Posted by gabbix2 on March 5, 2003, at 22:20:08
In reply to i feel i should confess, posted by justyourlaugh on March 5, 2003, at 22:02:30
Oh I know how you feel, my heart used to break when I saw how kids used to handle little animals, and I was just a kid myself, and couldn't do anything but try and get them to stop usually getting laughed at.
Lets be realistic though
It somehow feels so much more cruel when a human does it to a small animal. Of course as humans who know better, (you're son didn't, I bet he does now though!) we're able to make different choices.
I could never just watch someone abuse an animal and not do everything I could to stop it, it sickens me, in some ways even more than human suffering.
But please JYL no more guilt. Gut feelings and anguish aside; realistically that little guy didn't suffer any more at your son's hands than he would have in any natural setting. Nature is not particularly kind to its creatures.I know if a cat had gotten at your hamster it wouldn't have thought anything about torturing it before he killed it... when I think about it that way it makes me feel a bit better, though obviously thats not a nice thought either, but its reality.
I hope that helps a bit.
poster:gabbix2
thread:206095
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030301/msgs/206305.html