Reposted from Feb. 20

FINALLY: Ricki The Bear Is Free From Ice Cream Shop Cage

This is excellent news!

Blessed are the people of Pennsylvania who worked to end this suffering and free this beautiful bear.

If you are aware of an animal being held in similar conditions (or worse!) PLEASE contact the Animal Legal Defense Fund at http://aldf.org/about-us/ and request they investigate.

Another story, one of a tiger, (you can read about it here: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/04/tiger-tiger-burning-rubber-meet-tony-truck-stop-mascot-louisiana?CMP=share_btn_fb)  still rages.

In both these cases, the owners claim to love the animal. This is so frustrating, but typical. All I can say to that is: these people don’t know what love is.

Certainly, that is a emotional and psychological issue, but I can’t help but wonder if it is partially a result of our culture of commercialism and its mantra of “mine, mine, mine.” The fact that we so casually call them the “owners” of these living beings is very telling in of itself. Why not caretakers? Just changing the language might help.

What do you think?

“If you love a flower, don’t pick it up. Because if you pick it up it dies and it ceases to be what you love. So if you love a flower, let it be. Love is not about possession. Love is about appreciation.”

–Osho