to be blubbing over those donkey and general animal charity ads but the starving children ones...

[CaptainTripps]

and suchlike leave me cold.

I mean ffs what is wrong with me? It should be the other way around.

Have I got an human empathy chip missing? I feel really bad about this.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

I was going to add my tuppence worth but I am so shocked, depressed, whatever at someone putting animal abuse at the same level as child abuse. I find that unbelievable.

[candycoatedwaterdrops]

The animal ones make me cry, whereas the children ones make me terribly depressed. While I do feel more emotionally incontinent over the animal ones, (and believe me, I am not an animal lover) I don't give to animal charities, only human ones. So, I suppose I am rational about it but my emotions are less logical.

[AmberLeaf]

Animal charities do well because people don't judge animals for their circumstances.

People on the other hand...

[AmberLeaf]

There is also the aspect of many, if not all of the starving children ones being in African countries.

Lots of people see black children/people as 'other' they do not identify with them, so often don't feel any connection.

I know that will make some people feel uncomfortable, but it is true.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I agree Amber and interestingly I think the charities may be suffering from the general perception that Africa is 'broken'. We only hear tragedies, see wars, see children as soldiers, starving and broken. There is no transition, which makes people, subconsciously or not, put Black African children into a box in their heads.

Having spent time in Africa and seen happy, smiling, well-fed, loved children, I see their faces when I think of the suffering children. I think of the kids in Rwanda who mobbed me and my friends (in a good way) when I think of the genocide. Real children, just like mine, who were killed or made orphans. Real parents who watch their children die of starvation, just as I would have to if I had the misfortune to be poor in a poor country.

[hyenafunk]

I agree with amber.

I went to Auschwitz a few years ago and I was sobbing, most people were. Some couldn't handle it at all and had to leave, even witnessed one have a panic attack. Then there was a girl I was with who didn't react whatsoever. Anything to do with animals though and she was devastated, she was a staunch animal rights supporter from a young age.

I couldn't understand it at the time but now I do. I think what amber said is correct. Also I now see that some people just prefer animals to humans and feel more empathy with them. There's nothing wrong with you, if there was you'd feel nothing for the animals either.

Interesting people sob at the cruelty towards the donkeys on the adverts but slaughtering cows, pigs, fish, sheep and chickens for food (and forcing them to live in torturous conditions for their short lives) is just fine .

[Beastofburden]

I do generally feel proud of the British response to charity though. For the Philippines, the DEC has raised, what, £55 m so far from the British public. Whereas entire nations have given considerably less. And interesting that the poster child as it were is not a cute little girl, but a deeply traumatised, very real looking young teenaged boy with a wound to his face. S they are showing as much suffering as it is decent to show us, I think.

[curlew]

"I don't think child abuse is any worse than animal abuse to be honest, although I know that will probably shock some people."

Not shocked. Disgusted. Repulsed. Ashamed that humans could feel that way. But not shocked.

[hb1976]

Do you have children OP? I only ask because I used to be more upset by animal suffering adverts as children seemed quite alien to me, not having any of my own. That changed though with the birth of my daughter and watching a child advert can now leave me sobbing for hours

[2goatytocare]

I think if concentration camps dont get to you then there is something wrong with your wiring im afraid

[Caitlin17]

I have one child. If I'm honest I would admit cruelty to animals does upset me more. If I'm being honest the April Jones case upset me far more than other similar cases. I don't know why, but there were pictures of her I found heartbreaking.

I have monthly standing orders for donations to the SSPCA, The Cats Protection League and Oxfam. The one for Oxfam has been in place for almost 30 years.

[kmc1111]

I'm the same. I donate money to these causes, I've volunteered in Cambodian orphanages, I raise money, but the ads leave me cold whereas animal cruelty ads have me in floods of tears. I think it's the cruelty aspect. If I see a wild animal hurt in it's natural environment, it doesn't affect me the same way (though obviously I'll help the poor creature if possible). But to see the things people PURPOSEFULLY do to animals, that just devastates and enrages me.

I must admit though I get frustrated with people who are all about helping the children, just the children, preferably the really cute ones. Sending a child to school is great until their parents die of AIDS and they have to start taking care of their siblings. I think that's why a lot of the charities that are advertised on TV don't do much for me. I'm much more moved by the stories of people helped by microfinancing for example.

[ElleBellyBeeblebrox]

How the fuck is child abuse no worse than animal abuse? That might be the most ridiculous thing I've ever read on Mumsnet.
I hate cruelty to animals and have been moved and upset by some of the ads and campaigns (mostly the PETA ones) however to me they don't have anywhere near the impact of those of the NSPCC, Save the Children, Water Aid to name a few. They often make me cry. I don't donate to animal charities because I feel the human charities especially the children's ones are far more important.
I think someone up thread said they were "unmoved" by the children's charity adverts, that I find incredibly depressing.

