I was helping out at the temple with a two ladies on Monday when an unfriendly-looking lady came to join our group and started talking. Just as when she joined us, one of the ladies asked me how many cats I have now, so I answered. The unfriendly one sensed I must be an animal-lover, so she shot a question at me.
Unfriendly Lady: Tell me, how do you get rid of cats?
I looked at her angry face and figured I wouldn’t waste my time talking to her, so I answered curtly, “use lemon.”
My friend, Jas, had told me years ago that cats do not like the scent of lemon and if you sprinkle lemon juice on your lawn, they probably will not come into your garden. Lemon is pretty harmless too. But then again, there is no guarantee. You can have lemon-resistant cats.
Then, the unfriendly one continued, in a very bitter tone, “This neighbour of mine – she has NINE cats, you know. How do I get rid of them?”
I didn’t want to answer her anymore, especially when the question wasn’t aimed at me now.
But one of the ladies chirped, most happily, “Tell you how to prevent cats from coming into your garden, keep a dog!”
Then I said, “Some dogs are good friends with cats. Mine are.” (I couldn’t resist it, I just had to say that.) [read: EVEN dogs can be more tolerant and friendly than you! But I doubt she would have caught my drift since she was obviously bent on hating.]
The animal-hating lady was getting very annoyed now, and said, “They shit everywhere!!”
To this, I said, “Do you expect them to use the public toilet?”
She stormed out of the room, and said, “I’m sorry, but I hate animals!”
I felt like saying, “You ought to be, you’re so full of hatred and intolerance towards other beings. I feel so sorry for you. What a pity…”
That ended our short and unpleasant conversation with the animal-hating lady.
As she stepped out of the door, I said to the two remaining ladies, “People come to the temple and TALK so much about having compassion and non-discriminatory loving-kindness. They sit on their butts and chant it for hours, but when it comes to practice, where is the compassion, the patience and the understanding? WHERE is the unconditional loving-kindness?”
“What a shame!”, I said.
Indeed, isn’t it a shame? Members of NATO – No Action, Talk Only.
And my bottom line is this, does she expect animals to use the public toilet?
They are animals and they do NOT live by our rules. But they have every right to live on this Earth and if we proclaim to be HUMANE, we ought to be more tolerant, understanding and give them a place on this Earth as they rightly deserve. This Earth does not solely belong to us. It is theirs too, and we have no right to impose our ways of living on the animals.
When we start hating animals just because they are different or incapable of doing what we do, we will start hating other groups of humans for being “different”, and this is precisely what is causing the world so much suffering – HATE and non-acceptance of “what is”.
Consider this, please: Do you think animals like being captured, put on a leash, crated, euthanised, drowned, strangled, starved to death? Do you think animals like being bred to be slaughtered as food?
So, some humans make a hue and cry when animals poo in their garden. Are animals supposed to keep quiet when humans breed them and slaughter them as food? Use them as slaves on the race course? Tranquilise them and use them as exhibits in a circus and make them do stupid stunts? Skin them alive to make handbags, furniture and shoes? Use them to test medicines and cosmetics? I can go on…but I think you get my point.
I urge humans to please use their intelligence and empathise, and stop being bullies just because they are bigger and stronger. Wait till the more intelligent aliens conquer the Earth, and these are human-eating aliens. Their scientists tell them eating humans is good and nutritious. Wait…then we shall see if cats poo-ing in the garden is such a big crime.
When I come home from work today, I will tell you a nice little story…..I got to go to work now.
Have a nice day, and please spare a thought for the stray animals.
Yes, EVEN those who poo in your garden.
They don’t know any better. You do.
Comments
4 responses to “Can animals be expected to use the public toilet?”
Bravo KY for this piece.
So what if an animal wee-wee or poo-poo in your garden.
Humans are the intelligent ones, and yet they wee-wee in lifts and other public places.
And yes, I have met people who are NATO.
There are some in my neighbourhood.
