The Silent Victim

 All around the world, men are crying for justice. However, there seems to be only so much little of it for everyone. There has never been such a loud cry for evenhandedness now as ever in the history of mankind and yet, somehow, we still are not seeing this justice we so aloud cry for. We have the best justice machinery set in place with the finest set of regulations and agencies to uphold justice like never before. Education has soared to the loftiest of heights and civilization is nearly climaxing but yet, somehow justice still remains a worldwide dilemma.

So the big question is: what is the problem? How come almost all other fields of science are seeing massive breakthroughs except the social sciences? What could be the deficit in the social discipline that seems to be staggering the progress of social sciences towards reaching the ultimate goals of which justice is a pillar?

One highly possible reason for this wide success gap between the medical and social sciences could be the inclusion of animals. Animals play distinctive roles in the design of medical interventions such as drugs, vaccines, nutrition, antidotes, etc. Most of these are ethically tried on animals and results and responses rightly assessed and analysed to serve as blueprints for inventing human versions of such interventions.

However, in the case of social sciences, animals are less included in the designing of social modules that seek to espouse global justice and wellbeing. Areas such as anthropozoology and ethnozoology that considers the social significance of animals to a great extent are of least concern to most people. Scholars and academics seldom write on or discuss issues that concern the issue of animals as cognitive part of society.

If only animals were ethically included in formulating social modules that seeks to uphold justice and welfare, then perhaps, the success gap between the medical and social sciences would be fairly narrowed and eventually bridged. 

Before there can be a breakthrough in the global quest for justice, the welfare of mankind's silent distant cousin must be checked, tried and examined meticulously and with all diligence. If anyone can do harm to an animal at any point in time and the law seems blindfolded to such an inhumane act, then it is only a matter of the right opportunity for such a one to do harm to a fellow human with the anticipation of getting away with that also. 

When laws and policies protecting animal welfare are strictly enforced to the last letter and  smallest tittle therein, justice will experience a tremendous thrive globally.

Section 303 of the Criminal Code of Ghana (Amendment 2003), Act 646 Chapter 9 spells out the details of the legal implications of animal cruelty in the country. The ‘Subsection 1 Clause a’ of the abovementioned  code states: Any person who cruelly beats, kicks, ill-treats, over-loads, tortures, infuriates or terrifies any animal, or causes or procures, or being the owner, permits any animal to be so used;  

How often is this law downtrodden? The answer is simply all the time! 

In our neighborhoods and on the streets we witness an unequivocal trampling on of this law. The basic five freedoms of animals are almost always suppressed in diverse ways from exploitation to neglect.

If we cannot protect just five freedoms how then do we expect to safeguard the many freedoms of humanity?

Until genuine egalitarians cease to be anthropocentric; until that time comes when the welfare of animals are not left in the hands of the ‘vegetarians’ and veterinarians alone, the animal will forever remain a silent victim.

It is critically high time we all arose and took up responsibility for the welfare of these silent victims because our victimization is only a matter of opportunity away from theirs. 

-Francis, Ghana.