how do you deal with horrible things you read about pet cruelty...

[carole]

I ask this question as this happened to me by accident yesterday, i was on a NZ cat shelter website here in Auckland city, when i clicked on the In Memoriam section, i was not prepared for what i read, i cannot even tell you as it is so bad, and i feel sick just thinking about it now, i cried and cried after reading it, and it is haunting me, later that evening it came back to me and i cried again, i just don't know how to deal with things like that, i try not to read things or watch programmes as i know how upset i become.

How do you deal with these type of things, i need some advice, as even now just writing about it is making me feel sick to the stomach,i so wish i had not gone to the website, it does not have any benefit me reading it,it only makes me so angry inside, so upset and so depressed, i HATE this world sometimes and the people in it,do you feel as I do, and how to you get over it. It will haunt me for weeks and weeks to come.

[happylabs]

Actually, I avoid them. If I see something on here that looks bad I just don't read it. If it is on the news I sometimes will turn the channel. However, that will not help you because you have already read something horrible. Try to put it out of your mind. Try to think of something else. Go and hug and love up your own pets. I am sorry because I know how you feel. I just cannot cope with it either.

[Grace]

There are times, many of them, when I refuse to click on a topic or link if there is the slightest inkling of something horrible on the other side.

Perhaps that is cowardly, cold hearted. I'm old enough to know I cannot fix every wrong. And I refuse to spend the rest of my life agonizing over situations where I have no control.


I just realized I did not answer your question. I have no easy way, Carole. Time will ease the pain. Go and love on your pets - read a favorite book - treat yourself.

[lvpets2002]

Well I am a bigg Supporter of ASPCA.. So that comforts me some.. When I read the stories or hear of them on TV = it just makes me so sick.. I will start Hugging & Talking to my babies a whole bunch.. Then I vow that if I catch anyone doing something mean to a baby = that I will break their leggs & then call the police..

[chocolatepuppy]

carole, sometimes I read or view pictures of animal cruelty and it haunts me also. Some can handle it better than others. Some people ask me how I can do it? I tell them, someone has to. Someone has to know what's happening to animals in this world and pass the word along and hopefully open many more eyes and ears to it. I know who I can mention things to and who I cannot. I wouldn't want to upset anyone who couldn't handle it.
For those who can't deal with it, I say avoid it at all costs. As for getting it out of your mind, that's hard but in time it will fade to where, at least, you aren't thinking of it all the time.

[pomtzu]

I wish I had an answer for this, but unfortunately, I'm the same way. There are threads on PT right now that I absolutely refuse to read, for this very reason.
I can't watch any of the t.v. shows that deal with this either. Years ago here in the states, there was a show on one of the cable stations called Emergency Vets. I made the mistake of watching it once, and was appalled by the case they were featuring. It was so horrible, and even years later, memory of what happened to that poor dog, still haunts me. I've never forgotten it. I can't deal with any of the Animal Precinct shows either. I get emotional if I see a dog or cat along the road that has been killed by a car too. I could never work at a shelter or for a vet either. I just don't have what it takes.
I wish I wasn't so sensitive to all of this, but I know of no way to get over it. It's out there, and all I can do, is do my best to avoid situations that upset me, whenever possible.
I will never understand man's inhumanity to any living creature.

[moosmom]

I see so much animal abuse that when I see something posted here, I try to avoid it. Oh, it's out there and I know it. But sometimes I have to step back and say "nope, not today."

[lizbud]

But sometimes I have to step back and say "nope, not today."

Me too. I also stop and say a little silent prayer if I should remember
a mistreated animal that I'd read or heard about.

[carole]

Thanks, i too avoid anything on PT, because i cannot handle it, i know all these terrible things go on in our world, but reading it is not going to help is it? especially when i know i cannot deal with it, as someone said, some can handle it better than other's, i remember reading recently where one of our SPCA officers had a nervous breakdown, because of his job, and what he had seen, i sure can understand that.

Oh believe me the first thing i did was hug every one of my cats and bawl my eyes out,i still feel sick, and i guess starting this thread kind of keeps it in my mind, i know in time i will forget, but it will only be temporarily, as i will never forget what i read,and never forget that poor kitty, it was just so un-expected, as i was just not prepared for it.

I still cannot believe it happened, you know it is real and that is what makes it so hard, to a believe someone could do something so evil, and i mean pure evil, i have to say i wish those people dead,i don't know if i should feel that way, but i do,they don't deserve to live in our world.

Thanks everyone, i know i am not alone in how i feel here, and it helps to know others share my feelings and can understand how hard it is to forget.

[snowbelle15]

I am the same way. I try advoiding it. But if I do hear or see something about animal abuse, I go right to Snowbelle and give her lots of love and be thankful that she ended up in the right hands and is treated with care, instead of being with someone cruel.

[Medusa]

Carole, I think that the best way to handle it is to keep saying to yourself that now the animal is at peace. Our minds keep returning to the unspeakable act itself and to the suffering of the animal. We can't help it sometimes. It's like poking your tongue in the spot where a tooth used to be after you just had it pulled. It's sensitive and we keep going back to it, hurting ourselves. So I say "St. Francis of Assisi, please take care of this animal." And I keep reminding myself that the animal is at peace. Hope this helps.

[Karen]

I know bad things, and bad people, are out there. I do everything I can in my daily interactions with other people to foster kindness to animals. I also advise just clicking through past cats of the day, for example, and realize how many cats have been rescued, loved and treasured for long, happy lives. Surely they outnumber the bad stories out there.

Sending you hugs, Carole. And realize that you have raised two children who will be animal lovers and will spread that knowledge to all their friends and any future generations.

To give you a smile - when my eldest niece first started dating the young man to whom she is now engaged, she told him that her priorities were: Family, Friends, then him, then other people. When he asked if he was at least ahead of Nilla (the family dog) in priority, she said "Are you kidding? Nilla is Family!"

And still, the young man in question stuck around long enough to move up the list. And now knows that non-humans in our clan are just as much family as the humans.

[Marigold2]

I try and take action whenever possible. There is a famous quote and I know I don't have it correct but it goes something like this.


"All evil needs to florish is for good men to do nothing"

I try to not sit down and let evil run me over. If I don't speak for the animals who will?? If I leave it up to the next person they will leave it up to the next and the next and then NO one will do anything and my soul will not allow that.

Out of my anger I will do good. Because of their pain and suffering I will take action. I can not sleep at night knowing I did nothing.
It is never enough and that can be very sad and depressing for sure, BUT I will not let that stop me, I can't save them all but I can save some.
Sometimes it means just leaving out bird food or water. Seems like a small thing but to a thirsty bird it's a life saver.

[Barbara]

Since I was a child, these pictures have haunted me and I know how difficult it is to get rid of them. I try as much as I can tro push them in the background of my mind- and yes it works and they get paler as time passes.
BTW this is not only true for animals, but for humans as well. War and torture....
I am in awe of everyone who can face it and help- but help could work for me only by donating money. I cannot look into it

[blue]

I looked it up...

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Or

All thats necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for good men to do nothing.

I remeber cause its in the openning of "Boondock Saints".

I read stories of animal cruelty and it makes me angry at the inhumanity some humans are capable of. Anger is the only reaction I have to the stories.

For myself and myself alone, I feel if I try to avoid the stories I am avoiding the problem.