[FurKids]

Some differences may occur across cultures making some differences to the numbers but the stress encountered remain common, especially the killing of healthy animals part which really tears the human heart. As one vet told me, many vets choose to enter veterinary science because they deeply love and care for animals, and their intensive training is geared towards healing and saving animal life, not end it out of convenience, especially one that is not afflicted with something terminal.

In order to grasp the picture more effectively, compare that to killing a human whose injuries are not life-threatening (not to mention a healthy human which is tantamount to murder) but for convenience eg. your aged parents, or your not so beautiful child ... or your neighbour's playful kid that tresspassed into your yard.

But on the other hand, the nature of human beings are as wide as the spectrum of the rainbow. There exists some humans who simply enjoy killing and destroying lives and sleep very well at night too. Example, people who hate and cannot stand the sight of dogs loitering around cannot understand all the fuss dog-lovers make to save them. People who hate and simply cannot stand the sight of cats around anywhere neutered or not and think they should just be removed from the face of this earth (oh yes, there are humans like that - read the Bukit Merah report!) will not understand the passion of cat rescuers like myself who firmly believe that healthy cats have the right to life. And there are humans who firmly believe that no animal has the right to walk on this earth at all ... and there are even humans who stand firm that only they alone have the right to live and other people are totally insignificant.

Yes, in Japan there is concern that an alarming number kids are under so much pressure that they commit suicide at a tender age compared to some other countries.

And yes, some cultures are trained from young to suppress their feelings better but at the end of the day, they are manifested in some other forms often at later different stage in life, all taking its toll, and few are able to perceive the subtle connection.

However, the bottom line is that the stress encountered remains common regardless of culture and sex and stress is a very silent killer.

And, having the courage and compassion of heart to recognise what many of our very own vets have to go through, may we fellow animal lovers be able to offer them some understanding and some emotional and psychological support in the very least.