Unfortunately, there is no delicate, positive, or politically correct way to address the damage that sociopaths do. Being politically correct usually means catering to those who choose to be offended by facts and want to remain disillusioned. It is always more comfortable to pretend that certain problems don't exist. When you turn your back on those who need you to be their voice, you are almost ensuring their demise. Animals (and other people) are suffering and dying as I type this. The statistics are staggering, but they are preventable. If even a fraction of people would simply do something to show that they care, even part of the time, we could save countless lives and end a great deal of suffering. I have found myself crying, losing my appetite, throwing up, or barely being able to function because of the heartbreaking stories. These victims all have a face. Sometimes those faces are so pitiful that they are impossible to forget. They just shake your whole foundation to the core. If I were in a position to make laws, I would want anyone that abuses animals, children, or the elderly, stuffed into cages and pushed out to sea. Just because someone is involved in animal welfare does not make them better emotionally equipped to process all of these sad stories. If anything, it is quite the opposite. I searched my soul for a way to put this information out there in a way that would reach everyone. They say to try to inject some sort of humor or positivity into every subject. In this, case that is just not possible. There is nothing funny about death or knowing that you are going to die, esp. at the hands of someone else. It is not in my nature to dance around any subject; certainly not one that I feel so passionately about. To cater to what others think or believe is not honoring myself and wouldn't accomplish anything for animals. If you find yourself feeling offended by the reality of what goes on, then stop condoning it.
Being offended by something is so insignificant compared to the actual suffering that goes on. Learning the harsh truth is far less painful than being at the other end of a chain or a hook, let me tell you. If you want to place blame, start with those who are responsible for creating these awful stories and statistics. They are called sociopaths. Then look at yourself and ask what you are doing to make the world a better place and protect those cannot who protect themselves?
Sociopaths are the biggest enemy in the world of animal welfare. They are actually the biggest enemy in our world, period. After years of researching this type of personality, it is hard to even refer to them as an actual person. They are lacking the sensitivity chip and the conscience that makes the rest of us normal. These are the people who kill animals (and often times other humans) for the sheer fun of killing...Because they can. There is no cure for being a sociopath. Locking them up is the only way to prevent them from hurting or killing someone. These slithering demons live among us. They drive the same roads that we do, probably work somewhere, they might have a family (scary) and likely vote (even scarier) while pretending to be perfectly normal. Sometimes blending in can be a struggle for them. Others can also be quite charismatic. At times they can even pretend to care, when it furthers their agenda or suits their needs. To create and prolong suffering is fulfilling to a sociopath. They take a life as easily as you or I would change the channel. As research and data have proven, people who hurt or kill animals are fully capable of doing the same to people. To date, all serial killers started with animals. That said, hurting these animals is no less of a crime than if they hurt a person. Suffering is still suffering. Murder is still murder. In a perfect world, sociopaths would not exist. They would be dropped off via helicopter among a family of hungry polar bears. If only we could pass a law to sterilize each and every one of them, it would help break this vicious cycle. As someone who believes in "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" I believe that sociopaths who inflict pain and suffering on others (regardless of species) deserve to suffer the same fate. Only then will they be able to fully grasp the magnitude of the actions or the severity of the terror that they inflict. The only time a sociopath is concerned about suffering is when it happens to them. They often try to portray themselves as a victim to take the spotlight off of what they really are.
