Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, March 6, 2021

12 Mountain View News Saturday, March 6, 2021 

ANIMALS 
IN OUR OWN WORDS 

If you happen to cross my path on any given day 

Happy Tails

in Sierra Madre, and if we happen to strike up a 
conversation along the way, you can be sure the topic 
of our talk will be, in some way, related to animals. by Chris LeclercThere is a reason why, after years of working in an 
office or on a construction site, I chose to occupy my 
time with the fine, furry felines and kind canines in 
my community. If you ask me, there is nothing more rewarding, nor is there a more prestigious position than that of 
simply being beside a beloved, precious pet. 


For several years I’ve shared my feelings and opinions freely about the importance of animals in this column, and I 
imagine there are readers who may think I am quite a character for the way I refer to pets as if they are part human or 
part of the family. Well, that’s okay with me. I will always stand strong on my conviction that God created the animals 
for an express purpose far and away beyond what the average human can truly appreciate. 

For those humans who have come to an understanding of how animals can change their lives for the better, I’m sure 
you will enjoy this Happy Tail. This week I decided to share a list of quotes from some of my more renowned fellow 
animal lovers, including a few words inspired by the Creator Himself. I often subscribe to such quotes when I need 
a spiritual lift, and I am pleased to know there’ve been numerous other two-leggers throughout history who’ve had 
experiences similar to my own, in terms of loving and appreciating the animals. 

Some of these quotes are rather whimsical in nature, while others are more austere, but they all make a point that I 
hope will not be lost in interpretation; That the animals have made their mark in a very special way, in our hearts and 
on this earth. Be the steward God intended you to be. Respect them. Care for them. Love them. 

“Animals are my friends…and I don’t eat my friends.” ~ George Bernard Shaw 

“The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.” ~ Proverbs 12:10 (NIV) 

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi 

“Some people talk to animals. Not many listen though. That’s the problem.” ~ A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh 

“People speak sometimes about the ‘bestial’ cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive to beasts, no animal 
could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel.” ~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky 

“I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~ Winston S. Churchill 

“I ask people why they have deer heads on their walls. They always say because it’s such a beautiful animal. There you 
go. I think my mother is attractive, but I have photographs of her.” ~ Ellen DeGeneres 

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” ~ Josh Billings 

“Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.” ~ Mark Twain 

“The assumption that animals are without rights and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance 
is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is the only guarantee of 
morality.” ~ Arthur Schopenhauer, The Basis of Morality 

“Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day. 
It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each 
other because of them.” ~ John Grogan, Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World’s Worst Dog 

“Petting, scratching, and cuddling a dog could be as soothing to the mind and heart as deep meditation and almost as 
good for the soul as prayer.” ~ Dean Koontz, False Memory 

“I have from an early age abjured the use of meat, and the time will come when men such as I will look upon the 
murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci 

“If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience.” 
~ Woodrow Wilson 

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” ~ Anatole France 

“Love and let live.” ~ Chris Leclerc 

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 
THE PRIEST THAT STIMULATED OUR THINKING 


[This is part of an unpublished book about the author’s childhood and teens. Nyerges is the 
au-thor of several books such as “Extreme Simplicity,” “Enter the Forest,” “How to Survive Anywhere,” 
and others. Information about his classes and books is available at www.SchoolofSelfReliance.
com.] 

Once I began attending John Muir High School, I was no longer getting the Catholic 
religious instruction that I got from classes at St. Elizabeth’s in grades 1 through 8, 
and at St. Francis high school in the ninth grade. 
Our local parish church, St. Elizabeth, offered Monday night classes for Catholics who were at-tending 
public school, and my mother encouraged me to go, just like my older brothers had done. Did I say 
“encouraged”? Let’s just say I had no other choice. The classes were called CCD, which I believe meant 
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. For me, this meant I could get out of the house on Monday nights 
and hopefully meet girls. I would usually go up to St. Eliza-beth’s school with my brother Richard and 
friend George, and sometimes with others. 

