Every little thing in this world, whether inanimate or animated, has a purpose in life. Animals, just like humans also interact with the society playing vital roles even in the most civilized community.
In the perspective of Rigoberta Menchu, one of the natives of Guatemala, animals play an important role in keeping the relationship between man and nature. Every child that is born has his own nahual, an animal figure who represents his persona. When you hurt a man, eventually you hurt the animal, too. As a personal note, I believe the concept of nahual is reminds us that animals are like humans.Whether they represent a particular man or not, they should be treated fair and kind the way we, humans, would like to be treated.
Without them, survival in this world will be of greater challenge. Animals have different roles in the different type of society: whether urban, rural or domestic area. We get many benefits from them, first of all is being the main source of food. They serve as financial source for many businessmen and farm owners. Some animals are used for clothing and other products.
There are animals that starred in many movies and shows entertaining people.They help in the community, like in farms and there are those police dogs. They can be your bodyguards. They can be your pets.
There are different factors to be considered in choosing an animal as a pet. Animals are being accepted as a pet according to the owner’s interests, type of the animal, and the society’s perspective of the certain animal. There are those who want wild ones such as iguana, snake, tigers and many others. Many people are fond of animals that are easy to take care of such as dogs, cats, fishes and others.Despite the benefits we get from them, animals are also facing great danger form man’s abuse. In many states and countries, abandoned and lost animals are being brought to the animal shelters.
How sad because if no one claims them for a certain period of time, sometimes they are just being killed or they are being sold to whoever is interested to them and who knows what will happen next. Many wild animals are now near on extinction due to hunting. They are being hunt for food for the restaurants who serves exotic food. There is also that black market of skins of animals.
Imagine how many snakes or tigers are killed just for one bag or carpet? Though the governments of many countries have established laws against these practices, it is still not enough to eliminate these illegal actions totally. The officials of the countries and states should be stricter. They should focus on how to stop these people and make them pay for the troubles that they have caused. Back to Rigoberta’s views, animals like humans have different characteristics and temperament. The sheep and the birds are one of the most humble ones.
There are also those who are wild and killing has been their way of living. If I have a nahual, it would be an eagle, soaring high, valuing its freedom and representing strength and power. Just like me, I want to be free while standing out among the others with everything I do no matter how hard the wind might blow. Animals should never be taken for granted and also never to be treated badly. We get so much advantage from them.
Let us not abuse them. The world is not just centered in men, there are many other living things that compose the nature and therefore deserve to live and be valued.
