Over the past two years, the kind of serious crime that is usually reserved for humans has extended into the world of canines. In February of 2013, Cruz, a dog in contention at the 18th Annual Rocky Mountain Cluster Dog Show in Denver was murdered with poison. This had happened before, but very rarely, with the last incident in Denver’s dog world taking place in the 1880s. Now, on March 9, it has happened again, this time at the famed Cruft’s Dog Show in England, the UK equivalent of the US Westminster event, when a 3 year old Irish Setter called Jagger was poisoned with slug bait.

With all the recent assassinations around the world, these are certainly dog days for humans–and for dogs, too. It seems especially cruel to harm these helpless, trusting animals. It’s horrible enough that humans throw each others lives away like we do, but to prey on helpless animals is just as base. There is a murderous atmosphere in our world right now, and it seems to be extending into a particularly ugly form of animal cruelty.

How could someone do this to man’s best friend? So far, no answers. Another problem, of course, is that we can’t possibly investigate these murders with nearly the energy we devote to the killing of people. But I do know that there is a lot of energy being put into the investigation of the murder of Jagger. Let’s hope the culprit gets caught!

In thinking about dogs, I’m reminded of a Native American legend recounted by Black Elk: When God decided to separate man from the animals, he created a huge chasm between us and the beasts. As it was widening, dog realized that man would need a companion to help him hunt and protect him. Dog jumped over to be with man.

How can we be so cruel to our friend?

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7 Comments

  1. Unbelievable! What an evil
    Unbelievable! What an evil person to do that. I love animals, especially dogs!

  2. It now looks like Jagger was
    It now looks like Jagger was not poisoned at Crufts- death from the two poisons involved,carbofuran and aldicarb, would usually occur within 30 minutes to three hours.
    These two poisons are banned in Belgium (in fact thought out the EU) so there is still a real mystery as to how the dog was poisoned.

  3. I agree. There seems to be
    I agree. There seems to be an uptick in insane meaness and senseless cruelty. But there also seems to be an upwelling of feelings/demonstrations of unity, brotherhood, and love. These things don’t seem to catch the eye of the mainstream media but it seems the more humanity is pushed into senseless violence, the more we strive to show we can and do love and support one another.

  4. It lifts my spirits to read
    It lifts my spirits to read your column again. We love you and you continue in our prayers, along with Whitley and all of your family. I see you getting stronger each day!

  5. the sooner we as a human race
    the sooner we as a human race are finished with the dark (hidden motives), evil, blood-thirsty kill for sport, kill to conquer 20th century it is all to our betterment. our capacity for love, respect, happiness and joy is infinite.
    do good you bring good into the world. do selfish evil the innocent-animals, children, powerless people, our environment-suffers and or gives up its life. each souls day of reckoning is on an individual basis so we don’t get to know when selfish evil pays the ultimate price to cease to exist. their acts have finally cost them their soul. the withered, twisted, pityful thing it had become.

  6. That was a particularly
    That was a particularly lovely diary Anne, and perhaps we could add to the story at the end; cat seeing that man was an ignorant bumbling fool, sighed to herself, rolled her eyes and joined him also in order to teach him grace and wisdom!

  7. Yes, Lovely diary Anne, and
    Yes, Lovely diary Anne, and hope you are regaining your strength.; Yes, alasdair! , cats are wonderful; on a sublime level all onto themselves. Loyal to a fault. and if you mistakenly punish them, they forgive you and continue to love. About the only supernatural experience I’ve had is cat dreams where my old SonnyBoy, (my late Grandmother’s stray cat she adopted– and was put into my care)… every once in a while appears in my dreams, maybe comforting me in what ever situation I find myself, me petting him in my arms feeling total love.

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