Article originally published in the Daily Hive. Written by Nadia Xenakis, Campaign Manager at the Vancouver Humane Society.
My earliest memories of loving animals include coming home from kindergarten and watching a family of California quails in my grandmother’s backyard for hours, mystified by their sounds and quick movements. No neighbourhood cat went a day without hearing ‘hello’ and receiving a pat.
Like many people who love animals, I sought to be as close to them as possible. Throughout childhood, my family would happily indulge my love of animals by taking me to see them at places like our local zoo, aquarium and to swim with dolphins during our family vacation.
I watched elephants in their enclosures blanketed by Canadian snow, caimans unmoving and unblinking while fellow children screamed and slapped the glass of their enclosure, and dolphins brought into a small pool and instructed to remain still so we could touch them. Meanwhile, a tight discomfort formed in my chest. I was in awe of their shapes and abilities, but I could neither ignore nor understand the growing tension I felt.
When I was 18, my then-boyfriend arranged for us to take a holiday horse carriage ride—the perfect gift for an animal lover. I remember being excited to meet the horses; but when I saw the enormous ornate costumes they wore to carry us through the city, the familiar tension returned. That apprehension turned to guilt as frustrated drivers whipped around the carriage when we moved too slowly or were stopped for too long. We maneuvered through the street amidst cars speeding past in every direction, cyclists and pedestrians crossing intersections, and the growing sound of honking, yelling, dogs barking, and music from shops lining the street.
What was intended to be a relaxing holiday experience left me in a state of constant anxiety while I scanned the roads for hazards that could harm the horses or others. When the ride was over, I felt relief as I walked away. The horses in their feathered headpieces were not so lucky, I realized, as I watched the next set of riders step into the carriage.
The horses consumed my thoughts all evening: where did they stay when they weren’t working? How long did they work? Did accidents happen; and if so, how often? Did they want to be there, and how could we know if they did or did not?
I studied animal welfare science in university, where researchers tried to answer questions like these by measuring stress in animals, evaluating their environments and lifestyles, using preference tests to attempt to determine the choices animals would make if able to choose freely.
This led to a career in animal advocacy. By this time, I understood that my love of animals had led me to seek to be close to them in ways that either put animals at risk or actively caused them harm or stress, through activities the animals had never consented to. I also understood that I was probably not the only person to reckon with this feeling.
I now advocate to end many things I participated in throughout my life, before I had the foresight to consider the animals’ perspective.
This holiday season, I implore fellow animal lovers to consider the experience of animals before choosing to participate in activities, to listen to feelings of discomfort, and to show your love of animals by working toward a world that is kinder for them. You can do this by donating to non-profits that advocate for them if you are able to, or becoming an advocate yourself by signing up for email alerts to take action for animals.
If you share the feelings or concerns that I felt on my holiday horse carriage ride, the Vancouver Humane Society is currently asking the City of Vancouver to remove horse-drawn carriages from busy city streets. It’s not too late to add your voice.
Thank you for making this holiday season one of safety and compassion for all.