Animals in the City

I’ve been in New York City and Los Angeles recently, seeing humans and other animals hanging out in parks and at street side cafés, jumping into cabs or entering houses or apartment buildings and living together in these largely concrete urban environments. The animals connect and commiserate with each other, which often inspires humans to do the same. The animals, mainly dogs, are clearly people’s friends and companions, and for the most part, both human and nonhuman animals appear to have adapted to living on unnatural paved ground amid concrete, metal, and glass skyscrapers.

Companion animals living in the city enrich our lives. They are loved and cherished even though they don’t get a chance to run freely in the countryside. Of course, farm animals live in rural areas, but they are confined in factory farms unable to run freely or exercise, or even to enjoy fresh air. Nor do most farm animals experience human kindness. They are abused and denigrated out of public view, and their flesh is consumed mindlessly out of habit, often by the same people who love their cats and dogs.

Seeing companion animals with their human wards at quaint street side cafés in cities engenders a feeling of peace and interconnectedness between human and nonhuman animals. Both appear comfortable and contented. But, unfortunately, the respect and camaraderie these particular animals enjoy is denied to billions of others whose suffering is ignored. I’m reminded of Farm Sanctuary’s first bumper sticker, which read “If you love animals called pets, why do you eat animals called dinner?”

Comments

[Tracy Loughlin]

Hi Gene,
I'm a New Yorkers who has my own little urban "sanctuary" with two dogs, two cats, three ringneck doves, and the occasional foster houseguest from The Wild Bird Fund, currently a pigeon named Theresa who flies backwards and is convinced she's a person. But I digress.
I lived in NYC more than a decade ago with no animals, and I then moved back a few years ago with a dog and a cat. I have to say, living in New York with a dog is like living in a COMPLETELY different city. New York is a remarkably friendly place when you have a dog. And you (almost) hit the nail on the head when you noted that the dogs "connect and comiserate," which leads the people to interact as well.
The "almost" has to do with your suggestion that the dogs and people are "comiserating" -- some of us (and, I suspect, some of the dogs) actually like it here :)
In any case, I saw you speak at the New York Public Library last month, and just want to thank for all of the remarkable years of work you've put into changing the game for all of these creatures, and for us human creatures, too. I'm sure it's been a long, hard slog but you've inspired some truly meaningful change and I just wanted to tip my hat and heart to you, and say thank you. People like you give me hope that the collective good might actually win out in the end.