Thankful for Animals - a photo on Flickriver

            I've always found it very ironic that the one day in America designated for kindness and gratitude is also a day when the multitudes make a conscious choice to eat an animal when they don't have to. 

It was my love of cats that made me decide to go vegetarian at 13 years old because I was taught to not discriminate against humans so why not apply the same to animals?  How could I justify eating a pig, a turkey, a cow if I could never eat a cat or a dog?  It made me question the way our society values some lives more than others and caused me to start thinking with a mind for social justice too.  When systems say "It's ok to do this even when you feel this...." all you have to do is follow the money.  Factory farming in this country in and of itself is a multi billion dollar industry that causes great harm to both animals and the environment. Why should we choose profit over the lives of animals as well as our own health?

There are so many stray cats in need of love and medical treatment.  To me, it is like living in a city where you see people sleeping and begging on the street often.  You feel like every dollar you give will never be enough.  But, there's something to be said for when you are part of a vast world of great suffering and you help even one life.  

This cat was found in a rescue orientated cat café and was actually provided with multiple medical treatments out of the pockets of the volunteers who worked there to keep it alive.  One of the best cats I ever had, Buckley (named after Tim and Jeff), was a cat I adopted after a volunteer at the rescue agency paid over $2000 for a surgery, which I definitely would not have been able to afford at that time in my life.  Buckley lived at least a decade in my arms and resembled this little guy.  He would head butt me in bed and I'd lift up my blanket and he'd sleep and purr right beside me all night.  When the time came for his life to end, I held him in my arms until his very last breath and I have no doubt he knew he was loved.  All of this because someone said, "Yes, there is immeasurable suffering on this Earth but I can make a choice to make it less for this creature. "

Our choices matter. 

**All photos are copyrighted**

Taken on: June 10, 2023

Tags:

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vegetarian

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Caturday

thankful

grateful

Thanksgiving

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Sets appears in: • Milwaukee

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Camera: Canon EOS 5DS R, f/10.0, 1/30 sec, 67mm, ISO 250 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 5DS R
Lens:	EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Aperture:	f/10.0
Exposure Time:	0.033 sec (1/30)
Focal Length:	67mm
ISO:	250
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop 24.4 (Macintosh)
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