We’d go to the 7th grade classroom and the priest would engage us in discussions of issues of honesty, 
relationships, politics, etc., all with the intent to get us to think in terms of how problems and issues can be 
seen, and resolved, in the context of Catholic dogma and theology. In the be-ginning, I spoke very little, 
afraid of my own shadow. But when I began to answer simple ques-tions when no one else spoke up, and 
the priest seemed delighted and surprised at my answers, I continued to override my feelings of stupidness 
and self-consciousness and would engage the priest in discussions and lively questions that everyone 
else at least found entertaining. I don’t recall all of the specific topics we discussed, but one time, the priest 
asked us what was the most important single factor in a relationship. No one said a word. I thought about 
it and the answer seemed obvious. Finally, I spoke up and said, “being honest,” and the priest said “You hit 
the nail on the head.” He then spoke for the rest of the night about being honest. 

Often, I would share some fact, or have some query, which would objectively contradict what the priest 
had previously told us. The priest always seemed to smile, and lighten up, when some-one challenged his 
ideas. It allowed him the opportunity to share the Catholic dogma, but more importantly, it allowed the 
priest to intellectually engage with us students.
Some of the subjects generally dealt with biological evolution, abortion, the possibility of rein-carnation, 
the possibility that the English translations of the Bible could have some errors, and other topics. The 
priest encouraged us to ask questions, and I began to look forward to the discussion aspects of his lessons. 
Though the priest always tried to bring it back to Catholic dogma and belief – which was the stated 
purpose of the classes – he did so in a very dynamic way. I liked the fact that we were never being dryly 
taught “church doctrine” but rather we were guided to see some of these issues in the light of traditional 
church beliefs. 

Word got around to my mother that I was “debating with the priest.” I don’t know who would have 
reported that to my mother, or what they actually said. I presume it was a second or third hand report 
by another student who told their parent about the discussions, who told another parent, who knew my 
mother and told her, most likely in a very distorted way. 

“How dare you talk back to the priest?” she said one day, without even asking me for an expla-nation or 
asking me my side. 

“What? When did I do that?” I replied. 

“I heard that you were telling off the priest. What makes you think you know more than the priest?” she 
yelled. 

I attempted an explanation, but all she knew is that I didn’t sit there in the classroom meekly and say “yes, 
father” to the priest. It was near-heresy to question anything that the priest said. She never accepted my 
explanation, and would bring it up for years later, pointing out my arrogance to think that I could actually 
“talk back” to the priest, as if that’s what I was really doing, which I wasn’t. 

I never forgot this incident, realizing that when it came to the Church, my mother had some very strong 
viewpoints. In this case, she would not let facts get in the way of what she already believed. 


A “PURR-FECT” 
PAIR! 

Think nachos and oreos! 
Yes, Nacho and Clydeare definitely yum yumsand very adoptable!
Age 11 mos. Both are 
very friendly. They are 
a bonded pair who lovebatting spring toys,
chasing catnip mice,

and grooming each other. Both had a bit of a rough startbut as long as they have each other, they’re very happy.
Nacho is a ginger cat who loves to play “fetch” and will bring toys to his person to throw for him. Clydeis a soft tuxedo with a fluffy feathery tail who loves to jump in the air to catch toys, and explores any boxor bag he can find. Clyde also enjoys cuddles, and will happily let his person brush and pet him. This 
dynamic duo can often be found watching out the window for squirrels or peacocks (they still don’t 
know what to make of the resident peacocks). Nacho will adapt quickly to a new home, and Clyde willfollow Nacho’s lead. We believe they would do best with an experienced adopter who can manage someof their behaviors. In particular, while both are very food-motivated, Nacho will try to eat any food hecan find, including human food, so his forever home will need to be vigilant about not leaving food (or 
even empty dishes) on counters or in the sink, and Nacho will need to be fed in a separate room to allowClyde to eat his own dinner. We can advise on best strategies. See more pictures, adoption information 
and application on our website at the Young Cats page at www.lifelineforpets.org. 


Pet of the Week

 Eleven-year-old Max has had an interesting life so far – heactually used to be a bomb-sniffing dog! But he’s retirednow, and just looking for a happy home to call his own.
Max is great with people of all ages, good with other dogs,
and potty-trained. All he needs now is a comfy couch anda loving person to curl up with!

The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions includespay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines.

 New adopters will receive a complimentary health-andwellness 
exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as agoody bag filled with information about how to care for 
your pet.

 View photos of adoptable pets and schedule a virtualadoption appointment at pasadenahumane.org. Adoptionsare by appointment only, and new adoption appointmentsare available every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for the followingweek.

 
Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adoptersby phone calls or email. 

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