Another year has come to an end, turning the page of the chronicle of our lives. As always, it leaves us with memories of the not-so-distant past — moments when we felt joy, sadness, fear, pain, love, and many other emotions. It has become customary that at this time everyone wants to rethink the key moments of the past year in order to analyze them and draw conclusions. Some will recall a long-dreamed-of trip, others a reunion with loved ones around a family table; some will be wrapped in a blanket of moments with those they love, while others will highlight special episodes of faith in themselves.
Of course, all of us also carry negative shadows that made us suffer, cry, and rethink our life principles. Yet one would hope that such things did not manage to swallow all the positivity that so diligently continued to light the path of existence. And perhaps, leafing through the chronicle of the past, what we most want to find is confirmation that we were better versions of ourselves — good people who lived by principles that, even if flexible, still helped make our shared world a little better.
Still, we should not persecute ourselves for every so-called “controversial moment.” It is impossible to be a perfect being whose emotions can be switched off at will. Melancholy, irritation, envy are part of us; our actions are not always consciously analyzed, and our thoughts sometimes outrun our deeds. So perhaps it is worth letting go of those moments when, after a hard day, we did not help a grandmother pick up her glasses from the supermarket floor, raised our voice a little at a child in kindergarten who was fussing and did not want to put on tights, failed to save all the kittens from winter basements we never even saw, or did not donate as much as we would have liked because we simply did not have the financial means. Such moments happen to everyone — and that is normal. What matters is noticing our feelings, analyzing them when the opportunity arises, and drawing conclusions. That will be enough. Often, those same cursed “controversial moments” arise from a misalignment of our own principles — when we have not yet fully understood our hierarchy of values, when we are unsure whether we love this world or are rather waiting for its end.
And yet, most of us do want to become better versions of ourselves. I think that is wonderful. So why not add a few new (or for some, long-familiar) principles to our list of values for the future — principles that might help reduce anxiety at the beginning of a new year?
Of course, it is difficult to cover everyone’s interests. For some, it will be crucial to help women with heavy bags in stores; for others, on the contrary, to turn away in order to demonstratively show the “consequences of feminism.” There will also be those for whom none of this forms any coherent picture — they are just trying not to snap at their boss because of stress. And again, I repeat: this is normal. It is impossible to understand everyone and derive a single universal formula for every life situation. Still, one would like to believe that in 2026 people will be able to agree on one rather simple, though still unrecognized by some, statement: animal life also has value. From the smallest tail to the largest, from gray ears to crimson ones, from feathered to hairless — everyone has the right to live.
And if, at this point, you are trying to close this post, fearing that “vegan propaganda” is about to begin, let me reassure you — it won’t! Not because the topic is unimportant, but rather because of a personal belief in “soft power.” Plant-based eating truly makes an incredible contribution to ecology, to the idea of love and safety for animals, and it is also a great way to support one’s convictions with concrete decisions and habits. I would like to believe that with each passing day the vegan movement (as well as other forms of plant-based nutrition) will continue to grow. Still, this is not the primary stage of recognizing the value of every life — even a small or not-so-fluffy one. At least, that has been the experience of your humble author. Humane treatment, if it was not instilled from early childhood, forms gradually, and everything takes its time. So feel free to scroll on — no one will be converting you to veganism, I promise.
In reality, animals very often suffer at the hands of humans. This is an undeniable fact. We breed them to kill them, creating horrific living conditions, exploit them, and then cut them into pieces. And since I promised not to delve deeply into this topic, we will pass it by — but it is worth remembering that this is not where animal suffering ends. The food industry is not the only horror movie for our smaller brothers and sisters. One can confidently add the sphere of entertainment and leisure, and this is where I would most like to focus attention. If questions of food — “humans are carnivores by nature,” “plants can never replace meat,” “I only support small farms” — remain open for debate, then discussions about the necessity of using animals for entertainment should be ended once and for all. Unfortunately, this is still not obvious to many, and so it is worth examining more closely.
Petting Zoos
We have all seen and heard advertisements for special places where lion cubs and lemurs live, and where you can play with them like soft toys. They promise direct contact with nature, allowing visitors to squeeze rabbits, monkeys, and guinea pigs all day long without limits. There are always many people there, often with children who do not fully understand what pain is or how easily it can be inflicted on a creature the size of a plush teddy bear. But is everything really so obvious? In fact, animals living in such zoos suffer, at the very least, psychological and physical trauma from captivity in inappropriate conditions. According to UAnimals, the reality on the other side looks like this:
Lion cubs or other baby animals are taken from their mothers immediately after birth so that they become accustomed to human hands.
