Letter to Riffkin

Dear Rifkin,

The article in the Los Angeles times “A Change of Heart About Animals” that you published on September 1, 2003. I have read and I agree with you that our fellow creatures are more like us than we ever imagined. I believe this because I love animals and I think that every animal has feelings because they have a brain which is linked to their emotions. Also everyone that has a brain and a heart fell some kind of emotions weather it may be that they feel happy, sad, mad or any other emotion. Yes in nature most animals do not have feelings towards their fellow animals and yes I understand that because they have to survive by killing them and also by feeding off of them. Then again we are in civilization and we should feel more empathy towards them seeming that we have taken them out of their natural habitat and placed them in exhibits, zoos and other places like that where they can and should provide them food and not let them feed off of other animals that have died. Also our fellow creatures do not lack self-individualism like how you said in your article that at the Washington national zoo an orangutan was given a mirror and the orangutan explored it body parts and that helps them see how unique they are compared to other orangutans.  Also as how you mentioned in your article that many believe that animals do not know how to mourn or that we believe that they cannot comprehend that concept. Well as you also mentioned that elephants do know how to mourn because at times they will often stand next to their other relatives for days and occasionally touching the remains of their loved ones.

Many people do not appreciate their animals and treat them badly but others treat their animals with a lot of respect and always care for them.  There should be a few changes in how people should treat their animals because others are able to have animals but there is always the fact that people have them but don’t take care for them. Also many people seem to label the animals for what just one animal did and not all animals are the same for example pit bulls as killers and dangerous dogs in the eyes of some people. It all depends on how an animal was raised and was trained by their owner if the owner taught the animal to be dangerous well that is how the animal will be but if it is brought up with love and care the animal will be sweet and loving and will not harm anyone just for their own entertainment. So there should be more laws placed on animal owners. If not their animal should be taken away because they are being treated poorly and are in possible danger and they could also be placing other people in danger.