Individual:“I regularly see an AQUIS officer who is rather picky when inspecting peoples' gear yet his own dog is covered by several dozen ticks. Well, not for much longer , it's nearly dead. Why don't I do something about it ? I'd be branded racist & lose my job.”

It does seem to be the way Australia rolls. Maybe back when there was a lot of convicts there was a culture of not dogging. Being a dobber was probably the worst thing you could be and so it has continued on today. The crime isn’t punished but the person who brings it to authorities’ attention is.

This is just my latest theory as I try to work out why everything is so twisted here.

Thinker: “It all stems from "the concept of an acceptable level of cruelty, or control over the extent of cruelty", as a factor in our success formulae. Ruthlessness is revered in management, and placed on a pedestal in the world of business, not dissimilar to pulling the wings off a fly, is it really ?”

There’s one I hadn’t considered.

Thinker:“There is a connection between indifference to animal/even insect or plant life, ingrained within us or accepted within us, from an early age, and our subsequent and consequent views on the sanctity of life and its degree's, as we see fit, later.”

This is more global and for many in the west that has changed a lot the last couple of generations or I thought it was changing. But people like Crackup still come across what he describes as "Old Boys" in charge.

Jewely

I'd leave my children with people who treat animals well, yet there are those who treat their children well but are completely oblivious to the welfare of their pets.



No doubt some people here can trawl for examples of well-treated pets and mistreated children - humans are idiosyncratic creatures. However, I believe this would be rare.

I remain hopeful that compassion will eventually win out over indifference to all living beings.

“I'd leave my children with people who treat animals well, yet there are those who treat their children well but are completely oblivious to the welfare of their pets.”

Fair enough Ammonite and your children, your call. Mind you some things only affect pets and not kids and are hard to deal with or get out of hand quickly – fleas etc. Gives the appearance of long term mistreatment where it might have set in quite rapidly.

“No doubt some people here can trawl for examples of well-treated pets and mistreated children - humans are idiosyncratic creatures. However, I believe this would be rare.”

Yeah probably, I’ve never come across it that way around. I think Child Services have some agreement with being notified by RSPCA in some states here which worries me.