Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers

Tirade – definition: a long, angry speech

Due to my immobility this week I have found it difficult to sit for any length of time at my writing desk. This has given me time to watch TV, which is unusual for me. As an animal lover when I watch programmes of animal cruelty all I want to do is find the brutes responsible and give them a taste of their own medicine.

I cannot fathom how anyone can torture a defenceless animal. What kind of mindset do they have? Are they devoid of any emotion at all? It is probably not politically correct to want to harm these mindless brutes but given the chance I sure would. Watching animal care authorities rescue abused ‘pets’ I only get angry, how these volunteers do not react stuns me. In the same position I would be beating the owners with the nearest heavy object.

All life is precious and should be respected as such. I have rescued numerous animals in my lifetime and brought most of them back to health with the help of my daughter; the animal expert. Some unfortunately were beyond our abilities or the local vets and we gave them relief from pain and suffering.

I applaud the many people who give their lives to the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing of abused animals. So please always consider adopting from a rescue center before a breeder. These animals are the more loving despite their previous experiences.

My own Twinkle was from an animal shelter. She was surrendered at four weeks unwanted, poor little thing. Much too young to be separated from her mum and siblings. She was put in one shelter then taken in a van to another center miles away. That is where we found her. She was in the company of a Jack Russell and a Labrador pup. Twinkle was thought to be the mix of a lurcher and a Labrador but it was only a guess.

She was the most intelligent, loving and endearing dog you could have ever met. Friendly with everyone and all other animals. With a fairly regular influx of rescues in the house as well as our other pets, she was gentle with them all. She would even give up her food and water bowls for them.