Animals

Animals

Animals - Our best friends!

"Be brave! It takes guts to be a mama bear."

"When I look into the eyes of an animal. I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul (A.D. Williams)

Some people say animals are better friends than humans. They're listening and sometimes acting like they understand us without judging or whine. They don't ask but wait for us. They make us go outside. They make us care, love and hug someone. It's not only dogs or cats but any other animal is life, is different, has a soul and a story like any of us humans. Infinite stories of life in this world. This is maybe one of them. A small, little dog story, but it's beautiful and I'm happy to maybe just have been a little part of this dog's life story.

Rosco - A little dog story

Rosco: Over a year ago, I went to a small little village in Ecuador, Quilotoa, to do the Quilotoa loop and the Quilotoa trek. At the lake I stopped for a little dog, who was alone, not like the other Ecuadorian street dogs, loud, just there, not even bagging for food, I had no food with me and didn't feed animals. However, he was cute and followed me a bit and I took a picture with him, just because it was a small, little, kind and adorable street dog who made my day a bit better and I wrote:

" Happy Animals :) Besides beautiful places and friendly people, free animals are often highlights of a lot of my trips and make my and our experiences even more alive and enjoyable.

It's pretty sad that some of them are just living for a few months in tiny cages to end on our plates instead of being our friends and living a humane life.

That's why I prefer to eat cookies instead of meat "

A few days ago, I reached out to Jonathan, a friend in Banos, five hours away from Quilotoa, who I teached a bit German in a school, while I was there, sharing my first paragliding experience in NZ with him, because I knew he is a great paraglider. A few days later I got this beautiful and surprising message.

"Hello!! My name is Sydney. I visited Ecuador for a few months, I just returned home. I actually ended up adopting a dog that followed me for days and nights when I hiked the Quilotoa loop! A friend just sent me a picture from an old post of yours...and I am pretty sure it is either the dog I brought home to the states with me, or a sibling, or a parent! I was wondering if you would be willing to tell me more about this doggo in your photo! I am so curious if it's my pup or a relative? Because they look SO SIMILAR, yet different."

“Dear Sydney,

I don't know anything about the dog. It was just a cute, little street dog full of love and trust in people that made me at that moment and that day really happy and looked cute and happy then. But he was just a dog and I was just another tourist, so he couldn't talk to me. In your pictures he looks even happier, finding you and making you happy too. I can just tell you to give him a big hug from me!

I love watching animals, can't explain why.

They're flying diving, swimming, running, eating and playing like us without all the stupid human stuff around. Animals trust us without asking.

Prisoned, killed and dead animals, they make me cry.

Too often we decide!

“If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian.” - Paul McCartney

A little Bird Story

Have you ever had a baby animal to care about? I've had a lamb "Blümchen" when I was really young and a small baby duck we found on the street. So, helpless and depending on you.

Lately, I found an injured bird at a glass bus stop. He probably flew against the glas and was laying in the bus stop and looked pretty bad in shape. So, I picked him up, just to put him somewhere a little bit nicer to at least die in nature at a beautiful place in a flower bed at the cemetery. I put him on the earth into the flowers and left, because I couldn't do anything else. I got a little bit sentimental and drew a smiley on a nutshell, kind of a gravestone and settled it next to the little bird one hour later. He still didn't move and looked miserable. When I came back the next day, the bird was gone.

A dog walk - Am I walking with the dog or the dog with me?

Another day a friend of a friend asked me if I wanted to join him for a walk with his dog. A six month old young puppy, first time in Wanaka and exploring a new place. Hell ya! When I came back to the hostel, Steve asked me what I'm doing? Going out with a dog was my response.

"Do you get at least some money for walking the dog", was his question.

I would be ashamed to get money for this pleasure.

From another perspective, I also don't give any money to the dog. He is walking with me as well and sharing his happiness and his curiosity. The owner joined me for the walk and we talked a lot.

It was just a simple walk of pleasure!

Why should we pollute this walk with the exchange of money.

Oh, actually we did and I got paid. He invited me for a hot chocolate and some valued time together.

Background worth reading, watching, listening links:

Animal Farm (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXkicQRl6vg)

Dominions/Earthlings (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQRAfJyEsko&has_verified=1)

We feed the world (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41mi9igl5Kk)

The Biggest Little Farm (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biXdtbU155E)

Food, Inc. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUNuKs_Qyqg)

Okja: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZpXlD6ihWM

SirPlus Food Markets and Raphael Fellmer; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5gY0CwIgco

Book:
Eating Animals (Jonathan Safran)

Mama's Last Hug, Frans de Waal (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/may/08/mamas-last-hug-frans-de-waal-review?fbclid=IwAR0Hlaezc2qmw94Xr3B8knCH8KVmLmTDKEqyHKTwJ7oVre7GQ05KjYuktCE)