While walking home one May evening I came across a baby raccoon on the side of the road. It was curled up on its side peacefully. It looked asleep, but it was dead. I passed it on the way home and it had gained a companion. Another small raccoon had joined the first, nuzzling its dead sibling with its nose. As I got close to get a picture I talked soothingly to it (much to the amusement and disdain of a family friend). Even when I was about five feet away it didn't run, but rather stayed as we left, sitting a silent vigil.
Animals have been known to be very loyal. Several pets have been known to stay with their companions - be it human or animal - after death or during emergencies. Hachi, a famous canine example of this, has a movie made in honor of his life of waiting by the train station for his Master, who died of a heart attack while at work [1]. Pudding, a large tomcat, saved his owners life when she was having a seizure in her sleep and he woke up her son to get help [2]. There are TV shows, books, and websites dedicated to honoring pet heroes. Animals have been known to follow their owners around the house or even when they are abandoned.
I've begun to wonder if humans show the same level of loyalty. Of the 2,315,000 marriages in 2000, 19% of them ended in divorce. In 2010, the number of marriages had dropped by 219,000, while the population total had increased [3]. Many couples I know live together unmarried, and while I am not going to argue if its right to do that, it seems like animals lately have displayed more loyalty than humans.
When a dog will stay at a train station in rain or shine - 'for better or worse' - for his friend that is not coming home why won't couples fight harder to save marriages? When a cat saves its owner the same day it is adopted why will friends allow themselves to split because of arguments? When a raccoon will sit vigil with a dead sibling why do some people take theirs for granted?
I'm not perfect, but I do believe one of the qualities lacking in society is loyalty.
1. Hawkins, Katheryn. "Hachiko: The World's Most Loyal Dog." Gimundo. Hawkins Multimedia, April 26, 2010. Web. 4 Jun 2012..
2. Coffey, Laura. "Cat named Pudding rescues owner hours after his adoption." Today.com. MSNBC, 2012. Web. 4 Jun 2012.
3. "National Marriage and Divorce Rate Trends." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. USA.gov, January 10, 2010. Web. 4 Jun 2012..
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