(Footnotes at end of document.
Scripture quotations marked “KJV” are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge, 1769.)
Proverbs 12:10 “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” (KJV)
Animals have a very special place in the heart of God. He created them in the same manner in which He created mankind [i]. He cares for them, and expects people to do the same [ii]. Yet sadly, not everyone cares for animals. Many people abuse them. The news is full of horrifying stories of dog fighting, people setting kittens on fire, animal brothels and animal testing.
Animals have a purpose. Several, in fact. They were created to glorify God [iii], to be cared for by human beings [iv], and to teach us human beings [v]. They also can take care of us, such as in the story of Balaam and his donkey who would not cross the road because there was an angel of God standing in the roadway [vi], and they are here to bless us [vii]. Considering all these things, I fail to see how anyone can think of them as unimportant, or “just animals.”
As I write this, I am the proud mama to several wonderful cats. Every single animal that my husband and I care for (and have cared for over the years) are treated well. They are well fed, given vet care when needed, and receive plenty of love. They are given boundaries (stay out of the closets or the trash, for example) but are given plenty of freedom within their boundaries. In return for caring for them, they give us plenty of unconditional love. If one of us is upset, there is at least a cat or two there, trying to offer comfort. Since I have C-PTSD and one of our cats also has PTSD, he and I have a rather unique relationship. We understand each other very well and offer support when the symptoms flare up.
This caring way our pets have has been extended to our friends as well – if a friend comes by and talks about a problem, chances are, he or she will have animals snuggling up to them as soon as they start to talk.
My point is simply this: please consider giving a sweet, needy animal a loving home. If you cannot adopt, then please consider fostering, donating food, kitty litter or even your time to a no kill shelter or rescue. These wonderful places care for animals until they are able to find homes for their animals, and many are in dire need of supplies and volunteers.
So many shelters euthanize animals within seventy-two hours of receiving the animal. The euthanasia process is not a pleasant one- the animal does not simply drift off quietly to sleep forever. In fact, prior to their cruel death, their last hours are spent in small kennels, given no undivided attention or love. How sad for their last few days to be so miserable, only to be followed by a painful death! Please consider saving a precious animal from such a horrible fate!
Before running out to adopt an animal, please do some research! Do some research on various breeds. Not all cats are alike, for example, Abyssinians are known for clinging to their people, while Siamese are known for being chatty, and Burmese are known for loving to sit on their human’s shoulder when cuddling. The same goes for dogs – American Eskimos and Papillions are small companion dogs who are very clingy to their humans, and Papillions can be very challenging to house train. Saint Bernards are extremely large (some weighing in at two-hundred pounds) but very laid back, gentle and wonderful family dogs. Huskies may be among the prettiest puppies ever, but they can be very high maintenance adolescent dogs who are notorious for escaping even fenced in yards.
Even if you are not adopting a purebred, do some research on the breeds in the animal you are considering adopting. It is most likely that the dog or cat will share qualities from the breeds in her heritage. Can you live with the worst qualities if your new pet has those? If not, keep looking…you will find the right pet for you.
If you would like to learn more about living with animals, please read my book, “Pawprints On Our Hearts.” As a Christian, I learned a lot from the Bible about God’s views on animals. As a mom to so many wonderful pets, I also learned a great deal on how to treat them.
If you are considering adopting a cat or dog, please click here for further information to consider. I have provided some information on various breeds of cats and dogs, plus information on care.
I know a wonderful lady who runs a website offering cat health information and care tips. She is so good, she diagnosed my beautiful Jasmine kitty as having had a stroke via email, when the vet she saw misdiagnosed her. Check out her website here: https://heavenssafehaven.webs.com/
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Footnotes:
[i]
Genesis 2:7 “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (KJV)
Genesis 2:19 “And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof” (KJV)
[ii]
Genesis 1:26-28 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God “created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (KJV)
[iii]
Romans 11:36 “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (KJV)
[iv]
Genesis 1:26-28 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion monkey over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God “created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (KJV)
[v]
Job 12:7-10 “But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” (KJV)
[vi]
Numbers 22:20-34 “And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again. And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? and he said, Nay. Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.” (KJV)
[vii]
James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (KJV)