Why are people so freakin' STUPID? Unless you love every animal on the planet, you are NOT an animal-lover. A true lover of animals would realize that every single living creature on this earth, from the elephant to the spider, is equal. Sure, not in terms of the food chain, but that's obviously not what I'm talking about. There are a LOT of people who can go on and on about how animals are mistreated and not respected at the mention of a sad news story that involved a dog, but couldn't care less about offing mice or seeing dead birds and the like.
ENOUGH. If you're going to call yourself an animal-lover, then MEAN it. You can't make exceptions. That isn't fair.

This angers me GREATLY. I am EXTREMELY fond of birds, and the nonchalance that many self-proclaimed 'animal-lovers' exhibit towards the mistreatment of birds sickens me to no end.
I used to have two birds, (budgies) at different times, named Mark and Keanu. Mark died 6 years after I got her (yes, HER), and Keanu died 4 years after I got him. Keanu died over a year ago, and I still miss him so, so much. I was deeply depressed for days after he died.
A LOT of people can't understand that. There's a lot of people out there who think it's pathetic that I am so saddened by the death of a *budgie*. These people would understand this type of grief brought on by a different type of pet--say a cat or a dog, but a bird? No way.

How blindly, sickningly ignorant.

Cat, dog, bird, mouse--no difference. A friend is a friend. My birds gave me the same kind of company and hapiness my dog does. I miss them so much. I miss taking Keanu out of his cage and having him climb down my shirt (he was a perverted bird! ^_~) and climbing on the piano keys, and hearing him sing along to Japanese music, and having him start chirping really loud when I got home from school and flap about his cage until I went to say hello to him. I miss taking Mark out of her cage and having her sit on our hands. I miss her pushing her toys around to hear them ring. I miss her cuddling up to her favorite toy and sleeping with it. I miss her fascination with this colorful block I had.
If you can't understand the companionship in THAT, you're a heartless person.

So for all those people who think it's pathetic to be so depressed over the loss of a bird, mouse, hamster, gerbil, guinea pig, lizard, snake, etc--YOU are one who is pathetic. You don't understand the love that ALL animals are capable of. You're missing out on a LOT. Feeling sympathetic for only some kinds of animals doesn't make you very much of an animal-lover at all.

So next time you want to tell others of your love for animals, consider ALL creatures.

Otherwise, it's just not true.