"Is our treatment of coonhounds a measure of our moral progress?"

I'm really good at torturing myself. How? Well, I'm NOT currently looking for any canine additions to my "pack," but, from time to time, I'll swing by a Coonhound rescue site to see what dogs are looking for forever homes.

Most of y'all know that I'm a sucka for a hound, particularly a classic-looking Coonie - think big, huge Bloodhound-y head, with massive ears and a big, blocky body (like this delicious beast). A lot of the dogs on the CoonhoundRescue.com site are just that...so, even though I say that I'll probably never have another hound and that my "next dog" will be a red male Dobie, who really knows what'll happen.

So, to torture myself, I went to the site today - it's rainy in Michigan and I'm just websurfing. The webmaster had posted this article and I feel it important to share.

While I think "coonhound" could be replaced in the article for many different breeds (or humans!), the article IS appropriate for a lot of the southern U.S. where hounds and hound mixes are predominant. (Sure, I could insert here how there are some rescue groups in NY who are importing hounds to the NY area and how that's irresponsible...but, well, I'll save that soapbox for another rainy day.) Americans think of pretty much everything as disposable, even our animals, and it DOES speak to our moral turpitude. The Coonhound that inspired this article is indicative of not just American selective blindness (think post-Katrina aftermath, no?), but just how trusting and willing to forgive rescued - or wanting-to-be-rescued - animals can be (another soapbox, I know, I know).

No, I know the entire population isn't corrupt. Get it. I know a slew of folks who could never, ever in a gazillion years be blind to the kind of suffering this sweet Coonie was showing - whether it was human or canine. Equally, however, I know folks who would never give two shits. I would only ask that we ALL keep our eyes open...and do what we can to alleviate suffering.

My answer to the question posed? Yes. Yes, our treatment of coonhounds is indeed a measure of our moral progress.