This topic cannot just be limited to those who hurt or kill domestic pets. Those who slaughter animals in factory farms every day fall into this same category as do those who run puppy mills, fur farms, or research laboratories. It makes no sense to only extend compassion towards a cat or a dog, yet overlook the calves ripped from their mothers, the chickens, pigs, cows, sheep, horses and goats that are slaughtered, hung up, skinned and/or de-feathered while fully conscious. We cannot forget the monkeys, rabbits, dogs, cats, mice and other species that are forced to live a lifetime in small cages with no sunshine or fresh air, while intentionally infected with various diseases, implanted with electrodes in their skulls or other places on their bodies. Imagine being dissected and screaming your head off, while someone in a lab coat stands there and takes notes. Sounds like a horror film, doesn't it? If not rescued, these animals end up thrown in the trash like a used napkin, dead or alive. The never-ending torture they endure at the hands of sociopaths is something most of us could not fathom. Then you have those who operate fur farms that skin dogs, cats, raccoons, mink, foxes, chinchillas and any other species they can catch. They literally just grab these animals, cut them from end to end, and throw their skin and fur into a pile. The skinned animal goes into a separate pile where it usually takes them up to 20 minutes to die from shock. All of this happens while their cage mates look on in horror. Do you think your "faux fur" is not real animal fur? Unless it says synthetic (as in man-made) fur, it is made of an animal. Likely a cat, dog, or raccoon. Some might say these people "have to make a living"...There are numerous, respectable careers that one can embark on that do not entail the suffering, torture and murder of sentient beings. The kind of mind that it takes to do these kinds of jobs is not the kind of mentality that I want in my presence. These people are so desensitized by the grief, horror and pain that they cause, it becomes routine to them. While brushing our teeth is routine to your or I, slicing a cow's throat and watching them bleed to death is routine to them. This means they are overlooking the blood, cries, screams, looks of terror and other signs that would make a normal person STOP. All ethical, honest, and morally sound jobs should be respected. I just can't find a way to respect people who run baby chicks through a grinder at an egg processing plant...Or beat and stab any farm animal that tries to run for its life. These people are seriously f*d in the head. As human beings, we should always strive to do the right thing. It doesn't matter what the people around you do or think. At some point, you have to know how to separate right from wrong and act accordingly. Unless you are in a position where your life is in danger, there is no justifiable reason to kill an animal. If the tables were turned, they would never harm us the way the human race harms them. What does that say about our species? It says that too many sociopaths exist among us. To create unimaginable suffering is their contribution to our society. How noble.
There should be a National database to document and track those who are identified as abusers or murderers. If someone's behavior indicates that they might be at risk for hurting others, they should be closely monitored. Even the FBI is now tracking these sorts of crimes in an effort to track the behavior of these violent offenders, esp. when they are children and young people. Many employers are taking this issue so seriously, that they are training their HR staff to watch for potential signs of a psychopath. Sometimes these signs can be spotted on a resume. When you have a sociopath, you usually have a narcissist as well. It pretty much goes hand in hand. The signs of this are fairly easy to pick up on. It would behoove us all to read up on this topic and arm ourselves with as much information as possible. Before you date someone, hire them or befriend them, you need to know who/what you are dealing with. In today's world, not knowing or not making the effort to know has proven to be dangerous. Wake up. The same goes for voting...Don't vote for a sociopath because that didn't turn out so well, did it? Someone who has set fire to a dog is not exactly relationship or employee material. Just like someone who ate their dog as a child shouldn't be running our country...And yet here we are in the worst shape we have ever been in. It all ties-in. (I wrote this blog in 2015).
"Ride The Lightening" Animal Abusers and Animal Killers.
You get reserved seating.
Trusting a known sociopath with so much as the care of a plant is a risk. It doesn't matter if they were 5 years old or not when they did harm to an animal. At that age, we know what pain and fear are. What makes us normal is our ability to acknowledge how our actions (or lack thereof) affect others. This is something that has no impact whatsoever on a sociopath. They are essentially dead behind the eyes. You cannot reason with them. You cannot get them to "feel" compassion. They will order a pizza at a funeral. The tears they can manufacture are as authentic as a designer handbag from a flea market. And even when they do pretend as if they are sorry (usually for getting caught) they don't have the ability to actually be sorry. Animals are defenseless. A sociopath being in charge of their care is like putting a known sex offender in charge of a daycare. Known sociopaths should be banned from ever having a companion animal in the home...Because the first time they opt to lash out, it will be directed at those who cannot fight back. Being a sociopath also entails being a coward.
