Luna after a bath

 Luna always looks her glossy best after a bath. I've been rubbing the dogs with coconut oil loaded with a drop each of lavender and cedar essential oil, and adding brown rice vinegar to their drinking water as a natural flea repellent. The dogs like the mix, and it's no problem if they lick it.

 Meanwhile I seek inspiration reading various books, and am as usual inspired by Betty Reardon (2001) "Education for a culture of peace in a gender perspective" UNESCO Publishing. 
"Violence...is avoidable and intentional harm inflicted in the pursuit of goals or purposes sought by particular individuals or groups, without regard to the rights or needs of others"...
It seems to me the violence perpetrated on dogs here in Japan, this facile abandoning of pets, comes from an inbred sense of entitlement and human privilege...not just in the moment the pet becomes a nuisance, but right from the moment where having a pet has to be the "my puppy" just for me attitude...

Bobbie Harro (1982) has a very interesting diagram describing the Cycle of Socialization, starting with being "born into world with mechanics in place, No blame, no consciousness, no guilt, no choice, limited/no information, misinformation...resulting in dehumanization... violence... internalization of patterns of power" (Routledge, 1997: Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice...I have the older version, there's a newer book out apparently)

Even when the information about the plight of abandoned dogs, the terrible way the mothers are kept, the shocking number of puppies injured or grown too old to sell and put down is clearly reported, the strength of human entitlement is so deep, people still rush unthinkingly to pet shops for "their special puppy".  Animals have even less chance to protect themselves from this kind of violence than humans, who can reach out in language and media...
You're all missing out, says Lady Claire. Just be in the moment and you'll see me in all my glory.

Right now Gundog Rescue CACI has four setters from Fukushima hoping for adoption and a forever home...right now, your very own English setter: go for it!