Fetch

Cornell, Purdue, Michigan State, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign—these universities are just a few that recognize what is now scientifically proven: The “Human-Animal Bond, the dynamic relationship between people and animals” that influences the psychological and physiological state of each other in profound ways. The human-animal bond is universal. From the earliest caveman to the present, humans and animals have depended on each other for food, shelter, companionship, well-being, love.

Some people regard other animal species as mere property, or commodities that fetch a price, meaning, can “be sold for,” as were human slaves less than 150 years ago, and are now. Yet, the U.S. Public Health Service states that a “scientifically established link exists between how people treat animals and how they treat each other.” In other words, if we want kinder people, we need to treat animals humanely, especially since they have benefited us for more than 10,000 years, which is when they were first domesticated!

Everything has its light and its dark side. Take the Internet for example: how might the Web relate to the human-animal bond?

Surprise! Cyberspace has eyes! Cookies and spyware can be used to record your online browsing behavior. In this context, fetch means “return with information.” Some people might be surprised to discover that police, the government, criminals, or maybe even aliens can observe Homo sapiens’ online behavior. In short, there is no such thing as online privacy. Everything you do on the information superhighway leaves footprints. Anything you buy, email, upload, download, or post can be tracked.

How is that any different from observing animals in zoos, circuses, aquariums, pet stores or research laboratories? The answer is that although you may be observed, you are not confined.

Isn’t turnabout fair play?

The irony of the Internet is that the same technology that allows governments and corporations to observe and capitalize on our behaviors, also allows us to find out about them. That’s the light side.

The Internet has spawned a new kind of grassroots, community activism whereby consumer and watchdog groups are able to quickly spread the word about issues such as factory farms, where animals are crammed into small cages in order to keep housing costs down and corporate profits up. Farm animals bred and raised for the dining table are not, as ads like to claim, “pure, honest to goodness” fresh, natural ones, but are raised in totally unnatural conditions, suffer from chronic health problems, are force fed antibiotics and hormones, are fattened up quickly, and millions are slaughtered each week for human consumption.

The Web connects us. The human-animal bond means that we are interdependent. How we treat them affects us. Thus, widespread calls to action ask YOU to help end such cruel practices by voting Yes on California’s Proposition 2, a measure that improves everyone’s health and safety, helps protect the environment, and honors the human-animal bond.

Images downloaded from Google images.