A-M u s i n g s – Man’s Best Friend

[dropcap]E[/dropcap]very now and then, as I drive along, I notice some, what shall I call him, vagrant perhaps, down and out, less fortunate individual walking along with a dog trotting by his side, and I am reminded how faithful and loving these animals can be, seldom demanding, simply grateful for any care and attention they receive. Sometimes, I am convinced that we humans do not deserve the love of a dog.

Up in Gros Islet, the Saint Lucia Animal Protection Society (SLAPS) toils tirelessly day and night to take care of the truly defenceless, homeless members of our society. In their compound they have around 100 stray dogs that they feed, exercise, tend and treat as well as they can without any real, regular, reliable funding, as far as I know. They even send a steady stream of dogs to foreign countries, mainly Canada, where they always find a loving home and, unlike some people, they do not need a visa.

You know, if every person in Saint Lucia donated one East Caribbean dollar each month to SLAPS, assuming there to be 200,000 people on the island, the good people at SLAPS would have $2,400,000 to spend on animal welfare and keep the streets clear of stray dogs and cats, etc.

Hold on a sec! I am not suggesting that animals are more important than people, people in distress, stray children, etc., in fact I think we should donate a dollar or two or even more, to them too every month to a special fund that, with minimal bureaucracy, could tend to their needs rather than begging the government, which is hopelessly incapable of tending for the needy in the country, for action.

Anyway, back to Humankind’s Best Friend. Having said that, here’s a piece I got off the Internet, slightly edited, but all the same . . .

The phrase ‘Man’s Best Friend’ may have originated in a court of law. Back in 1869 a man’s dog (named Old Drum) was shot to death by a neighbour. Animals had even fewer rights, perhaps none, back in those days but the man wanted justice and so he hired three lawyers to sue the man that shot his dog. One of these lawyers, named George Graham Vest, is given credit for originally coining the phrase ‘Man’s Best Friend’ during his final summation to the jury. By the time he was finished with his speech, the jury took only two minutes to reach a verdict. The jury awarded the victim money damages. The jury also wanted the man to be sent to prison but there were no laws governing this type of incident back then so the judge was not able to honour the jury’s request for prison time. This is a record of the final summation given by the lawyer:

“Gentlemen of the Jury: The best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honour when success is with us, may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure
settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog. A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer. He will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert he remains. When riches take wings, and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth, an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by the graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even in death.”

Come on, Saint Lucia, get your paws out of your pockets and support SLAPS!

SLAPS is recruiting paid helpers. See the ad in the Classified section on page 23.