When the animals grow up and become dangerous, they are usually locked in small cages for the rest of their lives.
Animals in petting zoos suffer psychological trauma and die much earlier.
Their health is usually poor, and when they get sick and no longer appeal to visitors, they are replaced with new animals that are easy to acquire.
And where do the sick and old ones go?
Most importantly, these animals have no choice. They are forcibly captured, locked in cages, and compelled to be in constant contact with the public against their will. They cannot escape and often cannot defend themselves, remaining prisoners in their own world for life. And we are their captors, wardens, dictators, and executioners. So is an hour of pleasure from touching a warm, fluffy animal worth a lifetime of torture? The answer can only be one—no.
Dolphinariums
Is there anything worse than life in a large tank of chlorinated water? Even if you are an animal that normally lives in water, that does not make the situation any less cruel. Behind the spectator stands, easels for painting (oh yes — dolphins paint, what an unusual attraction), plush toys for sale, and cheerful music during shows lies a frightening and painful story of lives in captivity. These tortures are not discussed often, and what is worse—many consider them appropriate, humane, and wonderful, continuing to attend shows and swim with dolphins.
In general, no dolphinarium in the world can create conditions suitable for keeping dolphins in captivity. In the wild, marine animals swim hundreds of kilometers a day and dive to great depths. They do not live in ordinary tap water diluted with sea salt and chemicals, including chlorine, which causes dolphins to become ill, go blind, and develop skin problems. They live in salty sea water. They normally eat live fish, but because this diet cannot be provided in captivity, the animals are forced to undergo a painful adaptation to unnatural food. Add to this the bare walls and floors of pools that cause sensory deprivation, leading to depression.
All this so that people can laugh for an hour or two, relax, and “see something new.” Is the price not too high? Marine animals may not be able to have a beer with us and play video games, but they also have feelings, consciousness, desires — they feel pain, fear, and despair.
Torture and Death for the Sake of Beauty
Surely we all want to be beautiful — to look fresher, preferably five years younger (or ten, for some), more stylish, more expressive, more noticeable. And often, in the search for an elixir of beauty and fashion, we forget where a particular product, jar of cream, fur coat in the closet, or leather handbag actually comes from. These everyday items can also carry terrible danger for our smaller friends.
It is no secret that fur coats are made of animal fur — most often mink, fox, arctic fox, or rabbit. Animals are captured and kept on fur farms in confined spaces with insufficient resources, and then killed. Common methods include gassing (especially mink), electrocution, breaking the neck, poisoning, and traps — methods that can cause hours or days of suffering. All this for the sake of showing off a fur coat that can easily be replaced today with faux fur or a warm jacket.
And even if an animal is not born with beautiful fur, it still has many chances to end up in the beauty industry — as a test subject for cosmetics and household products. Rabbits, mice, rats, and guinea pigs are most often used. Tests include eye and skin irritation, toxicity, and force-feeding substances — procedures that cause pain and stress, without anesthetics. Although many countries have banned such testing, not every product bears a “cruelty-free” label.
As we can see, in all these spheres only the human perspective is considered — our comfort, control, entertainment, and desire to feel close to nature. Rarely does anyone ask: “How does this small creature, looking into my eyes every day, feel swimming in a puddle-sized pool?” or “Does a lemur really want to be touched nonstop by fifty children every day?” We notice leather bags in shop windows but do not connect the dots — it is just a beautiful thing, not the life of an innocent animal. And so we move through a world that speaks so often about kindness and love, forgetting that it begins with each of us.
Do we have the right to continue ignoring total disrespect and often outright cruelty toward animals just because “that’s how it’s always been”? Once upon a time, serfdom, slavery, and death in gas chambers were considered normal. Perhaps it is time to change our reference points, review information, allow ourselves to disagree, and take small steps toward change. One person alone will not topple multimillion-dollar industries with an Instagram post or a small protest — but together, change can begin. Small changes are the key. Do not force yourself into everything at once. Start simply: do not visit petting zoos, circuses, or dolphinariums; do not buy cosmetics tested on animals or products made from real fur. It may seem like a drop in the ocean, but oceans are made of drops.
We all want to feel like good people, don’t we? To be remembered as those whose lives were not stained with blood, pain, and suffering — those who not only take, but also give back. Let this cruel and inhumane world receive one more reason to fight for love and kindness, and let that reason be each of us.
Author: Viktoriia Hridina
