Stop Using Animals for Entertainment

  

Animals are better than humans - for sure

Say No to Animal Skin and Fur Products

Would you have someone skin your pet? Can you imagine your skin being peeled off you while you are still alive? Or having a family member killed because someone wanted their skin?

You wouldn't, would you? Then why buy skins and go ga-ga over brands that sell animal fur and skin products?

Every year over a billion animals including dogs, rabbits, foxes, sheep, cows, goats and other animals are killed for their fur and skin to make leather.

We are responsible for this genocide! Because we pay these people to buy stuff made from leather and fur. But you can make a difference. Pay your small part in helping stop animal cruelty and save lives. Don't buy original furs, skins or bone made products. This will help discourage these industries and save lives.

What Islam says about Mistreatment of Animals

Overloaded donkey cart - Unfortunately a common sight of animal mistreatment in South Asian countries

Mistreatment of animals in Islam is a sin. It’s as simple as that. No questions asked!

All creatures, big or small, have been created by Allah and we have no right to harm ANY of His creations.

It is related from Jabir (in Muslim) that the Messenger of Allah (SAWT), once saw a donkey who had been branded on its face and he said, "May Allah curse the one who branded it."

This is how bad hurting an animal is considered. They are innocent creatures of Allah and no human has the right to take their life (unless for the purpose of religious sacrifice or for the need of food) or hurt them in anyway. Even for animals we use for carrying burden, like horses or donkeys, we have been asked to show mercy on.

It is related from Abu Hurayra that the Prophet (SAWT) said, "Do not use the backs of your animals as chairs. Allah has made them subject to you, so that by them you can reach places that you would not otherwise be able to reach except with great fatigue." (Abu Dawud)

So you see, even our religion doesn't allow any mistreatment towards animals. What then makes us think that we can pelt stones at a street dog or run over a cat on the road or overload a donkey with burden?

Our religion teaches us kindness towards all creatures, specifically those who cannot speak for themselves. We must become their voice and the least we can do for them is show kindness and teach the same to our children.

#1 Thing to do Every Day in Cold Weather

Help a Stray Animal

There are so many ways we all can help save stray animals:

1. Leave Food and Water for the regularly
2. Provide them Shelter from Hot, Cold and Rainy Weather
3. Get them Spayed or Neutered

Last but not least... ADOPT a stray and save a life! (it's the least you can do!)

Keep a Stray Cat Warm this Winter

Bang Your Car Hood. Save a Cat

5 Ways to Help Stray Animals because Winter Is Coming

A general misconception most people have about animals is that winters won't affect them because they have a coat of fur. They believe that animals can withstand cold better than humans because their fur coat will keep them warm.

If this is how you think too. Then you can't be 'wronger' than wrong.

Like humans, animals too can feel seasons. They are prone to heat strokes during summers just as much as they are prone to catching a cold. The cold weather can be just as hard on strays as it is on pets and people.

Whether you live in Karachi, Lahore or any other part of Pakistan - the cold weather can be just as harsh to the animals as it is to you and maybe more. We all are big on not forcing pets outside during the cold weather because it can lead to serious illness. But what about the stray animals? What about the birds, cats, dogs and other stray animals who have no choice but to stay out in the cold?

How can you help stray animals during winters?

Here are 5 Tips on How You Can Help Strays Stay Warm During Winters

1. Bring Them In

Now I don't say this lightly when I say, help the strays. The first thing you need to ask yourself if you want to really help stray animals is what can you do to comfort them? Can you adopt an animal? If you can't then can you take it to a shelter? If the shelters are full and not taking in any more animals, then what is it that you can do in your maximum capacity to help them stay warm?

I have over a dozen stray cats and sometimes dogs too that me and my family care for, so I know what I am saying. Offer a stray animals some space in your garage or backyard. Better yet, adopt it if possible.

2. Create Warm Beds

Most strays can keep themselves warm in the sunlight during the day time so it's the night time when they especially need your help. Have old worn out baskets or cardboard boxes which you were planning on throwing out? How about recycling them for strays as beds?

If bringing an animal in is not an option then you can help them survive the cold by providing the strays with shelter with a sturdy cardboard box lined with a thick towel or a soft pillow that will make for a warm bed on chilly night.

3. Offer Food & Water

Regular food and water is a major issue for stray animals. They have the most difficult time finding food and water. Sometimes they cannot find it for days and some even starve to death from the lack of it.

By keeping a bowl of fresh water and food outside your house, be it summer or winter, you can help so many stray animals survive and fight off hunger.

4. Check Under the Hood

If you own a car or drive one, in winters please be careful before starting your car. Always check under the hood of your car because cats and small animals tend to seek shelter in warm and dry places, crawling under the hood of the car and falling asleep. So many kittens and cats die every year in winters only because the drivers fail to open the hood of their cars and check.

Kittens are smaller in size and hide easily so make sure you bang something on the engine or under the car's hood just so you can scare them enough to come out of their hiding place.

5. Feed the Birds

Keep a bowl of 'bajra' or grain that birds like to eat out in the open, possibly on the rooftop of your house or a balcony. In areas where there is snow, animals have a hard time finding food and by keeping a bowl of fresh food every day you are saving them hours of hassle and energy.

There is so much more that you can do for stray animals. There are things you can recycle and ways you can provide food and shelter for those in need. In any case... if all else fails... donate to a shelter and leave regular bowls of food & water outside your house.

