Thoughtfulness Toward Animals
THAT a baby, once sound asleep, must on no account be awakened, is one of the cast-iron laws of physicians and nurses; but few people ever stop to consider that the same rule holds good with the young of every animal. Hardly any one, even the professed lover of domestic pets, feels the slightest compunction about snatching up a puppy settled for a comfortable nap, and a sleeping kitten is even more a butt for this species of rude imposition. Sleep is regarded as a luxury for a little plaything of this kind, whose mission in life is to amuse and divert. So nobody hesitates to awake it, either roughly or by a series of furtive caresses, and the sleepy little mite often tries in vain for the rest that is so essential for its comfort and health. Particularly is this the case where there are small children in the family. It is all very well to want to have a puppy to bring up with the baby, but the puppy usually gets the worst of the bargain. Animals mature so much more rapidly than the young of the human race that by the time the baby is a lad of ten, the puppy that grew up with him is an elderly dog. A dog of twelve is venerable, while a boy of twelve is in the heyday of boisterous animal spirits and a love of teasing. Aged animals, like very young animals, should be allowed their little naps and forty winks without risk of interruption. Children who are taught that their pets have much the same needs as themselves, and suffer if not provided with fresh water, regular meals, given oftener when the animal is quite young, a comfortable bed to sleep in, gentle handling, will learn to be more considerate, kind, and tender to their brothers and sisters and parents. It is quite natural that a child should not think about these things unless reminded: thus we see much thoughtless cruelty that a mother could easily prevent.—Selected.