Animals: Please Enjoy Responsibly

By Frank Herr –

Animals, like any commodity, have their own place in a society. When a single aspect, such as said animals are referred to too highly, the effects, both moral and economic, can be detrimental. With all of the activism and attention that critters have been attracting lately, people seem to be forgetting the original reason that God created animals: to eat and for humans to use them to survive.

Centuries ago, animals were a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Hunter-gatherer tribes and nomads depended solely on the land that they inhibited, and the domesticated animals which they controlled. This livestock was protected, for it was a direct extension of the peoples’ livelihood. It was used wisely, hides were used as clothing and shelter, bones were used for tools and weapons, and the animals’ meat was used for food.

Flash forward to present times. Sharks are finned alive, with their useless bodies dumped back into frigid ocean waters, just to slowly sink to the sea floor.

Whales are illegally captured for “research” programs conducted by Asian medical services (black market whale meat, oils, etc.). With such a drastic contrast to the centuries-old method of being conservative with nature’s resources, misjudgment, mismanagement and misconduct have become prevalent in today’s interactions with animals.

If we, the human race, a so-called “green-bound” society, would like to continue to experience life even remotely the way in which we experience it presently, we must be stewards of the gifts that we have been given. We must guard and care for animal species, one of the first tasks that man was ordered to perform. However, we must remember that animals exist to serve and provide for humans. This does not mean that people can roam this finite planet, destroy, alter and claim all that they please, and expect their actions to not be justified. Stewardship includes utilizing animals in a healthy, sustainable manner. When instances arise that pose the moral well-being of animals against that of a human, while animals must be respected, in any manner, people are always, undoubtedly, superior.