Don't dismiss suffering

Richmond News
Published: Friday, November 09, 2007

The Editor,

Re: "Dead rabbit horrifies mom," the News, Nov. 2.

Regarding this cruel Halloween prank, let's not forget the animal that suffered.

Understandably, people are horrified that such acts of unspeakable cruelty toward animals often translate itself into human cruelty or abuse. But why is it that in our society, many people cannot react to or understand another living being's suffering unless it is compared directly to its effect on a human being?

For the rabbits in Richmond, the city and many of its citizens had no real concern for the feral rabbit population's welfare until it hit the farmers in the pocketbook. Why does our society dismiss the suffering of another living being until it affects them directly? How did we become so uncaring toward other living beings? Our solution is to get rid of the "problem" only once we become affected.

I commend the woman who brought the story of the rabbit forward. Hopefully, it will not have died in vain.

Lisa Hutcheon,
Burnaby