LOVE FOR ANIMALS.........What did the Bible say about it?

LOVE FOR ANIMALS

Introduction

The bible says in Proverbs 12:10, that: "Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel"

That proverb is saying that the righteous will have regard for the life of animals, whether they are pets or livestock. God created all things including animals.  He created different animals for different purposes on earth.

Psalm 50:10-11 “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.”

God owns “every beast” there is, including your cattle or sheep or oxen or whatever else it is you own, including your pets. In fact, everything “that moves in the field is” God’s.  That why He said we should not muscle an Oxen when it is feeding. Obviously, God cares for his creatures (like oxen) and we should care for our pets and other animals.

God is happy with people who can take care of their animals, but that does not mean they are righteous.  Taking care of your animal  does not mean such people are saved or can be saved by having regard for the life of animals, our righteousness only comes from Jesus Christ - Acts 4:12

Human affection

Some of the problems we have with animals today arise from the human abuses and inordinate affection some people have to develop over animals.  God did not create a snake to live in the same house with a man, but today, many people have living snakes inside their house.  God did not create a Lion to live with man, today, some people have Lions living in their houses, caged.

Elephants are wild animals, but today some people have domesticated giant elephants and use them for transportation and circuits sports.  Dogs are natural security animals, they watch over people and places, but today many dogs are used for races and circuits sports.

Recently, a woman was killed by her reptiles, as the house was home to over 50 snakes.  Dogs also kill their owners, where those owners do not take adequate safety precautions.  The reason is simple, the pets are animals in the first instance.

Love for Animals

In the West, it's a pet-loving culture. Researchers spend a lot of time exploring what has become known as “human-animal interactions,” and the pet industry spends a lot of money promoting what it prefers to call the “human-animal bond.” But that concept might have been laughable a century ago when animals served a more utilitarian role in our lives.

About half of the households in Britain alone include some kind of pet; roughly 10m of those are dogs while cats make up another 10m. Pets cost time and money and nowadays bring little in the way of material benefits. But during the 2008 financial crisis, spending on pets remained almost unaffected, which suggests that for most owners pets are not a luxury but an integral and deeply loved part of the family.

Recently, we are beginning to see “designer” dogs, cats, micro-pigs and other pets dressed up in human clothes by their owners, which shows the level of emotional attachment the owners of these animals have developed for them.  What was considered a weird Western affectation of keeping animals and walking with animals has become almost like a culture.

For those who have pleasure in keeping animals, many tend to have the wrong attitude, which is already threatening lives.  Many have two to four dogs at home, some say the dogs are their children.  Lonely and frustrated women say they trust dogs.  Expressions like that cannot be supported by the bible, which is our guide in life and the Lamp to our feet.

In recent times, much attention has been devoted to the notion that keeping a dog (or possibly a cat) can benefit the owner’s health in multiple ways – reducing the risk of heart disease, combating loneliness, and alleviating depression and the symptoms of depression and dementia.  

These claims are false, as studies show that pets have no or even a slight negative impact on health. Second, pet owners don’t live any longer than those who have never entertained the idea of having an animal about the house, which they should if the claims were true.

Cat Cemetery, Japan

The love for animals and pet has risen so high, with different animal protection groups that there is a Cat Cemetery in Japan, where dead cats are buried.  Also, the urge to bring animals the home is widespread that, you may be tempted to think of it as a universal feature of human nature, but not all societies have a tradition of pet-keeping. Even in the West, there are plenty of people who feel no particular affinity for animals, whether pets or no.

The animals we regard as domesticated, which live with men like dog, cat and chickens, study show were domesticated from their wild species, but again I have not heard of wild dogs, chicken or cats.  There are bigger and wild cats, but I don't know of dogs.  However, there crossbreed of almost all kinds of animals today to give rich and powerful people strange pets at home, none of these behaviours was anticipated or found in the bible.

Why do people keep pets?

People say the demand for pets determines the supply.  The fact that we have Doctors specializing in taking care of animals and there are vaccines and antibiotics for animals means that animals are part of the human experience, however, there are people who cannot stand a cat, not to talk of dogs.  

In Africa, dogs are still being used for hunting and security services.  There are no known role played by cats, apart from keeping rats away from the house.  The question is what are the purposes of keeping a pet animal.

The most common reasons for keeping pets are:

1. company

2. socializing

3. they are beautiful, nice and interesting

4. status

Many people have pets to substitute relationships with partners, children or family members. Many elderly people for instance, like having a dog instead of being all alone at home. The animal serves people's need to cherish, love and fight boredom. 

The boredom story may look plausible, but some animals like dog need attention, but it was not intended for it to be so from the scriptures.  In Genesis 9:3, every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything, says the Lord God.

Some people use their dogs to fight their neighbours.  Last week, a woman was arrested and charged with murder last week after she allegedly released her pit bull on a man, police said.

Melissa D. Wolke, 38, was picked up early Friday morning near Mount Vernon, Kentucky, after cops received a call that she and the dog were assaulting a man, according to the arrest document. When the officers arrived, they found Wolke allegedly beating Donald W. Abner, 55, while the dog continued to maul the victim, police said.

Tragic cases

The strange affection towards animals, pets etc to the extent that a person prefers a dog to man is not biblical, it is demonic.  It is a culture that can open a person up to demonic spirits.  If a person is possessed by the spirit of a dog or cat, such a person cannot do anything without the pet, neither can he or she go anywhere without the animal also.

If the spirit of the dog or cat enters a person, it's a huge problem. The demon will cause the person to love the pet animal more than a man.  A particular woman fed the dog for years that the dog became bigger and weighed more than most people.  A time came when the dog could no longer stand up or run to defend her.  It is inordinate affection.  There is the case of a woman, who killed her neighbour because he shot and killed her dog.  

Conclusion

There are rising cases of dogs mauling people to death, especially older people and children.  There are also rising cases of a pit bull attacking and killing people.  Whatever is done in excess becomes sin.  Believers should understand that pets should never be loved and cherished above children, relatives and neighbours. 

The love for man should never be transferred to an animal when such is the case, there is a demonic influence working behind the scene.  Take care of your animal, feed her and treat her medically, that is what is expected of you, any other arrangement is not biblical.

FIRE...