Judit Kawaguchi's Feb. 28 article, "What we can learn from cats and dogs" (about her visit with Tokyo veterinarian Chikao Muratani), made me think of our great responsibility to co-exist with all life. The last paragraph — "Many dying cats and dogs wait for the people they love to return before they draw their last breath. ... Once their beloved person is by their side, they pass away in peace, often within minutes" — almost made me weep.
I have kept dogs twice and experienced very sorrowful partings.Years ago, I was surprised to discover that an old woman who lived on a mountain in Pennsylvania enjoyed her life with various plants and flowers as well as many different creatures such as birds, chipmunks, dogs and deer. I couldn't believe this miracle at first. It seemed as if there was no distance of any kind between them.
The other day I cut down several branches from our trees. Immediately afterward, birds came near and shouted loudly. It was obvious they were protesting what I had done. While humans are apt to use any other creature for their own benefit, lovers of dogs and cats, I think, tend to know that all living creatures are part of Earth's ecosystem and to understand the rights of all life.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.