I read with horror the story about a 12-year-old boy who has been arrested after allegedly killing his dog by hanging it. Apparently someone inside the apartment where the boy lives called 911 to say he was "hurting the dog," but when police arrived they refused to open the door. The cops obtained a pass key and found the dead 12-pound terrier mix hanging from its collar on a bedroom door handle. According to police, the Californian boy showed absolutely no remorse and told them: "I was mad at the dog so I killed it."
What can possibly be going through the mind of a 12-year-old boy who says he wants to see his own little dog die, as police have said he told them? Where does all this cruelty come from?
While the death of the poor little dog is tragic enough, what does this boy's behavior say about our ability to teach our children to have empathy not only for humans, but also for other living creatures?
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Like most little kids, my 6-year-old daughter has already started asking for a pet, namely a dog. Since we already went through that when my stepson was younger and understand the huge undertaking behind having a dog, we've told her she can't have one. But sometimes I can't help but wonder that besides all the work involved in having a pet, there are also a lot of lessons to be taught, including not only responsibility, but also compassion.
I'm not about to go out and get my daughter a pet just to teach her to be compassionate to animals, but after reading about what this boy did in California this week, I will definitely make sure to have yet another conversation about how important it is to take care of all living creatures.
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