Category Archives: Self-Awareness

Video adds more proof of animal self-awareness

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The incredible video out of India, showing one monkey desperately trying to revive another, who had been electrocuted, is both heartwarming and scientifically important.

The rescuer attempts multiple means to revive the injured monkey, including pushing him or her, picking them up, biting and dunking in water.

Finally, as the Telegraph reports, the injured monkey awakens. His friend seems very relieved and pats them on the back.

This is not some sort of canned response by the rescuer. Clearly, they are concerned with the condition of the other monkey. This shows a level of compassion, concern, intelligence and thought.

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Video: Sea turtle appears thankful for being rescued from a rope

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In this incredible video, a sea turtle circles back to come face-to-face with the diver who just cut away a rope tangled around one of her flippers.

Self awareness is prominent across the animal kingdom and this video offers another important piece of evidence.

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Videos show dogs trying to revive friends

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I received a link today to a video showing a dog trying to revive his friend, who had been struck and killed on a highway. (I won’t post the video here, as it is too emotional.)

I noticed a few other videos on the YouTube page with the same theme and the thoughts that this shows dogs showing compassion for others. I am a true believer. The dogs are shown pawing or nuzzling their friends or licking them, trying to revived them – and sitting close by.

It offers more evidence, above the already irrefutable evidence that dogs (and other animals) do have self-awareness and a state of consciousness.

 

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Injured dog shot and killed at NC animal shelter

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An injured basset hound was recently shot and killed at the Franklin County Animal Shelter in North Carolina.

WRAL quoted Sheriff Jerry Jones as saying, “The animal director decided to shoot the dog at the kennel at the animal shelter instead of waiting for someone to euthanize it medically.”

The report indicates the basset hound was placed in a kennel with a pit bull and two got into a fight. At first, the staff believed the basset’s injuries were not severe. It was reportedly TWO DAYS later when the director shot the dog, when he felt it was in pain.

The individual who placed the basset in with the pit bull has been let go, but the director and the rest of the staff will undergo training.

Nowhere is it reported that anyone considered taking the basset to a veterinarian, over the two-day span. A lack of understanding about animal self-awareness and capacity for suffering is unfortunately still prevalent in our society. This is clear in reading over a number of the comments under the WRAL story.

Some people still feel dogs are only dogs and cats are only cats – and these people can’t comprehend anything more.

 

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Time to ban shelter gas chambers nationwide

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Gas chambers are true chambers of horror for shelter animals. The group Take Action is working to end the horrible practice. It has produced the map below to show where gas chambers are in use or have been banned or are at least are not being used at this time.

They have a Causes page and a page on Facebook.

Sadly, a few shelters in my own home state – North Carolina – are still using chambers. It’s time for those operating these facilities to awaken to the fact that animals are self-aware and can suffer both physically and emotionally.

There is no doubt whatsoever that animals suffer in gas chambers. It’s 2013. Ban them NOW.

Take-Action-Gas-Chamber-Map-2013

 

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Video: Important studies on canine cognition

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Studies have been going on for years at Duke University – in researching dog cognition.

Our pets are connected to us a special level and animals such as dogs and cats do truly possess self-awareness and individual states of consciousness.

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Pod of sperm whales adopt a deformed bottlenose dolphin

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A scientist witnessed and photographed a fantastic occurrence back in 2011, one reported on the MailOnline.com website out of the UK.

Over a period of several days, a pod of sperm whales adopted a deformed bottlenose dolphin. The dolphin and the whales rubbed against each other and exchanged acts of affection.

The scientists believe the dolphin was pushed out of his normal social or family group, due to his spinal deformity.

This is incredible and once again shows the level of consciousness and self-awareness in animals, especially those of the higher orders, like whales and dolphins.

 

Building on the Tweet Machine

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Of late, I’ve been trying to increase my activity on Twitter. I’m not a social media pro by any stretch, but the effort is underway.

I think it’s a great way to get out more animal-welfare news. So beyond the links to blog posts, I’m linking to other stories and news on my Twitter account.

Please help me by spreading the word about the blog site and the Twitter page – at Twitter.com/PackMentBlog.

I’m trying to spread information far and wide, concerning compassion for animals and concerning hot animal-welfare items in the news. I also intend to write more about self-awareness and state of consciousness in animals – more about their emotions. And I’m getting closer to finishing a new book on this topics.

And going forward, I may occasionally step outside the direct topic of animals and into the pack mentality of the human animal.

Thank you visiting the blog – and if you can, thank you for spreading the word.

Tom Grady