Fureedom Wall
A note from the editor
On lasting love
Whenever someone mentions the L word, the vomit emoji comes to mind.
Having just gotten out of an eight-year relationship, I feel like I’m not qualified to write about anything related to love. After all, I have just about given up on it, not to mention having consistently exercised my innate ability to sabotage love’s eternal promise since then.
Humanity has been observing animals and their mating patterns, wondering if we have much in common with them in terms of affection and loyalty. But if animals were to observe us and our relationships, they’d be shocked, perhaps even disappointed.
However, there is one thing humans can be proud of: their capacity to love animals. More and more people are choosing peace on their plates and refusing to pay for the death of animals. More and more businesses are going vegan and recognizing the cruelty of animal agriculture.
People are starting to realize that zoos are not necessarily sanctuaries, but does this mean zoos have no future? What role they may play decades from now is what Megan Cabalcar explores this month.
Sometimes, we don’t know how to express love in the right way, and I’m not just talking about romance here. Because of our fascination for whale sharks, we want to get as close as possible to them, potentially putting them in harm’s way. Isone Alis goes into more detail, explaining why shark sightseeing in Oslob isn’t the best way to appreciate these majestic creatures.
And then there’s the love that we have for the animals we share our homes with. Fur-parents love their cats and dogs so much that they want to include them in everything they do, including wedding ceremonies! If you’re wondering how to include a fur-baby in your wedding, Alex Bichara has got you covered as she lists down tips for you in this issue.
In case we can’t include them in everything we do, we still want the best for our fur-babies, don’t we? This is why pet boarding facilities have been sprouting like mushrooms. Of course, not all of them are created equal, which is why Roxanne Libatique writes about pet boarding dos and don’ts.
Having our animal companions vaccinated is yet another way to show them love. Dogs who don’t get the shots they need are at risk for many painful and fatal diseases, such as canine parvoviral enteritis, which Dr. Emmanuel D. Macapagal dissusses in vivid detail.
Let’s not ignore the scaly members of our multi-species family: Fishes may suffer more than mammals because they can’t communicate the same way our four-legged friends can. Marielle Almario schools us about why we shouldn’t put bettas in fishbowls because there’s always a “betta place”, pardon the pun.
Some animals put us to shame in terms of loyalty, choosing one partner for the rest of their lives. Nate Martinez talks about animals who prefer to stick to “the one” – can you guess which species are monogamous?
In terms of our capacity to stay monogamous, perhaps I’ll stay jaded for a long time. Arguably, as a species, we just aren’t meant to pull off the ultimate love lockout. However, I’ll stay optimistic about our capacity to love other animals. The only future I see is one that is vegan.