A dog can be emaciated and near death with no access to food or water, perhaps covered in snow and ice... An animal investigator will show up and try to evaluate the situation. A sociopath will tell them they didn't know the dog was hungry or cold. They will blame it on someone else that should have fed the dog. They will say they were abused as a child, that it rained that morning, that they lost their job, or that the dog could have left and gone elsewhere if they were hungry or cold enough. Really? Chained to a tree in the rain and it is the fault of the animal for not somehow gathering the strength to break free and run for help. There is no end to what an irresponsible, indifferent person can come up with. It is all bovine excrement. If someone hurts, kills, neglects or abandons an animal, there is NO excuse. Those are NOT the behaviors of a normal and decent human being. Just because you ignore the suffering that you cause or that you subsidize, does not make it not so. People involved in animal welfare or animal rescue typically go around feeling deeply disappointed and resentful of most of the human population. The same goes for people who work in a veterinary office. For all the lovely, wonderful people they see who care for their companion animals, they experience a never-ending supply of mouth-breathers who couldn't care less. The daily news for most folks consists of current events, stock market updates, traffic, weather, etc...For someone involved in helping animals, it is nothing but the most horrific stories of animal torture and abuse....Over and over and over. Every single day. Just when you think it cannot possibly get any worse or that a person cannot possibly be more twisted, they never seem to run out of sick ideas. More injured, abandoned, severely neglected, mutilated or dead animals. Stop and think for a moment about all the stories that no one knows about, that are never reported on or brought to light. Think about how many countless animals are suffering in unimaginable ways because no one cared enough to put it out there. Our society is lacking in kind-hearted people who always strive to do the right thing. We need more of these people. Therefore, it falls on the few that do care. Those folks stay overwhelmed to the point of physical, mental and financial exhaustion...All because of the sociopaths who exist in our society. They make everyone's life a living Hell, esp. animals.
If you see an animal that is suffering on the side of the road or in a neighbor's backyard, are you man or woman enough to say something? Will your moral compass steer you to at least pick up the phone and report it? Or would you go out of your way to grab them up and take them to the vet yourself? Would you even try? It doesn't matter how busy or important you think you are...As human beings we are all supposed to do the right thing. When an animal is being neglected, tortured, abused or dumped, or abandoned, those are all prosecutable crimes. We live in a world where we have people putting live, unwanted pets in garbage cans and dumpsters for God's sake! Thankfully, we have more Judges making examples out of these sociopaths and punishing them for their heinous acts. If every Judge would make an example out of every animal abuse or murder case that appeared in front of them, it would make a tremendous impact. Some people are just so far gone and nuts that the thought of a prison sentence will not deter them from causing harm. However, there are some that might pause and consider the consequences of their actions. It won't change the fact that they are already bat-shit crazy. But it could potentially save some lives. That said, if you are old enough to pay taxes, order a beer, drive a vehicle, look out the window or dial a phone, you are old enough to report animal abuse or cruelty. I know someone who is an adult now, but reported the neighbor killing his dog when she was only 7. If a second grader can report animal abuse, certainly an adult can do the same. If someone were beating the crap out of you or had you chained to a tree, wouldn't you want some help? If you were going without food, water or shelter for weeks on end, wouldn't you be desperate to not only survive, but to have someone step up? We all feel hunger, grief, despair, depression, fear and terror the same, regardless of our species. Just because animals cannot express their feelings in the way that we can, doesn't means those feelings do not exist. Their feelings do exist. To a sociopath, the feelings of anyone else are simply irrelevant. I get tired of people calling sociopaths things like disturbed or mentally unstable (you think?) or making excuses for them as if they are somehow unaware of their own actions. It makes the most sense to simply call them what they are. There is abuse, neglect and murder that goes on within all races, regions and social circles. But it is important to note that where poverty and lack of education exist are where these kinds of occurrences are more prevalent. In areas that are full of low caliber people is where you will find more cases neglect, cruelty, abandonment, pretty much zero spaying/neutering going on and just an all around vibe of ignorance. You do not have to be rich to be a responsible and loving pet owner. There are resources that will give away both services and food for those who need that kind of help for their pets. It is available in almost every major city. The problem is, many of these people simply don't care about their animals or any animals enough to take advantage of these resources. So not only are they cruel, but lazy as well. - A combination that we all (esp. the animals) pay dearly for.
A sociopath is as dangerous as a life threatening illness and just as damaging as an environmental toxin. They are a walking, talking, ticking time bomb. If you know of one that is doing harm to either a person or an animal, make it known. Report it to the proper authorities or organization. If the authorities fail to act appropriately or in a timely manner, make your local news aware of the situation. Sometimes this is the only way to make people do their job. Put it on social media. Record it. Document everything. Take action and do something. When a life is hanging on by a thread, the most important thing is to act immediately and see to it that your report is followed up on. Too many animals have died because people did not take action quickly enough.
