SRI LANKA ANIMAL RELIEF OPERATION

The Animals

Immediately following the disaster, animal related stories made the news speaking of an amazing Sixth Sense. Myself, like most animal lovers, embraced these stories thinking -finally, some acknowledgement of the gifts our wonderful friends possess!

The basic premise for the notion that animals saved themselves comes from a beautifully simple idea. When life is in harmony with nature, it is in tune with its surroundings. As for people, we surround ourselves with the unnatural; brick buildings, cars, machines, paved roads, TV's, computers - all things that take us away from nature. Animals, on the other hand, live close to nature and can sense subtle changes in the environment.

Imagine if you will a dog named Dinakaran living in a sea side village two days before the tsunami struck. Suddenly he feels something ripple through his body as he lies on the ground taking an afternoon nap. Then his ears notice an ever so slight change of pressure in the air surrounding him. The next day he looks up and sees birds flying with a sense of urgency he has never before witnessed. That evening a breeze blows just slightly cooler than it had the night before. Adding it all up Dinakaran decided to leave his simple sea side village and head inland.

In this situation the instincts Dinakaran possess end up saving his life the same way thousands of other wild and domestic animals were saved - by living in harmony with their surroundings. Yet now Dinakaran returns to a home reduced to rubble and his owners buried underneath. Who will save him now? Who will save him from hunger? Loneliness? Who will save him from people fearful of contracting rabies?

In disasters, every part of society needs to be cared for. There are those who provide medical aid to humans, others who help cook food for homeless families, and those who comfort the hearts of newly orphaned children. Lucky for Dinakaran, and all who care for him, there are also those of us who provide aid for animals.