3.
These Birdies Deserve A Traffic Ticket
Its not just apes that display advanced emotional and cognitive abilities. . Its the same with every living being. Take the example of birds. This species is one of the most abused one on this planet. Billions of chicken, geese, pheasants, turkeys, ducks, emus, ostriches, pigeons, grouse, quails, doves, woodcocks, songbirds, and others are slaughtered every year to embellish our dinner plates. Cruelly raised, transported and killed, these birds are treated in most inhumane ways imaginable.
In last decade, several hundred million birds have been culled in the name of containing avian flu. Killing has become a fashion, the trendiest thing to do to impress the western consumer that the meat exported to them is safe. Such killing by burying them alive or by burning, strangulating or suffocating them has no scientific basis. In most cases inoculation can suffice. But in today’s global economy, public relation concerns sideline scientific facts.
Only man could justify such insanity and call it 'economics’.
So do these birds have any feelings at all? Lets have a look at a true story by Jan Fredericks.
“After hearing accounts of how "stupid" turkeys can be, a lady and her husband were surprised to see two wild turkeys walk out onto a busy two lane country road and spread out their wings. One turkey faced oncoming traffic in one direction, the other faced oncoming traffic in the other direction. Confused drivers came to a halt. Everyone waited to see what would happen. Suddenly out of the trees came a whole family - mom, and six or seven baby turkeys The turkey family paraded across the highway in single file. When they had all reached the other side, the two "traffic guard" turkeys lowered their wings and followed them into the brush. Traffic resumed.”
Hundreds of millions of turkeys are slaughtered every year to ‘give thanks’. Yes, God needs to be thanked profusely for creating ‘man’, the most cruel, heartless and insensitive creature ever.
This turkey story is not an isolated or freak incident. Any one who deals with pets or deals with animals in anyway can see that they feel just like we do.
We can present another similar experience by Frank L. Hoffman to reinforce our contention here.
Frank writes, “Several weeks ago, while I was in Streetsboro, Ohio, an associate of mine was driving us to the job site of an assisted living facility which was still under construction. It's located near the Frost Road exit of Interstate 480. On the west side of the exit is a lake which has a population of Canadian Geese. And like so many of us humans, a Canada Goose seems to think that the grass is greener on the other side of the road, for several families of them were grazing in the grassy area between the Interstate and the local road that separated them from the lake.”
In last decade, several hundred million birds have been culled in the name of containing avian flu. Killing has become a fashion, the trendiest thing to do to impress the western consumer that the meat exported to them is safe. Such killing by burying them alive or by burning, strangulating or suffocating them has no scientific basis. In most cases inoculation can suffice. But in today’s global economy, public relation concerns sideline scientific facts.
Only man could justify such insanity and call it 'economics’.
So do these birds have any feelings at all? Lets have a look at a true story by Jan Fredericks.
“After hearing accounts of how "stupid" turkeys can be, a lady and her husband were surprised to see two wild turkeys walk out onto a busy two lane country road and spread out their wings. One turkey faced oncoming traffic in one direction, the other faced oncoming traffic in the other direction. Confused drivers came to a halt. Everyone waited to see what would happen. Suddenly out of the trees came a whole family - mom, and six or seven baby turkeys The turkey family paraded across the highway in single file. When they had all reached the other side, the two "traffic guard" turkeys lowered their wings and followed them into the brush. Traffic resumed.”
Hundreds of millions of turkeys are slaughtered every year to ‘give thanks’. Yes, God needs to be thanked profusely for creating ‘man’, the most cruel, heartless and insensitive creature ever.
This turkey story is not an isolated or freak incident. Any one who deals with pets or deals with animals in anyway can see that they feel just like we do.
We can present another similar experience by Frank L. Hoffman to reinforce our contention here.
Frank writes, “Several weeks ago, while I was in Streetsboro, Ohio, an associate of mine was driving us to the job site of an assisted living facility which was still under construction. It's located near the Frost Road exit of Interstate 480. On the west side of the exit is a lake which has a population of Canadian Geese. And like so many of us humans, a Canada Goose seems to think that the grass is greener on the other side of the road, for several families of them were grazing in the grassy area between the Interstate and the local road that separated them from the lake.”
“By the time we arrived on the scene, these families had decided to return to the lake. They were all gathered together on the east side of the Hudson Aurora Road waiting for an opportunity to cross over to the lake side. During a short lull in the early morning traffic, just as we were arriving, a father stepped out onto the road and walked to the center with his wings spread out like a school crossing guard. We stopped, as did the car heading in the opposite direction. When this Canada Goose was convinced that it was safe for his family to cross the road, he signaled to his wife, while at the same time he dropped his wings and stood with his head held high. Mom started to cross the road with her children close behind, or at least most of them.“
“During this time Dad kept alternately looking at us and the driver of the other car to make sure that we weren't going to move until his family was safely across the road. He didn't look at the cars. Instead, he looked us squarely in the eyes, knowing that we would signal our intentions before our cars ever started to move. Once Mom and most of the kids were safely on the other side, Dad left his sentinel position and hurried his straggling kids safely across the road.” (By: Frank L. Hoffman - 2 July 2000)
Unlike 50% of us humans, Canadian Geese mate for life. We have a lot to learn from these geese on how to raise and protect families, even though we consider ourselves to be a "higher" life form.
