There is no greater purpose to the education and enlightenment of our children. If we accept that our greatest responsibility is towards saving the world with all its problems there is probably no vehicle more efficacious, compelling or profound as the pathway provided by animals in reaching the hearts and minds of our youth. Unfortunately we live in a period of separation between humans and other beings. Urban human Canadians comprise more than 95% of the total population. By their very definition urban humans live in an environment created by and for a very high density of human habitation. Such an environment is very homocentric and thus by extension very exclusionary to other species. While it is true that certain species, domesticated dogs, house sparrows, squirrels, etc ., have exploited urban environments successfully, they do not represent the norm of human animal relationships. As a consequence it is imperative that we educate our children to the fact that we share a planet and what more appropriate group to illustrate the required sharing than those actual neighbours, the denizens of field and stream to which our youth are no longer exposed.

It is easy to love animals. They are brethren; they suffer similar travails as humans, the rearing of young, the pursuit of suitable mates, and similar triumphs, the pursuit of suitable mates and the rearing of young. Through an innate love of animals perhaps we can educate our young to love the planet and what we love we can never forsake. There truly are no endangered species, rather endangered spaces. Let us employ our neighbours of this planet, the animals, to remind us of our duty and responsibility to cherish and save a planet.