[MorgauseIsNotBlinking]

Animal ones just annoy me. Simple and cheap enough to put a suffering animal down. Ridiculous to keep them alive at great cost when children are dying.

I never give to pet animal charities there are far too many dogs and cats around as it is.

[Bowlersarm]

Animal charities always appeal to me. Animal cruelty tugs at my heartstrings. I always give if I can.

As well as a couple of charities which mean something to me personally such as RNIB.

I hardly ever give to disaster/international appeals.

[MrsDavidBowie]

woowooowl what an ignorant, offensive comment.

I hope you don't work with children at all.

[sleepychunky]

As head of fundraising for a (small) national children's charity I am constantly battling to try and raise the income we need This year so far we have a shortfall of 22%. When I read things that £18.5million was given to the Donkey Sanctuary in legacies in 2012 it makes me very cross. Just a tiny fraction of that amount (less than 1%) would be enough to keep us going. I just don't understand why people feel more strongly about animals than people.

[curlew]

And the next person who posts on my Facebook wall an appeal to find a home for some poor bloody dog that's spent 8 miserable years in a concrete pen in Romania because the "no kill" charity involved would rather an animal had a miserable life than an easy death I won't be responsible for my actions.

[NoArmaniNoPunani]

I just don't understand why people feel more strongly about animals than people.

I don't understand it either. I'm a vegetarian so do what I can for animal welfare but don't understand why people care more about abused animals than abused kids (and if they eat meat then I think they are massive hypocrites)

[quirrelquarrel]

Maybe it's a defense mechanism for you.
If animals suffer that's extremely sad. But if children suffer, that's very close to home and your empathy levels are acutely tuned in then so you have to detach so you don't feel the full impact. Dissociation?

[Iamsparklyknickers]

Whose anyone to judge someone else on what causes they find emotionally moving? Like everything else about us, what tugs on the heart strings will have been shaped by our own individual experience, whether that means not being able to comprehend or in some cases being all to well able to comprehend and disassociating - it doesn't call for name calling and shaming someone.

I get moved in very different ways by animal and human causes. It's rare a human cause will get tears from me - I get angry and I get practical. Of course I have empathy for the suffering of others, but it's my natural inclination to want to look for a solution to work towards. We're all human, this should be possible, it's what we do. Are tears really a better currency than action?

Animal causes - well yes they do get my tears going. I'm a soft touch and it upsets me to see humans treating another life so cruelly and without reason.

I have pondered on the reasoning behind this before, and I think for me personally I feel that with another person they have a capability for understanding the situation they're in, a chance for hope or peace where as animals don't have this ability. They live in the here and now, all they know is the pain. Granted this is just my own take on it, I'm sure someone has some knowledge that blows a hole in that theory.

Fwiw I have worked/volunteered over the years with young and old people with needs ranging from a bit of support with their shopping to working in a childrens hospice. Yes it is upsetting, but it also is something that needs to be done and something that selfishly gives me a sense of having made a difference. I can do this and do it well (imo) because I'm able to be practical and control my emotions. I need to be the strong one for those around me who can't be, my feelings can be comforted later after the work is done.

I could not work with animals in any capacity. I'm far too emotional about them to be of any use what so ever to the point I'm not really capable of doing what needs to be done. I have my pets, am massively into garden wildlife and will always help out any animal I see in distress to get to where it needs to be, but my emotions still make me unsuitable to be of any practical use in a real situation.

Epic post - but I'm really trying to get across that being upset and crying isn't a reliable indicator of caring.

[curlew]

"Epic post - but I'm really trying to get across that being upset and crying isn't a reliable indicator of caring."

I agree. But people on here are actually saying they feel less for human causes than animal ones (and have given some horrendous reasons- "somebody will always look after children, animals get forgotten" for example) - not that they cry less.

[Writerwannabe83]

I think, as someone else has mentioned previously, the reason I don't get upset by the adverts with starving children in them is because it isn't about abuse or neglect, whereas the animal adverts are. It is awful that some children are having to live in such awful conditions but it isn't anything that is purposefully being inflicted on them by other cruel individuals, it is just the way of the 3rd world country they live in, the causes are natural and although it is very unfortunate there isn't anyone to blame for it.

Seeing a used or neglected animals or children is completely different in my eyes. It upsets me beyond words to see images on telly of such things because I find it hard to believe that there are actually people in the world who are cruel enough to knowingly inflict such pain and suffering on another living creature.

I donate each month to the RSPCA and the NSPCC.

In my eyes suffering due to cruelty, abuse and neglect is different to suffering as a result of a natural disaster or suffering because of the circumstances of the country you live in. It is hard to imagine what the families must go through in 3rd World Countries in order to survive and although watching adverts about it it saddens me, they don't upset me.