The Mary T. and
Frank L. Hoffman
Family Foundation
and All-Creatures.Org

Letters and Responses

Letter from Frankie about Animal Cruelty - 14 May 2008

Hello,

My name is Frankie and I'm 17 years old. I go to an all boys school where most kids are into the "macho-man" persona and manliness is emphasized.

I recently observed the Michael Vick scandal and thought nothing much of it afterwards. I felt indifferent until I saw a program on a local news station which highlighted the abuse of dogs and the inhumane nature of dog fighting. I thought about it a lot and the thought eventually faded.

About half a year ago, television commercials started to appear which advertised adoption of dogs in pounds. The looks on the faces of these dogs was priceless. If I were able to afford care for all of the dogs in my local pounds, I would certainly buy every single one.

I myself have a dog, which I can call my own, named Trevor. He is an American Eskimo and is incredibly adorable. He is also phenomenally loyal. People come over to my house and note that my dog is like a baby, in the sense that I treat him like my son. There is a special cordiality that I share with my dog because I have had him seven years.

When I visit other people�s homes that have dogs, they always say "I hope you're not afraid of dogs." I go on to play with that dog like it is my own and more than not, people explain that their dogs usually don't like new people or they say "wow, he/she really likes you." I don't know that I could find another animal that gives so much of its life to man and in return we have individuals who abuse them.

On the night I wrote this, I was searching pictures for my presidential campaign at school. I noticed a picture of a bloodied up dog and then a picture of a dog fight. I clicked the pictures which lead me to your website. It is nearly impossible to explain in words how I felt after viewing every single picture in the animal exploitation gallery. For lack of better words, I would say I was confused and in shock.

I believe it to be human nature that when we look into the eyes of these animals we feel their basic want to be free and live a normal life. I saw the pain and suffering of these animals and was literally out of breath. I found myself in the beginning stages of crying but did not cry.

To say these things is quite awkward for me being it is I am a high school athlete at an all boys school and what not. I would not mind the slightest bit if my friends knew how I felt because I know that if these so called "bros" and "beasts," as we call each other, will also feel for these poor animals. I called one of my friends just to see how it was to tell another guy. He also felt the same way I felt and was not sure how to express himself.

I have recently taken up an interest in politics and hopefully will one day be in a position where I have the authority to do something significant about the issue of animal exploitation. In the meantime, I vow to do what I can as a high school teenager to prevent the future exploitation of the creations of God of which we have taken cruel advantage of. I extend my sincere luck to others like me who wish to join the fight against animal exploitation. To those who read this letter, I thank you for simply reading it.

Sincerely,

Frankie

Reply from Frank and Mary Hoffman

Dear Frankie:

Thank you very much for writing to us and for expressing such candid feeling. We're sure your words will touch the hearts of many others, as they have ours.

Please keep telling as many other people as you can.

The future of this world rests in the compassionate hearts and souls of young people like you.

In the Love of the Lord,

Frank and Mary

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