Dignity and Respect

Humans attach considerable importance to their dignity being preserved by others. They expect, too, to be treated with respect.  But humans’ tendency is not to see sheep as being similarly deserving. Sheep farmers, the sheep farming community, and those others whose activity involves sheep, display the attitude that sheep are for their, and other humans’, uses. They fail to demonstrate in what they do with sheep that they recognise sheep as worthy of their own dignity being kept and of being respected.

In how they treat sheep, farmers and others who use sheep are showing that they do not esteem sheep. This would appear to emanate from a narrow view being held. A blinkered attitude seems to be prevailing in which sheep are seen just as commodity, rather than there being cognisance that sheep are living beings and with all the aspects attendant. 

It is because of how they are seen that sheep are not being treated well enough and suitably. Sheep are being used for the purposes of those using them, without the sheep being highly regarded and without their nature and feelings being taken into account. In the absence of appreciation and understanding of sheep on the part of their handlers, sheep are not having the kind of treatment that keeps their dignity, and they are not having the respect that they should. Of bad handling of sheep, a proportion may stem from lack of adequate knowledge about sheep on the part of the handlers.

A particular activity in which sheep’s dignity has considerable potential to not be retained, and in which respect for sheep is rather likely to be missing, is that of entertainment. Sheep can be made to do things which do not keep their dignity and which do not respect them, things which are alien to their nature as sheep and which are not their normal behaviour. 

If sheep were valued fully and truly, rather than just viewed in business and financial terms, they would be treated better and with more honour and compassion.

If sheep were looked upon not as items but as living creatures, if their characteristics were noted, if their sensitivities were recognised, if they and their qualities were appreciated, the norm would be for their dignity to be kept and for them to be respected.