International Animal Rights Day: December 10

On December 10 we honour and celebrate all of our furry, and the not so furry, animals on International Animal Rights Day.

It isn’t by a coincidence that this is also Human Rights Day, both of which share the same day … and it makes good sense as all animals have just as much right for our respect and caring as us humans do.

The aim of this day is the remember and acknowledge how, over hundreds of years, mankind has abused and mistreated animals for their own gain, whether that is for animals exploitation for meat, animal testing or for people’s vanity such as with the fur trade.

Sadly, still today beautiful wildlife such as elephants and rhinos are savaged for their tusks … and some ‘wealthy’ individuals find it entertaining ‘sport’ to pay huge amounts of money in order to seek out and kill such magnificent beasts as lions, the kings of the jungle.

Truly truly sickening

The History of International Animal Rights Day

On December 10 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, following the gross mistreatment, torturing and killing in the Nazi run concentration camps during World War II.

Over a number of years since then organizations, animal associations, and individuals from around the world demanded that the adoption of a similar declaration should be extended to the animal kingdom, and that the same day, December 10, should also be the day where the rights of all animals should be acknowledged too.

It took some time, but in 1998 an official statement was declared for animal rights and the animal protection organisation, Uncaged, (now evolved into Centre for Animals and Social Justice (CASJ) created The International Animal Rights Day which recognises the rights of animals all around the world.

On this day, many thousands of animal rights supporters from around the world hold candlelit vigils, as people unite to remember all the billions of animals, over time, that have been abused by mankind.

It is my hope that we will continue to respect all animals, and their rights, which has to be our responsibility considering that animals are unable to campaign or protest themselves for their own protection. We must, and we should, do this for them.

We owe so much to animals, and they provide us with such beauty and wonder and provide a balance to nature – we could not live without them – and they rely on us to protect them from man’s abuse and cruelty.

In my work, my aim and purpose is to bring about healing and, if like me, you too are drawn to work with animals and to offer them healing then one of my Reiki Animal Healer training packages could be just what you need.

Reiki, is a gentle healing therapy, which anyone can do – it is easy to learn, simple to do and can provide huge benefits for all types of animals.

Working with animals gives me such joy and I find it difficult to imagine why mankind should want to be so cruel to defenceless animals, as we have been over hundreds of years.

I know that if you bring Reiki healing into your life, you too will also feel the same joy as I do.

Either way, we should all show our respect to animals, and their rights, not only on this day but everyday.

 Find out more about how you can become a Reiki Animal Healer