A newspaper story about animal...
Illustration
A newspaper story about animal rights volunteers at the County Humane Shelter brought an angry letter to the editor from a man who harshly condemned the volunteers. "Animals are useless," he wrote, "and they have no rights except the right to be used by man as he sees fit. Why don't all you animal rights kooks put your time and effort into helping the needy humans of the world?" One of the shelter's volunteers responded: "God gave us dominion over the animals to care for them, not to abuse them. I believe all living creatures have the right, under God, to be treated humanely. That is why I take care of my husband and children, tend the flowers in my garden, do volunteer work three days a week in the children's ward of a local hospital, and spend one and a half days as a volunteer at our animal shelter. I am only one of many who believes that cruelty to any living creature is an act of cruelty inflicted upon God. My simple question to you is: How can you justify your negative attitude toward animals? It is just a question, not a judgment, and I ask you not to condemn us volunteers because we cannot do all of God's work." -- Byrd
