Animals in Disaster

Cameras scan the world and show humans and animals dead in China, side by side, after the earth stopped shaking. One photo shows that the frogs got away. They probably used their inscrutable early warning system.

I think about all the special things about humans, including our imagination, our belief in something bigger than ourselves, our ability to do theoretical mathematics, and wonder about other creature’s miraculous qualities, including attunement with the earth.

As I think about a disaster, I ask myself questions I have often been asked, because of my notoriety in the Animal Law field, and my particular role in post Hurricane Katrina animal disaster relief efforts.  Could I leave the child and take the dog? No. Could I take the child who holds the dog? Yes. Could I do it even if there is limited room in the boat? Yes. Would I take a stranded raven with a broke wing? Yes.

I give these somewhat inconsistent answers because I, like other humans, often champion my own kind, and at other times, I see all life as interconnected. Also, it seems possible that placing a limitation on what help may come is an interpretation, not a reality.