Two Halves of a Rabbit

On a beautiful summer day in 2024, both of my dogs were out romping on a little over eight acres of woods that we have been blessed to steward in the Pacific Northwest.   While they romped, I was "enjoying" yard work on the property (otherwise known as the ultimate in "free" gym and fitness experiences) when I noticed our older dog racing out of the brush at breakneck speed.  I also noticed a smaller creature with a round little cottontail racing out of the same brush at a slightly faster speed.  Much to my dismay, the smaller creature soon slowed down and my dog caught up to the poor little thing which led to a scene that I won't describe in detail.   

The rabbit did not survive the experience.  To make matters worse, my other dog wanted to get in on the action and we ended up with two halves of a recently thriving rabbit in the mouths of two different dogs, running in different directions around the yard.  There was absolutely nothing I could say to them, no matter what the level of my voice, that would persuade them to stop being so "cruel" to that poor rabbit.  Their brains had turned off and instinct had kicked in at full volume.  

In that moment of horror and dismay, I couldn't recognize the sweet, mild-mannered, playful, and affectionate dogs that I knew and that got  along with my two cats (also "prey") just fine.  In that moment, all I saw was two predators doing what predators do.  

Hunting and killing.

This, despite the fact that these two canines were guaranteed two full meals a day and ample treats that would never leave them truly hungry. This despite the fact that they were "trained" to behave without aggression. This despite the fact that there were at least a hundred other, quite fun things to do in the great outdoors. 

Anthropomorphizing them, however, wasn't the way to go. This behavior was their instinct. The fact that both dogs are part hound only strengthens their impulse to hunt, tree, and kill.  

I hated watching this scene unfold, but I gave up my first impulse to scold and yell at them to drop the rabbit and retreated to the house until it was over. I couldn't watch any more of it.  The image of those two halves will be etched in my memory forever.

The scene made me think about how as human beings, we are created differently. We have been granted the immense privilege of being able to override our instinct in favor of compassion.  And with that privilege, it seems that we have a responsibility to reject cruelty and choose kindness.  We have the potential for self control. We can choose not to be cruel.  If we have enough to eat, we can refrain from hunt and kill.  As omnivores, we have the technology and capacity to kill the animals we ultimately eat -- humanely and with respect.

Yet so often and in so many ways, we choose to do otherwise.  We choose cruelty. We choose to be unkind.  And often it appears to have nothing to do with instinct.  Sometimes... too often...we come up with new and horrifying ways to act.  We come up with unkind and ugly ways of being that are far beyond the capacity of two hound dogs.

They do what they do purely out of instinct. 

And what of human beings?  If our basic needs are fulfilled, why would we and why do we choose to be cruel?