A 21-inch codfish was repeatedly caught in a Norwegian Fisher’s net, and each time released.  Initially, the fisher didn’t want the cod, as it was underweight in the extreme.  But as the fish returned to the net more than 40 times, the fisher developed a fondness for it.

The media discovered the story, and consistently documented the homecoming.  Finally, after too often being lifted out of the water to be photographed, it became apparent that the hard-of-seeing animal, now named Balder, was becoming more and more ill.  The public rallied and a cry went out to the local aquarium to save the cod.

For two months staff fed Balder through a stomach tube, trying to help him gain weight.  Finally, all of Norway breathed a collective sigh of relief when Balder was able to eat on his own.

Every day we seem to hear of an animal rescue.  A cow is mired in mud, and a camera crew is there to show us the tireless efforts of its rescuers.  A stray kitten is found at the top of a tall tree.  Suddenly out come the ladders, and the brave people who climb them.  A Rottweiler-cross is discovered, almost dead.  The chain he had been wearing when he ran off his property became entangled in branches and had gouged a large, ugly wound into his neck.  He is rescued, and nursed slowly back to health.

These stories upset us, but then warm our hearts as we realize that, once again, humanity has come to the aid of the helpless.  But why do we cheer for Balder’s recovery, when every day millions of fish are caught helplessly in nets, only to be hauled aboard a boat to end their lives slowly by suffocation?  Why are we pleased that the cow was pulled to safety, when she and countless others, will only be sent to inhumane slaughterhouses when their reproductive lives slow down?  Why are we so interested in the life of one kitten, when litter after litter are euthanized?  And why do we applaud, even contribute to, the large sums of money necessary to save one dog, when the shelters house hundreds, until space or funds run out...

It boils down to personality.  Those of us with animals that share our homes and our lives are very aware that they possess personalities.  We laugh at their antics, feel for them when they grieve, and basically enjoy the light that they shine into our lives.  And because we understand that dogs and cats have their own personalities, we are quick to pull out our wallets when the SPCA needs help, and are outraged when we learn that canines and felines are considered delicacies by some cultures.

We can justify raising animals for food when we believe that they are all the same and have little, if any intelligence.  It’s a similar mindset with which soldiers at war are inflicted.  High-ranking officials know that, in order to get people to kill others, they have to convince them that the enemy has no persona, but is only an object.  The fact is, each and every animal, if given the opportunity to live as nature intended, or as part of a human family, will develop its own character.  They are no more objects, and are as individual as is each of the human species.

When the Romanian orphans were discovered, our hearts rightly went out to them.  These were children who were being factory farmed.  In dirty, bare cribs, they cried with no comfort, ached from not enough food, and were ill because of a dirty environment.  The lack of stimulation created aberrant behavior, and they rocked, head-banged, and were unable to fulfill their potentials.  Even when rescued, many would never reach the level that they would have had they been given what nature had intended from the start.

So it is with the animals that are farmed, or the ones that grow up in the wild, away from our eyes, and our thoughts.  Each of these creatures is an individual, sporting its own intelligence, behaviors, and emotions.  When given the opportunity, mothers tenderly care for their young, making sure that they are fed, nurtured, and protected.  Even alligators, long thought to simply lay their eggs, bury them, and leave, are now known to gently pick up the hatchlings in their mouths, transporting the infants safely to the water.  The babies remain with their mothers for extended periods of time as she protects them while they grow and mature.

Saving animals and children in distress is a wonderful thing that we humans do.  And we should rejoice when hearing of one more attempt, one more rescue.  But whether we find ourselves identifying with a codfish, an alligator, a cow, or a lapdog, we need to be cognizant that every animal, even those that do not become a part of our experience, has the ability to feel pain, fear, joy, and even love.  And because of that, we need to work towards the goal of making certain that when they come into contact with human beings, they will be treated with the respect that they, as individuals, deserve.