Why Malaysia Needs "Kindness Camps" Of Its Own

I was surfing the Net out of boredom today and chanced upon a story which enchanted me from start to finish. It was a press release about "Camp Kindness" a summer camp for kids held in New York recently which taught children how to care for animals and cook vegetarian meals, among other things (read the full release here). 

The story warmed my heart, yet saddened me at the same time. I think it's wonderful that camps like the above are held for kids, yet really crappy that we don't hear of such camps here in Malaysia. For all the nation's progress, it's people have yet to lobby for laws that protect animals--domestic and farm-- from being exploited and sometimes tortured by random people or irresponsible owners. One example is a family in my parents' neighbourhood. They keep their two dogs tied in an abandoned house all day and I often hear the dogs barking at night, likely for some love and attention. Then I look at my family dog who is so loved and taken care of and I wonder why the owners of those two dogs are so heartless. You may wonder why I'm taking a back seat with this matter; it's because I've tried all avenues and failed to get these dogs away from their horrid owners and into a loving home. The best I can do now is say a prayer for those two dogs and hope that the next day will be better for them.

Imagine how different life would be for these dogs and countless other abused pets if children were sent to "kindness camps" to learn compassion towards animals. These children would then grow into more caring, conscious adults who know the value of being kind, be it to animals or humans. At the end of it all, all you need is love.