Misplaced values

As a child growing up on a small dairy farm, I repeatedly heard that my parents were millionaires five times over because they had five children. A recent story from Bucharest astounds me with the immense devaluation of a child.
A short news story reported that in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, some 20,000 homeless children roam the streets because this financially strapped country lacks funding to maintain adequate orphanages, children’s shelters or foster homes.
Roaming those same streets with the children are an estimated 200,000 stray dogs, 10 times the number of children. The foul the streets and bite thousands of people each year. In March, city officials said, “enough!” and began rounding up the dogs to put them down.
There was a major outcry from European dog lovers, including Brigette Bardot, the actress. She went to Bucharest, adopted 14 of the dogs and donated $140,000 for the sterilization of the strays. Under the pressure of animal rights activists, city officials announced a program to have 80 percent of the strays adopted.
Having agreed to save the homeless dogs from destruction, the official pointed the compassionate Ms. Bardot to the 20,000 homeless children also wandering the streets. Each child need food, clothing, shelter and education.
Ms. Bardot donated $3,000 to a local orphanage. NO one said aything about developing a program to get 80 percent of the children off the streets and adopted.
By dollar amount donated per child or per dog, Bardot said that to her dogs are worth nearly 5 times as much as children. The animal overs were satisfied with a promise that 80 percent of the abandoned dogs will be adopted and ignored the 100 percent of the abandoned children still roaming the streets.
Having owned a couple dogs and parented a half dozen children, I know dogs are easier. If they have food to eat and a place to sleep, they never complain, get in trouble at school, take drugs, sass back or ask for money. With a bit of training dogs can detect drugs, lead the blind or herd sheep. In return they only ask to be fed regularly.
The catch is that dogs do not invent ways to kill annoying fleas, attend to canine veterinarian schools or donate for the good of other dogs.
Ms. Bardot’s donations were shortsighted. She forgot who will care for future dogs. If children do not have to compete with dogs for food as homeless street wanderers they will grow up to love and protect future generations of dogs. It will be the fed, clothed and educated children who earn the money for future donations to sterilize dogs.
There is something wrong when packs of roaming dogs get funds for sterilization and pledges for adoption while packs of roaming children are only tossed a crust of food.
My farming parents never claimed to be rich because they had dogs, cats, cows or any other animal. They claimed to be overwhelmingly wealthy because they had children. They treated their animals well, but considered their children a better investment. I prefer my parents values to those of Ms. Bardot any day.