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dys ne fora moment t that ‘two; hilaven ¢ are e discovered stranded
ae “on § an island: in, the Skeena River. No oné knows: “how they 2 it there,
“bat right 1 now. that’s “not terribly: impertant; that: question can be answered. later.” ‘It is
: imperative | that: they be ‘rescued, safely. and quickly. Police, Search and Rescue, concerned
citizens..; no ‘expense will be spared. - ;
"And when the. rescue’ is” éompleted, the children safe - and sound, ‘all those: “who
participated can pat’ themselves on the back for a job well don And rightly so — whether
these people are paid to do the job or are. simply ordinary citizens trying to help,. each and
every one deserves to be called a: hero. Ig 1 nice to know we have a system that: t puts life
above allelse. = «| ore
_ ‘But like so many ‘things, there’ sa + catch to all this. Your life i is s indeed precious, ‘put only
if you are a member of Homo Sapiens... mankind. Other life forms are regarded as inferior,
and therefore not as important as our own. Our yardstick 1 for. measuring the value of. a ‘Hie
is, ‘apparently. limited to an appendage called a thumb, and a° ‘speech. organ.” es
~A-scenario. similar to the one above was énacted.a week: ago,’ ‘but this story does’ not have
a “happy ending. Late one afternoon I: ‘received a phone: call from. a member of the. ‘Terrace
umane Society’ stating that the. RCMP had received numerous’ ‘calls about two: ‘dogs that

° area ‘of Skeena Street, :

a - Residents. in the ‘area said the dogs had been on the island for’ about: a “week, vinaybe
-Jonger, an and all told the same tale —the dogs could be seen ‘endléssly, pacing up. and down the
“~ghore during daylight hours, ‘obviously. looking for an: avenue’ of. escape. from: their
‘imprisonment: But the nights were the worst, because then the. animals’ lonely howls conte!
' “be. clearly: heard echoing across the river. Does
“".o did the police come ‘out? Did Search. and. Rescue ‘immediately begin their life saving
operations? | No. Rescuing a couple of stranded dogs isn’t high on ‘the list of priorities in this
country. But in all fairness, we cannot really blame any of these people; their powers are
. Jimited by rules and regulations and budgets... The fault lies with all of us.

- swift-moving current. The other dog’s fate was little better.

a ‘Unbeknownst to the main rescue party, it finally became desperate. and attempted to
| swim. across the river. It almost made it. As it neared the shore, panting heavily and

obviously. exhausted, the young girl tried to pull the dog in, but the animal was too heavy

vand the. current too strong. She lost her grip and the dog was swept down-river. No one saw

he: dog. again, . .

“None of this should ever have ‘happened. What gives us s the right to value one life over

“another? Isn't that. the definition of slavery? Caring about other life forms doesn't mean we

as with us. ‘It's time we started changing our attitudes —. all life has value, regardless of
“5 species. If you think. you: may have spotted these dogs (one is white or light-coloured, the

| other that nearly made it to shore isa medium-sized lack dog with long hair), please contact
the Terrace Animal Shelter at 638-4736.

26 - Terrace Review — May 8, 1992

ppeared to:‘have somehow become: ‘stranded on a small island in t the Skeena River, near the

“Seven ‘people, including a 10-year-old girl, attempted a rescue. One dog was never found, |
= and we speculated that it may have tried to swim to the far shore and drowned in the

: must all become animal lovers overnight, or that we must suddenly become ‘vegetarians. It
‘simply meang that we have an obligation to respéct the other creatures that share this planet:

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