My favorite television host is Bill Maher. He hosts Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO and is a member of PETA and an outspoken critic of the cruel treatment of animals. Bob Barker of Price is Right fame is also a well known critic of animal cruelty. Well, now I am adding myself, Bryan Galt to this list.
Today it was reported that in a presentation to other doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, a nationally accredited medical facility, an unnamed neurosurgeon induced a brain aneurysm in a dog to demonstrate some type of medical equipment that he was peddling. Once he finished his demonstration, he killed the poor animal.
The hospital uses animals for medical research but this demonstration was unauthorized, a hospital statement said. The clinic has reported the incident to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which regulates animal testing.
"As an academic medical center, Cleveland Clinic does not allow procedures with animals for the sole purpose of sales training," the statement said
The surgeon, who was not immediately identified, was presenting a device used to treat aneurysms Wednesday to a group of people who sell it, the statement read.
It was not clear Thursday whether the aneurysm was induced in the dog solely for the sales demonstration. An aneurysm is when arteries or blood vessels bulge and eventually burst, which can cause severe damage or death.
What is clear is the wanton disrespect for the life of living being simply because this doctor considers himself to be superior to that being. Of course, this is not a news flash to the hundreds of millions of people in this world that abuse, neglect or torture animals as a part of their daily routine. After all, didn't GOD give Mankind dominion over the animals of the Earth?
Well, I can't imagine any GOD I would have love or respect for condoning the actions of this doctor or the actions of any person who would treat life, any life, with such disrespect just so that they can make an extra bonus this sales quarter. If GOD isn't truly disappointed in our attitude in this matter and in our appalling stewardship of this planet, which includes the horrific treatment of virtually every species on Earth through reckless killing and destruction of their habitats, then I would be shocked.
How can we even begin to proclaim our intelligence when we can't even manage our own affairs and care for species that we consider to be lesser than ourselves? I wonder what kind of outcry would have occurred if this same procedure took place with the use of an aborted fetus or with a comotose patient who was guaranteed to never recover. I'd bet the farm that the Republicans would be storming around the Starbucks the next day denouncing this appalling use of human beings for the profit of the doctor.
I want to share some important and even life-critical information with all of you, and I can guarantee that some of you out there will not believe what I am about to say: Humans are animals too. I know that this flies in the face of every myth you may hold dear, but the facts are undeniable, unless of course you live in Washington DC or Kansas. In these two regions, Denial is the policy of the body politic. As animals who inhabit this tiny speck of sanctuary in a galaxy so large and a Universe so incomprehensible, its in our best interests for the survival of our species to stop pretending we are Angels on holiday from Heaven and get a reality check. What we do to all animals on this planet, including the human ones, reflects more on our true characters than any written masterpieces of literature, any symphony or any artworks we can ever create. Our sheer indifference when we destroy life without a second thought takes away something from all of us, man and beast.
Prior to Man, I have never even heard a theory of another species that has created such a natural imbalance in their ecosystems that it was literally choking the planet and every organism on it to death. Well, if this is the pinnacle of Nature's development on this trip down evolutions path, Mother will have to head back to the drawing board. We still have a long way to go before we can call ourselves civilized, intelligent beings worthy of respect from alien races, GOD or our humble and forgiving best friends, the dogs.
As for the doctor, I think that some jail time would be in order for his unauthorized actions against a defenseless animal. In California, his actions would be a felony with three years in prison coming his way. That shouldn't be overlooked simply because this person made it through med school!
[picture top: Boo age 3; bottom: Baby, age 3]
Comments