The Karma of Animal Abuse

The other day I went to the .99 cent store to buy something. You can literally find anything in such a place, even fish, the kind you keep for pets, not for eating. I was walking out of the store when I noticed a tiny container of platys. These are small fish who come in a variety of colors and are wonderful fish to keep as pets. The platys that I saw that day were a golden yellow.  There was this one particular platy fish that caught my attention because it looked like it was popping its head up continually as if it were trying to find a more comfortable position.  There I was, free and easy, while this innocent being was trapped in a small jar for God knows how long while the store’s owner played with her phone, just minding her own business.  This wasn’t the first time I’d seen something like this either.  When I spoke to the owners about the state of the fish, they just brushed it off laughing saying, “The fish is ok.” I can’t help wondering to myself, “How could anyone’s heart not ache when they see this poor creature?”

As I was walking home I pondered about how, if people had more respect for animals, (aka mute innocent creatures who obviously can’t speak up for themselves) we wouldn’t currently have the coronavirus.  Sadly, humanity shows itself far from having consistent respect for animals.  So many people can just walk down the street, plainly notice a hungry animal and just keep going by as if nothing is wrong. They never wonder to themselves what that cat or dog might feel.  There are those who truly accept that animals never experience emotions, which is far from the truth. Animals are actually much more emotional than humans.  Their whole being is emotional. For example, when they feel sad, they are the sadness.

I wish everyone would understand that animals are just as worthy as people and have souls just like us, and that we are obligated to protect them.  However, as long as people are blind to those facts, destruction will continue to rain on the animal kingdom from humanity. Even though there will be a vaccine soon for the coronavirus, I have a feeling that another epidemic will show up sooner or later, and this one will be even worse. The coronavirus is the voice of the animal kingdom saying, “Stop torturing us.”