There is a house down my road, fully decorated with Buddhist flags and with images of Buddha painted on
the wall. One day, I took one of my dogs for their business-cum-walk and mind you, I bring along newspaper to pick up their poo-poo and if I can do something about their wee-wee, I definitely will. A lady from that particular house was outside by the curb of the road, pottering around. My dog went near some shrubs near her and sniffed around. The lady turned around and immediately yell, Hey, don't shit here. I just smiled and pull my dog away.
Same thing happened at a house one road behind mine. House was also decorated with Buddhist flags and all. My dog was just sniffing the ground by the road in front of her house and a lady yelled from inside the house! Suprising thing is that her immediate neighbour is a Malay and my dog went sniffing in front of her house and she was ok.
Sometime last month, I was invited by a couple to visit their temple in Puchong. I liked the temple a lot because its exactly how a temple should be. Very very simple temple with statues of Buddhas and not even a donation box. After the chanting and talk, we went to the mamak stall for a cuppa. Half way through our drinks, I heard cries of puppies and from where I sat, I scanned around to see if the sound is coming from any drains around. And then I saw 2 young ladies walking towards a shop which was closed and by a pillar, I saw a box. The 2 ladies walked towards the box and one of the ladies squated down by the box. I knew then that that's where the puppies are. I was hoping the 2 ladies would take the puppies. But they didnt. As we finished our drinks, I told the couple to wait for me while I go check out the puppies. There were 3 adorable puppies in the box, I guess they are about 2 months old. All black. I patted them and told them to wait for me. And I ran back to the couple waiting by their car and asked the husband if he mind if I brought the puppies home with me in his car. What he said shocked me that I was speechless for a moment. He said not to bother as these puppies are (in Cantonese) "tin sang, tin yeong" and that there are so many, how many can I help. He asked what I intended to do with the puppies and I told him I would try and get them adopted. He asked what if there are no adopters? And as we look at the shop, we realised that its a vet clinic and he said all the more reason why I should not rescue the puppies cos someone is bound to come along and take them. In the end, he said its up to me but I sensed reluctance in his voice. I had no choice but to leave with them without the puppies. My heart ached for the puppies and I felt so guilty not going back for them. I keep telling myself if only I had driven myself to the temple but I dont know the location. And this is the very man who has been telling me that must take refuge and chant for the good of all. Up to now, I am still so confused. I thought Buddhism and in fact all religion, teaches us to be compassionate to all, including animals.
But never mind, whatever others say, I will still continue to do what I can for the animals. Like the story about the little boy throwing starfish back into the sea, if I can help one animal, its one life saved.
Yes, KY bravo to you for telling the unfriendly lady off.
Oh yes, I dont know about the specific teachings of other religions and can't speak for them, but in Buddhism, it certainly teaches unconditional loving-kindness to ALL beings. Like I say, quoting the teachings and chanting about it is one thing. Putting it into practice WHEN IT COUNTS is another. Many people are members of "NATO", giving only lip service. We hope to see a change, please. Being human includes meaning what you say and saying what you mean. Don't just talk, just do it! Nike got it right!
there is a lady in my office who has dogs (mongrels, n i know she treats them well) but she hates cats… ok i know there are 'dog-people' n 'cat-people', so this person likes dogs but not cats, fine right?… then one day she was complaining abt stray cats in her yard, n said she will kill them… i gave her a concerned and disapproving look and asked 'why do you want to do that?'… she gave an evil laugh and kept on suggesting ways to kill the cats… i'm sure she must think it is very funny and wanted to irk me more, coz she went on n on while laughing away…
u r right, these people are such BULLIES! for a big person to even think to want to harm a smaller innocent animal…
this person has a religion but she could talk about killing an animal… i told her 'ur god will punish u'…
i hv received no religious teaching, but i believe in kindness…
Yes, LAN. I agree. Religions are man-made simply because man needs it to discipline and guide him to be good. But what good is claiming to have a religion and not putting its teachings into practice? The Dalai Lama says it so aptly, "I have no need for complicated philosophies. My brain, my heart is my temple, my religion is kindness."
If we all look deeply into our hearts, kindness is there. But in many people, it has just been clouded by social conditioning. Go back to the basics, and very core of your heart – there is only love and kindness.
Animals have no religion. They understand kindness and they respond accordingly.