Medals??

RE: Medals??

Julian Earl — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 19:49:41 GMT

[quote userid="6550" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29521/medals/227013#227013"]morality of peoples behaviour is another discussion entirely.[/quote]

Thanks or that suggestion Bob but you may want o start that discussion yourself, please!!? I've got too many things to do at the moment,

I see it as a subject that could run and run....!

RE: Medals??

Bob Russell — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 11:26:02 GMT

'They had no choice' - true but nor did most of the humans.

This is not what the award is for, the morality of peoples behaviour is another discussion entirely.

RE: Medals??

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 01:46:13 GMT

[quote userid="6550" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29521/medals/226991#226991"]I think dogs can be brave driven by instinct not thought. Consider the British diplomat who jumped into the water to save a drowning girl recently. Did he think it through or just do it?[/quote]

Dogs certainly do sometimes do "brave" things without being taught or trained. From instinct presumably, but probably instinct modified by a degree of reasoning. For instance, why would a dog be very protective of the children of a family, but less bothered about the adults?

RE: Medals??

bob lehner — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 15:38:57 GMT

[quote userid="2131" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29521/medals/227002#227002"]The point is that we like animals, we appreciate what these animals have done for us, including that pigeon, and we need to mark or show or demonstrate that appreciation.[/quote]

Millions of animals have been abused and perished in warfare. As the above mentioned memorial says "They had no choice."

RE: Medals??

Claudia Niehoegen — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 15:19:00 GMT

Oops, I should have looked that up! Wikipedia tells me it was awarded from 1943-1949, and revived in 2000, which was what I remembered. Although I do remember things from the late 50s ...

RE: Medals??

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 14:03:12 GMT

[quote userid="6080" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29521/medals/226986#226986"]Right when the ´Dickin Medal‘ was invented I thought it was a PR exercise,[/quote]

You were around then?

[quote userid="6080" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29521/medals/226986#226986"] the inventor who is probably not too happy about that.[/quote]

Well, she's been in her grave for 69 years, but might be turning in it.

[quote userid="6080" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29521/medals/226986#226986"]Absolutely ridiculous to attribute bravery to the animal recipients[/quote]

Of course. But that's not the point. The point is that we like animals, we appreciate what these animals have done for us, including that pigeon, and we need to mark or show or demonstrate that appreciation. Just as the Animals in War memorial in Park Lane is a fine war memorial. (Aesthetically, one of the finest).

I just wish the shallow ignorant meeja wouldn't call it "the animals' VC". That really is just stupid.

RE: Medals??

Claudia Niehoegen — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 10:59:32 GMT

Just to make you smile: when my daughter and her boyfriend were accosted by a man some years ago the boyfriend pushed my daughter in front of himself. It made us seriously doubt him at the time, but she still went on to marry him!

RE: Medals??

Bob Russell — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 09:14:19 GMT

I accept that a lot of issues revolve around animals being placed in difficult and dangerous situations by man but I do believe in bravery.

Some dogs will put themselves in dangerous situations to defend an owner or handler. They do not have a conception of mortality (presumably) but just as a mother might defend puppies a dog may defend an owner.

My GSD would jump in front of anything to defend a family member whereas my collie would firmly push him or us in front to defend her!

I think dogs can be brave driven by instinct not thought. Consider the British diplomat who jumped into the water to save a drowning girl recently. Did he think it through or just do it?

Not derisory, just complicated IMO!

RE: Medals??

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 08:27:49 GMT

[quote userid="6080" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/off-duty-discussions/29521/medals/226986#226986"]Right when the ´Dickin Medal‘ was invented I thought it was a PR exercise[/quote]

As someone who had a 20 year career in PR, I can tell you that is EXACTLY what it would be! That sort of thing is exactly the sort of thing I used to get splashed all over the Daily Mail (my credits included: 'The deer that thinks it's a dog', 'My dog ate my Ford Fiesta', 'I'm off on a fleabie", 'Is this Britain's Oldest Dog' and others). And yes, of course it's almost derisory to talk of animals being 'brave', but if it draws attention to charitable works and makes everyone feel a bit 'aaaaah' for a moment, then, well, all in a good cause.

RE: Medals??

Claudia Niehoegen — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 00:03:54 GMT

Right when the ´Dickin Medal‘ was invented I thought it was a PR exercise, a plug to get the PDSA ( whose founder Mary Dickin was) into the news. I have seen speaker resumes on local club/ group lists who talk about the medals for free, no doubt inviting donations to PDSA instead. The news I heard today , and Julian’s post, don’t even mention PDSA, so it has developed a life away from the inventor who is probably not too happy about that.

There has even been a pidgeon, for crying out loud. Absolutely ridiculous to attribute bravery to the animal recipients