October 4th World Animal Day and Children

Have you ever paid attention to the relationship between children and animals? Animals get along very well with children, and children adore animals. Whether it is your own pet or any animal you see on the street or in nature, you immediately realize that a unique bond is formed between children and animals in a very short time. This bond between children and animals is generally positive; however, you may have witnessed or heard from others that some pets, especially cats, sometimes exhibit aggressive behavior due to jealousy when their owners have babies or when any child enters the home. In fact, the foundation of this feeling of jealousy is the sense of ownership, attachment, and love that exists in all living beings. If you pay attention, children are the same. Children also look at the world through a window of love and do not want to share those they love with anyone; they experience the fear of loss and want those they love to spend time and play only with them.

Since pet owners know this situation very well, they do not find the similar behaviors of children and animals strange; in fact, they often see their pets as their own children, address them as "my daughter" or "my son," and consider them a part of the family. However, unfortunately, the relationship between humans and animals is not always so rosy!

Unfortunately, there are still some creatures who do not possess human qualities who can engage in behaviors that make us question our humanity by tormenting and abusing animals! These behaviors often go undetected, those that are detected go unpunished, and sometimes children witness these negative events. When children see such negative behaviors, they may think it is normal and may apply violence to animals and sometimes even to their peers. Children who grow up in environments where there is no love for animals or nature move away from empathy and become cruel and merciless.

Yet, healthy relationships established between animals and children offer a unique opportunity to teach children values such as empathy, responsibility, and love. This is because pets teach children not only joy and companionship but also the cycle of life, responsibility, love, and sharing. A child's effort to understand the needs of any animal helps develop their emotional intelligence. Animals teach children to be patient, to be kind, and to understand the value of life. Children who grow up with these values develop very healthy social relationships in the future and become successful and happy individuals.

 Love for animals is not just an individual experience; it is also a tool that serves to increase the level of empathy and compassion in society. Encouraging the establishment of friendly relationships with animals emerges as a critical step both for the development of children and for a more humane society. Protecting animals, showing them compassion, and sharing our love is indispensable not only for their well-being but also for the well-being of humanity.

Let us be conscious of this on October 4th, World Animal Day. Without becoming a tool for any ideological propaganda, let us think about the children who have lost their lives or been seriously injured after being attacked by stray animals and their families; let us always keep their cries in our minds and contribute to solving this issue in a way that both protects our children with safe streets and respects the rights of animals. Because as long as we are not moderate, it will always be our children, our animals, and our society that lose. Let us not forget this!