In talking to human victims of these types on a daily basis, the #1 question is "Why did they do this to me?" (Sadly, abused animals are wondering the same thing). It doesn't matter why! No answer can justify the damage that these people inflict. They do what they do because they get some kind of sick joy from it, because they get away with it and because it gives them power over someone else. Whether they beat a cat to death with a brick or throw their own child down the stairs...It happened because somewhere along the way, no one took action. There are always signs. Usually parents are the first to see these signs and they opt to ignore them. Spouses look the other way. Just because someone brings you roses, it doesn't justify them beating the family dog. Real men don't hurt animals. Neither do real women. Normal, sane, loving people do not condone or participate in the suffering of others. Period. When someone is destined to become a serial killer, it is usually established within their brain by age 3. (Yes, 3). I read a book years ago about the various signs that parents saw and regretfully, did not act on. For instance, one woman said that when her 5-year-old son began biting the heads off of birds she knew something was probably wrong. Really, lady? What was your first clue? This man went on to be a serial killer with vampire-like tendencies. One of a million instances where taking action (instead of being in denial) could have potentially saved lives.
Sadly, we cannot label these heartless, spineless freaks with a bar code on their foreheads. What we can do is be aware of them and their actions. If you want to protect yourself, do not enter into a relationship with a sociopath. If you love animals, be the voice for animals who fall victim to sociopaths. The animals cannot speak, but you can. This is not a fun or easy subject. But it is reality. We have people who spray paint animals, dunk their heads in bleach, pour acid on them, use them for bait, force them to fight and them toss them into a dumpster, stab them, hang them, cook them, starve them intentionally, breed them until they are on the verge of death, force them to live out in the elements or in extreme filth, burn them alive, cut off their legs and let them bleed to death, throw rocks at them, drown them for being pregnant (as if this is the fault of the animal) or dump them on the side of the road where they will be hit by a car or end up dead from starvation. If you knew that someone did any of these things, would you want to live near them? Would you want them sitting in the cubicle next to you? Would you go on a date with them? What kind of sick f* would do things like this? A sociopath, that's who. The more appropriate question is, what kind of sick f* would know about something like this and turn the other cheek?
A quick acknowledgement of all the sociopaths out there including neglectful and cruel pet owners, animal abusers, animal killers, animal hoarders, and animal breeders:
ANIMAL BREEDERS: GET A JOB
ANIMAL HOARDERS: GET HELP
ANIMAL ABUSERS: GET A PLANT
ANIMAL KILLERS: GET LOST...
SOMEWHERE OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA
Lastly, I will say that I believe in both God and Karma. I believe that God sees all and that people who hurt others will ultimately pay for what they did. With Karma, when you cause hurt and pain, you are pretty much ensuring that you will experience it yourself, in some way. Karma is kind of like a bank that you fill with your own good or bad deeds. What we do when no one is looking defines who we are. Saving a life when I will never get any credit or recognition for it is the kind of thing that I live for. I have never wanted attention for myself. I only want to get people to think about what they do and how their decisions affect others down the line. Based on experience, I know that sometimes the right message can inspire someone else to get involved in helping animals. That is the next best thing to saving a life! While I believe all of that, I know that there are not enough words, website space, or hours in a year to fully convey just how seriously sociopaths affect us all. Animals are more vulnerable than anyone to these cretins. At the end of the day, all the peace and love stuff that I believe in is not enough to overcome my own fear and disgust with this topic. Sometimes all the prayers, veterinary care, and years of working with an abused animal is not enough to overcome the damage that has been done to them. Their spirits are just plain broken. At the end of the day, I am only a human being. Sometimes the things I am forced to deal with on behalf of animals leave me broken as well. And while I want to pray for these vile people, the other part of me thinks they should be tossed into the ocean for shark food, tied to a tree in the middle of nowhere, or dragged through 10 miles of broken wine bottles and salt. Sociopaths who hurt and kill animals deserve nothing less. I hope they burn in Hell.
"Sociopaths will never answer to facts.
They are too busy blaming or attacking those who call them out."
~ Me
