We faced a choice during our move that had nothing to do with packing or even the things we own (too many, but that's another story ;).For the move, Quizzie (our cat - born a stray and somewhat nervous) went into a cattery. While she was there the vet looked her over as well as getting her vaccinations up to date. She has bad teeth and some gum disease. To fix this and to do a blood test to check on other possible health issues would cost $400 to $500 (even cleanng a cat's teth needs a general anesthetic).
At the same time, an Internally Displaced People's camp in Burma is under attack by Burmese government forces. Some 4,000 women and children have fled across the river to Thailand and there is a great need for basic supplies. So, assuming we have $500 we can spend what do we do? Prolong our beloved cat's life and make the next few years more pleasant for her? - After all we see her every day! Save the lives of a few refugees we may never meet?Labels: burma, cat, ethics, refugee
¶ 6:00 AM
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I enjoy having students read some of Dorothy Day's autobiography, the early leader of the Catholic Worker Movement who pioneered Christian hospitality networks in NYC and elsewhere. She chose voluntary poverty for practical, ethical, and philosophical reasons, arguing that sharing everything one has with others is morally superior to owning anything.
However, from a practical point of view, her hospitality house was dependent on contributions from those who did have financial resources. How does the idealism of Christian service balance with the hard realities of life?
This doesn't necessarily address your cat decision, of course. We tend to see our pet (a dog) as a member of the family, so I think we would pay the vet. That doesn't necessarily make it right, though. Do we need to be more willing to let go of things, of pets, and even of other people?
By 
Bryan, at
June 15, 2009 1:29 PM