New York Times columnist, Nicholas Kristof writes his experience as a farm boy in an article dated July 31, 2008 :
“Then there were the geese, the most admirable creatures I’ve ever met. We raised Chinese white geese, a common breed, and they have distinctive personalities. They mate for life and adhere to family values that would shame most of those who dine on them.”
“While one of our geese was sitting on her eggs, her gander would go out foraging for food - and if he found some delicacy, he would rush back to give it to his mate. Sometimes I would offer males a dish of corn to fatten them up - but it was impossible, for they would take it all home to their true loves.”
“Once a month or so, we would slaughter the geese. When I was 10 years old, my job was to lock the geese in the barn and then rush and grab one. Then I would take it out and hold it by its wings on the chopping block while my Dad or someone else swung the ax.”
“The 150 geese knew that something dreadful was happening and would cower in a far corner of the barn, and run away in terror as I approached. Then I would grab one and carry it away as it screeched and struggled in my arms.”
“Very often, one goose would bravely step away from the panicked flock and walk tremulously toward me. It would be the mate of the one I had caught, male or female, and it would step right up to me, protesting pitifully. It would be frightened out of its wits, but still determined to stand with and comfort its lover.”
“We eventually grew so impressed with our geese - they had virtually become family friends - that we gave the remaining ones to a local park. (Unfortunately, some heartless thief took advantage of their friendliness by kidnapping them all - just before the next Thanksgiving!)”
Approximately 91% of all bird species are monogamous. Polygamy is found in 2% of all birds and polyandry is seen in less than 1%. In many cases, the individuals pair for life. Looks like birds are lot more faithful to their families then human beings.
In bird society, male birds are just as adept at parental care as females. In most groups of animals, male parental care is rare, but in birds it is quite common; in fact, it is more extensive in birds than in any other vertebrate class. In birds, male care can be seen as 2important or essential to female fitness. "In one form of monogamy such as with obligate monogamy a female cannot rear a litter without the aid of a male" (Gowaty, 1983). In some species in which male incubation is common, females tend to select mates on the basis of parental behaviors rather than physical appearance.
“During this time Dad kept alternately looking at us and the driver of the other car to make sure that we weren't going to move until his family was safely across the road. He didn't look at the cars. Instead, he looked us squarely in the eyes, knowing that we would signal our intentions before our cars ever started to move. Once Mom and most of the kids were safely on the other side, Dad left his sentinel position and hurried his straggling kids safely across the road.” (By: Frank L. Hoffman - 2 July 2000)
Unlike 50% of us humans, Canadian Geese mate for life. We have a lot to learn from these geese on how to raise and protect families, even though we consider ourselves to be a "higher" life form.
New York Times columnist, Nicholas Kristof writes his experience as a farm boy in an article dated July 31, 2008 :
“Then there were the geese, the most admirable creatures I’ve ever met. We raised Chinese white geese, a common breed, and they have distinctive personalities. They mate for life and adhere to family values that would shame most of those who dine on them.”
“While one of our geese was sitting on her eggs, her gander would go out foraging for food - and if he found some delicacy, he would rush back to give it to his mate. Sometimes I would offer males a dish of corn to fatten them up - but it was impossible, for they would take it all home to their true loves.”
“Once a month or so, we would slaughter the geese. When I was 10 years old, my job was to lock the geese in the barn and then rush and grab one. Then I would take it out and hold it by its wings on the chopping block while my Dad or someone else swung the ax.”
“The 150 geese knew that something dreadful was happening and would cower in a far corner of the barn, and run away in terror as I approached. Then I would grab one and carry it away as it screeched and struggled in my arms.”
“Very often, one goose would bravely step away from the panicked flock and walk tremulously toward me. It would be the mate of the one I had caught, male or female, and it would step right up to me, protesting pitifully. It would be frightened out of its wits, but still determined to stand with and comfort its lover.”
“We eventually grew so impressed with our geese - they had virtually become family friends - that we gave the remaining ones to a local park. (Unfortunately, some heartless thief took advantage of their friendliness by kidnapping them all - just before the next Thanksgiving!)”
Approximately 91% of all bird species are monogamous. Polygamy is found in 2% of all birds and polyandry is seen in less than 1%. In many cases, the individuals pair for life. Looks like birds are lot more faithful to their families then human beings.
In bird society, male birds are just as adept at parental care as females. In most groups of animals, male parental care is rare, but in birds it is quite common; in fact, it is more extensive in birds than in any other vertebrate class. In birds, male care can be seen as 2important or essential to female fitness. "In one form of monogamy such as with obligate monogamy a female cannot rear a litter without the aid of a male" (Gowaty, 1983). In some species in which male incubation is common, females tend to select mates on the basis of parental behaviors rather than physical appearance.