Cruelty Towards Animals is Unforgivable

Humans are the most heartless creatures you will find on this planet. They not only find the most devious ways to hurt their own kind but other animal kind too. The cunning tricks of the humans to cause pain to others no longer comes as a surprise. And I wish with all the wishbones in my body and all from the depth of my heart for all those humans who hurt an animal/s on purpose and consciously... "May you meet a similar fate or worse." Amen.

Teach Your Child to be Kind to Animals

#MondayMotivation

Good morning and here's a thought to start your day with.

Thought of the Day

Here's some #WednesdayMotivation

#AnimalLivesMatter #SayNoToZoos

Stop captivating animals. Let them live where they belong.

#DogsAreKinderThanPeople

We need strict and unforgiving laws for people who are cruel to animals because sadly, some people just don't get it!

#DogsAreKinderThanPeople #StopAnimalCruelty

Friday Motivation

It's only fair to teach your children to be kind to animals and all other life. After all, it's their world tomorrow so why not teach them how to make it a better one.

#BeKindToAnimals

Inspirational Ricky Gervais Quotes #StopAnimalCruelty

Here are a few inspirational Ricky Gervais quotes to motivate you...
#AgainstAnimalCruelty 

7 Posters that make you Feel Animal Pain

Animal Cruelty and Islam

Let’s get the facts straight right away – CRUELTY TO ANIMALS IS FORBIDDEN IN ISLAM.

There! I said it. No human is allowed to be harsh to animals. Nor are we allowed to torture them, mentally or physically, in any way. Period.

Hurting an animal is as bad as hurting a human. Worse, it comes with dire consequences as they are unable to speak for themselves, hence only Allah hears their cries for mercy and those who mistreat them will be punished severely by God Himself.

Islam is a religion of mercy, then what makes you think you have the right to punish an animal or to treat it wrong? Our Prophet Muhammad (SAWT), always showed kindness to animals and preached the same.

It is related from AbdulRahman bin Abdullah that a group of Companions were once on a journey with the Prophet (SAWT) when he left them for a while. During his absence, they saw a bird with its two young and they took the young ones from the nest. When the Prophet Muhammad (SAWT) came back, the mother bird started circling above them, beating its wings in grief. He said, "Who has hurt the feelings of this bird by taking its young? Return them to her." (Muslim)

Allah Blesses You for Showing Kindness to Animals

It is related from Abu Hurayra, from the Prophet (SAWT), that once on a very hot day a prostitute saw a dog going round and round a well, lolling its tongue because of thirst and unable to find water. She drew some water for the dog using her shoe and helped him satisfy its thirst, and just for this action all her sins were forgiven her. (Muslim)

Top 10 Reasons to Adopt a Homeless Animal

Treatment of Animals in Islam

It is forbidden in Islam to treat an animal cruelly, or to kill it except for the need of food. There are several examples in Hadith where the Prophet Muhammad instructed Muslims to treat animals with kindness and mercy.

“A good deed done to an animal is like a good deed done to a human being,

while an act of cruelty to an animal is as bad as cruelty to a human being."

Allah Rewards You for Showing Mercy to Animals

Abu Umama relates that the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, "Whoever is merciful even to a sparrow, Allah will be merciful to him on the Day of Judgment."

Just because an animal is unable to voice out its opinion or suffering, it should not be treated with anything less than kindness. Animals cannot speak for themselves which is why it falls on our (human) shoulders to show them mercy and become their voice where we can.

Related from Sahl ibn Al-Handhaliyya: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH), once passed by a camel that was so emaciated that its back had almost reached its stomach. He said, "Fear Allah in these beasts who cannot speak." (Abu Dawud)

#MondayMotivation

National Animals of Pakistan

To celebrate the spirit of Independence we decided to bring to you information regarding the  gorgeous Markhor (goat) and the beautiful Chaor (bird) - the two amazing national animals of Pakistan.

Both Markhor and Chakor can be found in Pakistan's region and each has its own symbolic importance.

Chakor is the National Bird of Pakistan and considered a symbol of passionate but unreciprocated love in the sub continent. Most commonly kept as pets by Pathans due to the believe that a pair of Chakor partridges wards off the evil eye. This is one of the reasons traditionally Chakor is one of the birds which has special value in Pakistani truck art as well.



Chakor is a chunky 32-35 cm bird with an amazing color scheme of brown, grey, red, white and sandy color. Chakor belongs to the pheasant family Phasianidae and is native of the region of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Nepal, Turkey and the Kashmir range. Normally their territories are rocky open hillsides and can mainly be found at an altitude of 2000 to 4000m. However, in Pakistan they have also been seen at the mere range of 600m. They do not live in humid and rainy areas and like to eat a variety of seeds and insects as food.

Markhor is the National animal of Pakistan. The word "Markhor" is Persian for "Snake Eater". It is a large woodland goat found in the Western Himalaya range of Pakistan mostly in the Chitral, Ghizar and Hunza regions.



Markhor live in places 500 to 3500 metres (1,500 to 11,000 feet) high, where they live off grass and other vegetation. Found to be more active during the early morning and late afternoon, the female marhor can be found in herds while males Markhor are generally found alone.

Find more information regarding Makhor at WWF Pakistan

Happy Independence Day!

Animals Have Rights Too

We're Back in Action

With a delay of over a year and a half, OfAnimalLove is back in motion.

Lots of things have happened on the animal front in Karachi and Pakistan at large and I intend on covering it all up right here. We are also in the process of launching something that will hopefully help initiate a bigger campaign throughout the city.

For the next week or so I will be covering all the non-profit organizations that have sprouted around Karachi and in the country for helping stray animals. And these are doing a great job. I will be covering all this and much more. So stay tuned!

Until then, here are a few motivations for today #ThursdayMotivation #ThursdayThoughts