I have followed the dog-related issues that have plagued Brattleboro over the last few years. The June 13 edition of The Commons made me recall a Boston Globe interview with award-winning filmmaker Steven Latham regarding his most recent film Shelter Me.
Discussing the 6 to 8 million animals currently in U.S. shelters that have created a shelter pet crisis, Latham was asked, “What is causing this overflow of shelter animals?”
His response: The utter irresponsibility of people. They abandon them in the Hamptons, in the Everglades, in the desert.
It's very scary to me that someone can take a sentient being and be that callous. We all need to realize that very critical point: animals are sentient beings. All communities need to incorporate that reality into their community values and standards while creating a new reality for animals that recognizes this reality.
Progressive communities certainly should be emphasizing love, respect, and compassion for all beings.