiming in their direction. The black cat had its chin plastered against his chest. His companion was hugging him. They both were watching the loop – the lasso inching towards a neck. It kept missing, but continued relentlessly wanting to find its mark as it had thirteen times before. There had been fifteen cats in the cage moments before. One by one this loop had found a neck and had drawn it to the top of the cage where a cat dangled until its life ended. The two huggers in the corner were the remains. They knew what they faced and attempted to comfort each other frozen in their fear and acceptance. Their eyes told the story - a story that I could not exorcise from my eyes open or closed.
I had been flipping through the channels when Larry King’s program came on – without Larry. Guest host Ryan Seacrest was interviewing animal activists Heather McCartney, Alec Baldwin and investigator Rick Swain as well as Senator Dennis Kucinich. They discussed the two million cats and dogs slaughtered in China for the fur industry. Discussion was punctuated with footage of cats being strangled and dogs being skinned alive. The most awful aspect of the proof was the emotions on the animals’ faces. Their attempt to comfort each other during the nightmare also gripped my heart.
Yes, the viewing of the fates of these little souls for their fur was terrible. But, can we really afford to look away? Can we pretend not to know where the fur items come from in our stores? Can we not know that fur means lives ended? Lives that are exactly like those of our beloved cats and dogs.
In case you missed the program a transcript is available at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0512/11/lkl.01.html
You can also purchase a video tape. I’m going to do that for the days when I feel tired of struggling. I want to remember those two little cats hugging each other into their destiny and know why I am working so hard. Some day, some day no videos will need to be taken. All life will be appreciated; until then I will look with eyes wide open and keyboard at the ready.
posted by Cape Cat at 8:59 PM
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