How We Treat Animals Matters to God
WARNING - disturbing content for animal lovers & action requested
God evaluates our character and integrity based on how we treat other living things. The manner in which we treat other human beings is paramount in God’s sight. For that reason, the second greatest commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). Likewise, the manner in which we treat animals is important to God. That’s why Proverbs 12:10 says;
“A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”
I’ve often thought about that passage when I observe how people take care or their pets or how people treat animals in general. The wicked, though they don’t necessarily see themselves as such, often think they are treating an animal well. In reality, their “mercies… are cruel.” For example, putting a beautiful dog on a chain and leaving it in the backyard is a horrible thing for a pack oriented animal. Just because you feed your dog doesn’t mean your treating it right. I’m not saying your a wicked person if this is how you treat your dog, but if you fit this category of dog owner, then what you think is kind to the animal is actually cruel. The righteous person, “regards the life of his animal.” Not only that — the righteous person regards the lives of animals that are not his and, as strange as this may sound, the lives of the animals he hunts — which brings us to our article for today.
No doubt, some of you have heard about the story coming out of the town of Daniel, Wyoming. A local man named Cody Roberts ran a young wolf over with his snowmobile but did not kill it. Rather than put the animal out of its misery, he proceeded to bring the injured animal to his home to take pics of it. Sadly, that still wasn’t good enough for Cody. He then brought the wolf to a bar to show it off to his friends. Finally, after getting his kicks out of watching the young wolf suffer, he took it behind the bar and shot it. The story has gone viral for good reason. When you see the pictures (WARNING - you will see them below), you can tell the wolf is young, suffering, and in shock. What Cody Roberts did should be punished not because he killed a predator, but because of the cruelty and abuse of an animal he possessed in public.
I don’t blame him for wanting to kill the wolf. Wolves are predators and they have no mercy when they kill other animals. Perhaps Cody is a farmer and he has watched wolves tear his animals apart. Killing the wolf by snowmobile and firearm is not prohibited by Wyoming law, thus Roberts cannot be charged for the “manner of take,” that is, the manner in which he killed the animal. However, the public torture of animals is against the law. Wyoming law, 6-3-1008 (a) (vii) indicates that even a predator cannot be hunted, captured, killed or destroyed, in a manner prohibited by law. Again, public cruelty and torture is prohibited by law. Thus, Wyoming should enforce the law or make a new one that addresses the actions of people like Cody Roberts. Actually, when Wyoming Game & Fish charged him for possessing a live wolf, they moved into new legal territory. Roberts was no longer hunting the wolf. He was possessing it. And what did Roberts do with it while he possessed it? He tortured and abused it. Case closed.
Now let’s talk about Mr. Roberts. What type of person runs down a wolf with a snowmobile? Answer: a person that has lost a lot of animals to wolves and has watched wolves rip apart their livestock time and again. Thus, I don’t blame him for running the wolf down with his machine. However, things started going sideways when Cody got off his snowmobile and realized the wolf was still very much alive. At that point, he should have killed the animal with a firearm. What type of person, upon realizing this young wolf is still alive decides to bring it home, duct tape its mouth shut and take some pictures while holding a beer? Answer: a person who is less than a man. A person that thinks abusing a young animal for show makes him a tough guy. I don’t know Cody from Adam, but his actions tell us everything we need to know. He’s the type of guy that deserves no respect.
When he took the critically injured animal to the local bar, did anyone say anything? I would assume some of the people at the bar thought this was inappropriate, but did anyone try to stop him and persuade him to put the wolf out of it’s misery? From the bar pic, you can tell the wolf is very young. I guess Cody though he was a tough guy. In reality, he proved the opposite. He’s a coward and a bully — the two usually go together.
The question at hand is, why does a person (not going to say a “man”) act like this? Something is wrong with the thinking of Cody Roberts. Either he is so immature that he can’t govern his emotions, or he is so warped that he gets a thrill out of abusing animals.
Obviously, the laws need to change in Wyoming? Wolves and coyotes are designated as predators in many areas of Wyoming and thus can be killed by any means — even if that means running them over. Running the predator over is one thing, posting its exhausting and agonizing death on social media and bringing it to a bar to continue the pubic mockery is altogether something different.
As a hunter, I understand the frustration of dealing with predatory animals. However, a true sportsman respects the lives of the animals he hunts. How so? By making sure the weapon being used is sighted properly to ensure a good shot, and by making sure the shot taken has every likelihood of a quick kill. Lastly, true hunters never intentionally prolong the suffering of animal, even if the animal is a predator. To kill is one thing — to torture is entirely different.
I can remember when I first heard the reports of what Hamas did to the people of Israel. As the gruesome details began to emerge, I said to my wife, “I wouldn’t even treat a coyote like Hamas treated human beings.” There is something psychologically wrong with people that enjoy watching other creatures suffer. Remember, “A righteous man regards the life of his animal.” I encourage you to sign the petition calling for greater punishment for Cody Roberts, you can find it here.
God before government — because when God governs, the wolf will lie down with the lamb (Isaiah 11:6),
Rit
P.S. This post is for everyone so please share it with as many people as you can and sign the petition.