One of the things that make humans different from animals is the ability to speak. But what if animals could develop that ability? A few years ago an animal did speak. His name was Noc and he was a dolphin in an American research center. Noc was able to repeat words and sentences spoken by trainers. Noc died shortly after, but researchers think that someday dolphins may be able to speak a human language.
So, if animals could talk, what do you think they would say to us? I think the first thing they would say is: "Please treat us better. " Humans use animals for food and other commercial products. We use them for entertainment, and as pets. But we treat them as objects rather than as living, feeling, thinking creatures. And sometimes we treat them very badly.
During the National Day holiday, two camels in Dunhuang, Gansu province, were ridden to death. Tourists had climbed on the camels' backs from dawn to dusk until, hungry, thirsty and tired, the animals collapsed and died. That same week people lined up in a village near Nanjing to drink deer blood. They thought that deer blood drunk from freshly cut antlers would improve their health. They did not think of the pain and the terror felt by the deer.
Someday another Noc will appear and start to talk to humans. He will tell us that humans and animals are not really that different. We both have thoughts and feelings and we share the same earth. This Noc will say, "You are the smartest of all the animals, so can you please find it in your heart to treat us better?"
