"Dumb Animals"

"Never be cruel to dumb animals". This is something I heard repeatedly when I was growing up in Jamaica. I don't think those who were saying it gave much thought to their words. If animals are dumb because they can't speak then it means all animals are dumb - which means they could have omitted "dumb" from the equation. However, "dumb" connotes stupidity. And while I don't think any animal is stupid, some people come very close. Two recent incidents in the United Kingdom come quickly to mind.

In the first, a middle-aged woman walks up to a cat - which does not belong to her - strokes the animal for a few seconds, looks around to see if anyone is watching, then picks it up and drops it into a bin. She then closes the lid and walks away like it's a sunny, Sunday afternoon . Unbelievable! Forgive me for laughing out loud.

In the other incident, a man - obviously not concerned with the saying that "a dog is a man's best friend" - drives to a remote area and disposes of his canine companion and drives away. What was he thinking?

The good news is that both animals have been rescued. The cat was freed from it's 15-hour "stretch" in the "can" and the dog was rescued by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).

It has not been smooth sailing for the perpetrators though. Both acts were captured on CCTV leading to 45-year-old bank worker, Mary Bale being charged. The man, if caught, faces a six-month sentence. Both persons have incurred the wrath of animal lovers and animal rights activists, prompting police protection for Bale.

The 'Catwoman' - as she is now infamously called - has since said she did not deserve to be hated for her moment of madness. In her own way, I believe she is saying, never be cruel to dumb animals.