There is no ASPCA in Kazakstan: Take Two

November 19, 2007

For the past few weeks I am afraid I was in danger of becoming somewhat numb to the plight of animals in Kazakhstan. Their neglect and maltreatment such a regular site, that it no longer evoked a visceral reaction of sadness and anger. That however, was before I turned on the news last night. On the television screen were two of the best-groomed dogs I have ever seen in this country. Their coats were brushed, their teeth were clean, and they marched smartly at their masters’ side, and I thought for a second, “this is a nice change, a dog show.” At that moment though, I began to understand a little bit of what the news reporter was saying, and the screen changed to reveal what was actually going on. It was no dog show, but rather a dogfight and those two well-mannered Mastiffs were in the process of tearing each other to shreds. To give credit where it is due, the story was definitely portraying dogfighting in a negative light, but it was still rather shocking. For example, when the football player was indicted on animal cruelty charges there were no images of the illegal sport, but in Kazakstan the dogfighting appeared to be taking place in broad daylight. Also, there were several spectators who stepped forward to defend it as a legitimate part of Kazak history and culture. That, however strikes me as someone in the United States defending racist behavior because it is a legitimate part of American history and culture, but just because you have always done something bad does not mean you need to keep doing it. In many ways I like working toward cultural integration. Learning the language and trying to fit in with my Kazak neighbors is both challenging and a lot of fun, but I do not think I will ever understand the way they treat pets, nor do I want to.