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An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language. |
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So it appears that birds have a happy married life. Of course in human society also all marriages are happy. It's the living together afterward that causes all the trouble. Therefore they say that a good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. Divorce, the past tense of marriage, does not exist in bird society whereas in every human marriage more than a week old, there are grounds for divorce.
But Ann and Andy are a happy couple. Well, they are a pair of Cockatoos that have lived together like an old married couple for the past 50 years. They live in ‘Under My Wing Avian Refuge’ a non-profit no-kill bird shelter located in New Jersey, USA.
They were used by a commercial bird breeder for more than 30 years and then discarded when they were no longer useful. That’s when the pair came to the attention of Under My Wing Avian Refuge.
This story is true because Cockatoos may live upto 100 or even 120 years. Pet owners know how strongly they get attached to their new-found pets, within a short time. If their pet dies within a few years, they get into serious mental depression, for a long time. So, some people like to keep cockatoos as pets, expecting them to be with them for the rest of their life.
Cockatoos are quite talkative and generally good at performing tricks. Because they are quite intelligent, they can master the tricks quite well.
With the disintegration of family life, pets have become the family. In this world, all the living beings have loving and serving propensities which are normally expressed in a family environment. When someone has no family of his own, he keeps at least a dog or a cat because no one can live in this world without loving and serving some one.
Another touching story that has been doing rounds on internet is about a swallow. In the picture below, the swallow’s wife is injured and the condition is fatal. She was hit by a car as she swooped low across the road.
But Ann and Andy are a happy couple. Well, they are a pair of Cockatoos that have lived together like an old married couple for the past 50 years. They live in ‘Under My Wing Avian Refuge’ a non-profit no-kill bird shelter located in New Jersey, USA.
They were used by a commercial bird breeder for more than 30 years and then discarded when they were no longer useful. That’s when the pair came to the attention of Under My Wing Avian Refuge.
This story is true because Cockatoos may live upto 100 or even 120 years. Pet owners know how strongly they get attached to their new-found pets, within a short time. If their pet dies within a few years, they get into serious mental depression, for a long time. So, some people like to keep cockatoos as pets, expecting them to be with them for the rest of their life.
Cockatoos are quite talkative and generally good at performing tricks. Because they are quite intelligent, they can master the tricks quite well.
With the disintegration of family life, pets have become the family. In this world, all the living beings have loving and serving propensities which are normally expressed in a family environment. When someone has no family of his own, he keeps at least a dog or a cat because no one can live in this world without loving and serving some one.
Another touching story that has been doing rounds on internet is about a swallow. In the picture below, the swallow’s wife is injured and the condition is fatal. She was hit by a car as she swooped low across the road.
Here he brought her food and attended to her with love and compassion.
He brought her food again, but was shocked to find her dead.
He tried to move her... but it was too late!
Aware that his mate is dead and will never come back to him again, he cries.
Finally aware that she will never return, he stood beside her body with sadness and obvious sorrow.
A photographer took these pictures in France and sold these to a newspaper for a nominal fee. All copies of that newspaper were sold out on the day these pictures were published. Millions of people cried after seeing these pictures on internet.
And many people think animals don’t have a brain or feelings! This slaughterhouse civilization is based on this very premise and it has no future. This killing business can not go on unrestricted forever. Natural laws of justice will come into play.
Slaughterhouses need to close down if we want a peaceable kingdom on this earth. Everybody wants a loving, compassionate, and peaceful world but as long as this unrestricted killing of animals goes on, that would not be possible.
When nothing is available to eat, animals can be eaten. But when so many eatables like grains, milk, vegetables, fruits and nuts are available, there is no justification in maintaining slaughterhouses. In jungle, one animal eats another animal but they don’t maintain a slaughterhouse. And also, human beings are supposed to be more advanced or civilized than jungle animals.
A photographer took these pictures in France and sold these to a newspaper for a nominal fee. All copies of that newspaper were sold out on the day these pictures were published. Millions of people cried after seeing these pictures on internet.
And many people think animals don’t have a brain or feelings! This slaughterhouse civilization is based on this very premise and it has no future. This killing business can not go on unrestricted forever. Natural laws of justice will come into play.
Slaughterhouses need to close down if we want a peaceable kingdom on this earth. Everybody wants a loving, compassionate, and peaceful world but as long as this unrestricted killing of animals goes on, that would not be possible.
When nothing is available to eat, animals can be eaten. But when so many eatables like grains, milk, vegetables, fruits and nuts are available, there is no justification in maintaining slaughterhouses. In jungle, one animal eats another animal but they don’t maintain a slaughterhouse. And also, human beings are supposed to be more advanced or civilized than jungle animals.
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Regardless of whether human, animal, tree or plant, all living entities are sons of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (14.4): |
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