Before I start, allow me to state that this article veers off from my usual topics, but please keep reading, as this is not about me, or you, it’s about US! Let’s begin by taking a look at this statement: “YOU ANIMAL!”

Depending how you intonate the above statement while reading it, then it could mean one of two things: 1. A huge compliment you give to someone for doing something great. 2. An insult, because someone did something bad!

Now I mean the latter, but let me adjust the verbiage there. The insult is officially now: You Person! And no, it can’t be used in a complimentary manner. Because what I have been noticing recently in the region is that people and specifically humans (yes, I had to double fortify my statement) are the worst species to roam this earth.

If you go to Instagram and start typing #saving, you will be amazed by the amount of rescue missions posts for animals in the region and a huge quota of that is saving animals from abuse.

Now when I say abuse, I don’t mean neglect, but I actually mean physical abuse, where people actually spend resources like time and effort to induce physical pain on an innocent animal. Why? Because why not?

And before people start trying to steer my words towards one race of people, or one person, let me clarify that this statement applies to all of us. Through the simple monitoring of these rescues, I noticed that being “People” (remember? Because it’s an insult now) is independent of origin, race etc.… It’s just people being people.

In my own country of Lebanon, where gun laws are very loose (that’s another topic for another article) people shoot stray dogs just because they barked. Let me re-iterate: A rational adult person heard a noise produced by an animal that solemnly behaves out of instinct and he was annoyed by it, so he brought a weapon meant to be used …NEVER!… to solve an issue that he faced, by which taking the life of the creature.

In this region, some children who are supposed to be our hope for a better tomorrow spend an excessive amount of time on the streets tying up dogs and beating them up with sticks, because you can only play with your gaming console so much before it gets boring.

All the while, people here and there, who are entrusted with these children, encourage this behavior for various reasons. Be it a lack of interest in their children’s development or their own personal unrealistic reasons why dogs should be killed.

All that being said, it’s not their fault: it’s ours. Ours who George? Ours, as in us, as in the people who care so much about animals but never go beyond shaking their heads at the crime being committed daily against these genuinely pure souls. I totally understand that citizens cannot be changed overnight, but change is a product of a rational conversation.

And to bring it back to our beloved home Kuwait, officials are constantly trying to make the change happen, but it is our duty as residents of this beautiful country to assist them and make their job easier.

Nothing warms my heart more than seeing a message being circulated on WhatsApp by the ministry of interior giving people directions on how to deal with the extreme summer heat we are facing, and right at the bottom of the message, they asked people to leave bowls of water and food outside for birds and stray animals.

Bravo! From the bottom of my heart. But are we, as citizens, helping ease their job? No.

Here is a list of ideas that could better the lives of animals in Kuwait, while also giving local officials some help in their efforts to protect them:

1 – Donate your time to rescue, foster or shelter an animal that needs your help.

2 – Spark a conversation whenever you see an aggression, be calm and logical and don’t act emotionally.

3 – Donate money, no matter how little, believe me that helps. If each person who cares spares 1 KD a month, this could feed an animal for 10 days or give rescuers an opportunity to pay medical bills when all these donations are combined. And that is a lot, believe me.

I wish people can act to make a change happen, because I have a dog: she barks, she is annoying most of the time, and she soils almost everywhere, but she loves me unconditionally and I can never repay her for that love. She was one of the “People” (I guess we can use it as a compliment, in her case) who restored my faith in myself. I wish everyone can experience this kind of love.

George Tarabay is a marketing expert/Filmmaker/ comedian/Podcaster. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, SoundCloud @GeorgeTarabay.

Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash.