Caring for animals

With reference to the article Animal shelter provides love, affection and care for strays in The Jakarta Post on Sunday, July 6, I would like to highlight some home truths to those who are overly critical of the idea of caring for animals over humans.

First of all, unlike humans, animals are "defenseless" and incapable of expressing their needs i.e. they are often subjected to abusive behavior and are not often seen begging for food or shelter, let alone going to the vet to seek medical attention.

Furthermore, animals show their gratitude and pledge their loyalty unconditionally to those who care for them, as it is second nature to them. I rarely hear, if ever, stories about "disloyal" animals. How much of this is true of humans, who, of all the species on earth, are the only ones that can turn against their own kind for no apparent reason?

Let me just conclude by saying that a man should not be judged by the type of species he cares for but by his acts of kindness alone.

Dr. EVY LUCIANA, Jakarta